Kay Starr started her singing career at an early age. When she was just 7 years old she won a bunch of talent contests held by a Dallas radio station. As a result, she was given a weekly 15-minute radio show where she sang country and pop tune accompanied by a piano.
At the age of 15, while living in Memphis, she was heard on the radio by Joe Venturi who needed a female vocalist for his Orchestra. While performing with his band, Starr's parents insisted a midnight curfew for their daughter.
Word got around about Starr's talent and by 1939 she had recorded some sides with Bob Crosby and Glenn Miller. She didn't really fit into Miller's band well. She was hired as a "fill-in" for Marion Hutton who was dealing with some health issues at the time. Starr can be heard on the Miller tunes "Baby Me" and "Love with a Capital You". Overall, the key that Miller's band played in, didn't mesh well with Kay's vocal range.
Starr went on to finish high school and then moved on to Wingy Manone's band in 1943. She also began to record as a soloist at that time as well. Starr would record with some of the bigger names of the 1940's.
Watch: Kay Starr sing "Momma Goes Where Papa Goes" from 1950
Kay had a fantastic solo career! She had many hits and appeared on the Pop, Country and Jazz top selling charts. She remained active in music all the way up to 2016.
You can hear many of Kay Starr's big band era songs right here on Swing City Radio.
