Lynn Evans Mand (born Carolyn Marie Hartgate; May 2, 1924 – February 6, 2020) was an American popular singer who was the lead singer of The Chordettes. She and the quartet achieved national acclaim for performing " Mr. Sandman" and " Lollipop", both of which became instant hit songs during the 1950s and 1960s. ^{[1] [2]}

Early life

Carolyn Marie Hartgate was born on May 2, 1924, in Youngstown, Ohio. She was the daughter of George Hartgate, a steelworker, and homemaker Caroline ( née Williams) Hartgate. As a young girl, Hartgate studied piano and sang with her family. ^[2] She graduated high school in 1942 and attended Ohio Wesleyan University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in education in 1946. That same year, she married Robert B. Evans. ^[1]

The Chordettes

Mand worked for the American Red Cross and was a singer with an amateur barbershop quartet when, in 1953, she auditioned for a role in the Chordettes. The group was impressed by her voice and appointed her to replace Dorothy Schwartz. She was a member of the quartet for twelve years, using the name "Lynn" as there had already been a member of the group named Carol. The group would perform with stars including Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, in addition to appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand. ^{[2] [1]}

Later life and death

The Chordettes broke up in the early 1960s, though members of the group remained friends. Mand worked as a special education teacher in the Brentwood School District, earning an Master of Arts in the field from Hofstra University in 1969. ^[2] She would move back to Ohio, where she died on February 6, 2020, in Elyria. ^{[1] [3]}

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