Joan Massagli was born January 26, 1938 and spent her childhood in Tacoma, Washington singing three-part harmony—a member of a musically talented family that included five children as well as an aunt and uncle who raised all the kids to enjoy music. By high school in the early 1950s, she and her two older sisters were regulars on a local TV show.

Donna Newsom was born November 06, 1932 and spent her childhood in Georgia and Florida. Her family moved many times, following her father’s work opportunities. Newsom had a close relationship with her father and the two had many adventures together.

Mary McCoy was born March 03, 1948 in Lancaster, New York. Her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada on December 26, 1959. After graduating from Basic High School, McCoy immediately enrolled at Nevada Southern University, which was in the midst of growing into the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). During the summer of 1967, she worked at the university's library moving books into the expanded facility. Though she altered her studies program from education to English, she continued to work at the library and continued the job after graduation.

Barbara Agonia was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1934. She graduated from Hanover College in southern Indiana in 1957 with a double major in English and speech/theater. Barbara taught English, speech, and theater in Illinois. In 1969, Barbara moved to Las Vegas where her sister lived and enrolled in a master's degree program in English at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. As she was completing her degree in 1971, she was hired by the Clark County Community College, which is now the College of Southern Nevada.