Career interruption

The Andrews Sisters broke up in 1953, the main catalyst being Patty's decision to go solo, with her husband acting as her agent. When Maxene & LaVerne learned of Patty's decision from newspaper gossip columns rather than their own sister, it caused a rather bitter two-year separation, especially when Patty decided to worsen matters by suing LaVerne for a larger share of their parents' estate. Maxene and LaVerne tried to continue the act as a duo and met with good press during a 10-day tour of Australia, but a reported suicide attempt by Maxene in December, 1954 put a halt to any further tours (Maxene spent a short time hospitalized after swallowing 18 sleeping pills, which LaVerne told reporters was an accident).

When all was forgiven and the trio reunited in 1956, they signed a new recording contract with Capitol Records (for which Patty had become a featured soloist) and they released a dozen singles through 1959, some rock-and-roll flavored and not very well received, and three hi-fi albums, including a vibrant LP of songs from the dancing 1920s with Billy May's orchestra. In 1962, they signed with Dot Records and recorded a series of stereo albums over five years, both re-recordings of earlier hits, as well as new material, including I Left My Heart In San Francisco, Still, The End Of The World, Puff the Magic Dragon, Sailor, Satin Doll, the Theme from Come September, and the Theme from A Man and a Woman. They toured extensively during the 1960s, favoring top nightclubs in Las Vegas, Nevada, California and London, England.

The act came to an abrupt end in 1967 when eldest sister LaVerne died of cancer after a year-long bout with the illness, during which she was replaced by singer Joyce DeYoung. LaVerne had founded the original group, and often acted as the peacemaker amongst the three during the sisters' lives, more often siding with her parents, to whom the girls were extremely devoted, than with either of her sisters. Once she was gone, Maxene saw no need to continue as a duo (she taught acting, drama, and speech at a Lake Tahoe college and worked with troubled teens), and Patty was once again eager to be a soloist.