ML - Vegas Magazine

Vegas - 2015 - Issue 8 - Winter - Jennifer Lopez

Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.

Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/607470

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 19 of 131

photography courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau In 1967, eight years after the Kim Sisters frst wowed Las Vegas, these K-pop progenitors were still a marquee act at the Stardust. From the mcGuire SiSterS to the chordetteS (remember "Mr. Sandman"?) to later acts like the Shirelles, the Ronettes, and the Supremes, girl groups ruled the air waves in the 1950s and '60s, and Vegas saw doz- ens of these performers pass through the city in their quest for stardom. But the most unlikely success story among them might have been the Kim Sisters. Born in Seoul, the talented trio—sisters Ai-ja and Sook-ja and their cousin Min-ja—together played more than 20 musical instruments and frst gained attention by entertaining American GIs stationed in Seoul during the Korean War with their renditions of feel-good American tunes like "Ole Buttermilk Sky" and "Candy and Cake." A soldier named Bob McMackin was particu- larly impressed and offered to become their manager. Encouraged by their success and their new manager, they made their way to the States, bringing a fresh look and sound with their quirky takes on American pop standards. In Las Vegas, the Kim Sisters captured the attention of club owner Tom Ball, who produced shows at the Thunderbird Hotel and the Desert Inn. By 1959, they had their frst booking: four weeks of performances at the Thunderbird, followed by a residency at the Stardust Hotel, where The Ed Sullivan Show was flming. The trio auditioned for Sullivan's show, made it on the air, and returned to the program more than 20 times. Not bad for three young women from a foreign country who didn't speak a word of English when they arrived, aside from the song lyrics they had memorized. As Min-ja explained in a 2011 interview, the language barrier ultimately didn't matter to their fans. "They just loved us," she said. "Our pronunciation was bad, but they knew the melody and always said, 'More, more, more!'" V Seoul SiSterS More than 50 years ago, the Korean iMport the m SiSterS becaMe an aMerican pop-culture phenoMenon—and brought their girl-group stylings to the Vegas stage. by emily brandenstein 18  vegasmagazine.com Front runner

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of ML - Vegas Magazine - Vegas - 2015 - Issue 8 - Winter - Jennifer Lopez