Dorothy McGuire of McGuire Sisters dies

PHOENIX -- Dorothy McGuire Williamson, who teamed with sisters Christine and Phyllis for a string of hits in the 1950s and '60s as the popular McGuire Sisters singing group, has died. She was 84.

Williamson died Friday at her son's home in the Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley, daughter-in-law Karen Williamson said. She had Parkinson's disease and age-related dementia.

The McGuire Sisters earned six gold records for hits including 1954's "Sincerely" and 1957's "Sugartime." The sisters were known for their sweet harmonies and identical outfits and hairdos.

They began singing together as children at their mother's Ohio church, then performed at weddings and church revivals. They got their big break on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts show in 1952.

The group made numerous appearances on television and toured into the late 1960s, making a last performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1968.

Dorothy stepped back to raise her two sons, Karen Williamson said. Christine also raised a family while Phyllis pursued a solo career, according to a 1986 profile in People Magazine after the trio reunited and began nightclub and Las Vegas performances again.

The group last performed in the mid-2000s. They sang for five presidents and Queen Elizabeth II. The sisters were inducted into the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.

Christine, 86, and Phyllis, 81, live in Las Vegas.

Dorothy was married for 53 years to Lowell Williamson, a wealthy oilman. The couple had two sons, Rex and David.

Other survivors include two stepchildren and nine grandchildren.