Hurricane Sandy claims life of former Hermosa Beach singer and entrepreneur [UPDATE]
A former Hermosa Beach woman has died in Hurricane Sandy. Claudene Christian, 42, was a member of the crew of the HMS Bounty, which sunk off the coast of North Carolina on Monday. Christian, a graduate of USC where she was a Song Girl, was a successful entrepreneur who created a line of collegiate dolls. She was also a singer on the local scene, including with Joe’s Band in the 1990s. From Claudene Christian’s facebook page. Joe Middler, who formed the band and kept in touch with Christian, said she asked to join the band after seeing a show at the former Harry O’s in Manhattan Beach. “My singer ended up leaving the band and she came in and auditioned for me,” Middler said. “She was really terrific, a great performer and personality. We had a lot of great times.” Christian sang with the band for about five years from 1993 to 1998, including performing with the Gipsy Kings and at the House of Blues, Middler said. Middler said Christian developed Cheerleader Doll Company, with a doll for each university in the country. “She was a real success,” Middler said. In 1996, Mattel sued Christian for the first time, alleging copyright infringement. The legal battle would last seven years…
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