Jean Swain

Jean Adair Swain (August 12, 1923 – July 17, 2000) was born in New York City and grew up in Port Washington, Long Island, where she graduated from high school at age 16. Her musical talents included playing the cello in orchestras and chamber music groups, arranging, composing and teaching. She was also an accomplished pianist. She received her degree in music at Smith College (1945) where she was a founding member and arranger for the "Smithereens,"a singing group now a campus tradition. In 1946 she and her sister, Nancy Swain Overton, founded a vocal quartet The Heathertones with Bix Brent and Pauli Skindlov (later replaced by Marianne McCormick). After The Heathertones broke up, Jean pursued a career in documentary film production...