The Music Maids

Vocal group formed in early 1939 by Trudy Erwin and Dottie Mesmer. They performed and recorded with Bing Crosby, and appeared in a handful of films in the 1940s, including Broadway Melody of 1940, Hit Parade of 1943, Hoosier Holiday (1943), Girl Crazy (1943), Yolanda and the Thief (1945), and Riff Raff (1947). In addition to Erwin and Mesmer, the original line-up included Alice Ludes, Denny Wilson and Bobby Canvin. Canvin left the group in 1941 to sing with Tommy Dorsey's band, and was replaced by Erwin's high school classmate, Pat Hyatt. Erwin left in 1941 to sing with Kay Kyser, after which the group's arranger Hal Hopper joined the group, and their billing was changed to "The Music Maids and Hal". In early 1943, Kay Kyser hired Dottie Mesmer (and renamed her Diane Pendleton), and Mesmer was replaced by Jeannie Darrell, who only stayed for a few months. Darrell was replaced by Bonnie Raven who left in June 1944. In July 1944, the line-up consisted of Ludes, Wilson, Hyatt, and two male vocalists, Lee Gotch and Ernie Newton.