Dagmar Nordstrom

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Portrait of  Dagmar Nordstrom, one of the Nordstrom Sisters by Greta Kempton.
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Portrait of
Dagmar Nordstrom, one of the Nordstrom Sisters by Greta Kempton.

Dagmar Nordstrom (December 12, 1903April 9, 1976) composer, pianist, singer who was known with her sister Siggie as The Nordstrom Sisters.

Born in Chicago, Illinois the second daughter of Anna and Alexander Nordstrom. She was married briefly to a society playboy but lived most of her life with her older sister Siggie after the death of Siggie's husband Samuel Ferebee Williams in 1931.

During the 1920s she cut piano rolls for Steinway and Duo-Art. These included: 539 "I Still Love You" Milton Ager, 0551 "If You Don't Love Me" Yellen-Ager, 600 "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" Fisher, 0615 "Sweet Dreams" Ager, 713443 "Are You Happy?" Ager, 713433 "Blue River" Meyer.

They sublet a flat in London for a year in 1939 when they were the resident performers at The Ritz. Shortly after their return to the United States her song Remembering You was published both as sheet music and the full orchestration.

With the exception of their October in Bad Gastein for the baths, they regularly performed either in clubs in New York City or on board transatlantic ocean liners. Dagmar loved to drive and their automobile, first out of the hold of the ship would be packed with everything they needed on the continent. During the Second World War they took provisions in their car to Norway and Sweden. During the 1940s they were often on the radio and through the 1960s when they were not otherwise engaged as a team, Dagmar would at times take an assignment alone playing in a club.

They maintained an active social life and were the toast of many private parties in New York City until her death in 1976 when she suffered a massive stroke. Their good friends photographer Edgar de Evia and his partner David McJonathan-Swarm arrived for dinner and she was reclined in their living room, her mind still clear, saying "oh, my dear boys, I believe that I've had a stroke." She died that night and following services at Frank E. Campbell she was cremated and interred with their mother in the mausoleum at Ferncliff in Westchester County, New York.