Friday, July 20, 2012

The Burns Sisters - The Burns Sisters Band (1986) & Endangered Species (1989) DOUBLE POST!!

Thanks to a request from Isle visitor 6thzodiacsign, I've discovered The Burns Sisters.  Since the existing links I found to their albums seem to be troublesome, 6thzodiacsign suggested that I do a post on the ladies myself.  Well, I fell in love on first listen and am taking that advice.  A bit of research revealed that the ladies are still alive and active, and have a pretty big internet presence.  So I'll just give a brief bio on them here.  The group originally consisted of five sisters: Annie, Jeannie, Marie, Theresa (Terry) and Sheila and went by the name The Burns Sisters Band (they had seven other siblings not in the group).  They grew up in New York and all performed from an early age, mastering vocals and many instruments, and eventually formed a rock band.  When their brothers were working on the movie Atlantic City in 1979, they got the girls a spot performing for the film.  They kept at it and their talents were finally recognized by Columbia Records, who signed them in 1985.  In 1986 they released their first self-titled album, which spawned two singles, "I Wonder Who's Out Tonight" and "Listen To The Beat Of A Heart". While the former track was a new-wavey dance song, the latter was pure AOR (adult-oriented rock) and it managed to reach #23 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Both were perfect representations of the album's sound.  It was produced by Richard Gottehrer, who had previously worked with Blondie and The Go-Gos (and had helped make them stars), and The Burns Sisters Band had a very similar sound.  They soon began work on a follow-up with another successful producer, David Kershenbaum, who had produced acts like Joe Jackson, Supertramp and Tracy Chapman.  As a result, the album had a rockier vibe, which was closer to the sisters' hearts.  They managed to release one single in 1989, "Treat Me Like A Man", but thanks to the label's change of management many acts were dropped, including the Burns Sisters, so their follow-up album Endangered Species never got a proper release and promotion.  After releasing an independent album in 1992, Theresa and Sheila left the group, leaving the trio of Annie, Jeannie and Marie to carry on.  They were signed to Rounder/Philo and released four albums on the label over the rest of the decade, leaving pop-rock behind for folk and country.  All three ladies also released solo albums, as did Terry.  They still record together and released their latest album The Hills Of Ithaca this year on their own label.  To find out more, go to their website. Terry also released her latest album this year as part of the country duo Burns and Kristy, and you can get more info at their website.  But for a pure blast of 80s pop-rock, explore their first two albums.  If you are a fan of The Go-Gos, The Bangles, Voice Of The Beehive or Isle postees like The Rebel Pebbles, The Graces or Big Trouble, you'll adore The Burns Sisters and their amazing vocal harmonies.

Video for I Wonder Who's Out Tonight

Download The Burns Sisters Band

1I Wonder Who's Out Tonight
2Listen To The Beat Of A Heart
3We Should Be Together
4Tell Me
5This Time
6Run Rebel Run
7Take Me Tonight
8Who's Gonna Dance With Me
9I Need Your Love
10I'm Gonna Stand

Download Endangered Species

1Love Me Like A Man
2We Wait For Freedom
3The King Is Going To Fall
4Remember Me
5Hold On
6My Boyfriend's Back
7Greenlight
8Place To Rock
9Answers
10Last Eagle (For The People Of Big Mountain)

10 comments:

  1. 6thzodiacsign: wow! thank YOU SO MUCH 4 your wonderful blog about one of my all time faves all girl band, The Burns Sisters! I'm so delighted i could actually die now. lol! just can't thank u enough!

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  2. Link is dead for both. Could you please re-upload? Thanks.

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  3. link is dead for Burns Sisters "Endangered Species".
    Could you re-upload, please.

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  4. Can You please reup the links? Also any idea where i can find the David Kent Band files ?

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  5. Hey,
    Loving your website and all the musical love and work you've put into it. Thank you from all of us across the globe.
    Wanted to say I saw the Burns Sisters in a New Rochelle club, maybe the Dockside, in maybe 1976, and they were doing their folkie-harmony thing then. Sincere, sweet and struggling musicians in a small club with maybe 40 or so enjoying their live performance.
    As you note, they're back now to their roots of folkie-Irish-Americana, and their new website (I just went to it) is
    https://www.theburnssisters.com

    Again, thanks for so many remembered, or almost forgotten, great vocalists.

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