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Kay Starr

Kay Starr (born Katherine LaVerne Starks; July 21, 1922 – November 3, 2016) was an singer of mixed Native American and descent, celebrated for her powerful, emotive vocal style that bridged genres including pop, , , and , with her biggest commercial successes coming in the through chart-topping hits like "" and "The Rock and Roll Waltz." Born in Dougherty, , on a Native American reservation to Harry Starks, a full-blooded , and Annie Starks, of and American Indian heritage, Starr's family relocated to , , when she was three years old, where she began performing on local radio station WRR at age seven, winning talent contests that led to her own 15-minute program by age nine or ten. Later moving to , she hosted her own show, Starr Time, on WREC and appeared on Saturday Night Jamboree starting at age 13, adopting the stage name "Kay Starr" after fans frequently misspelled her surname in letters. Her early career took off in 1937, at age 15, when she toured with violinist Joe Venuti's orchestra. In 1939, she recorded with Glenn Miller's group, releasing tracks like "Baby Me" and "Love with a Capital 'L'"; she soon performed with big bands led by , , , and later . Starr's breakthrough came in the late 1940s after signing with Capitol Records in 1947, where she blended jazz phrasing—praised by Billie Holiday for her blues delivery—with pop appeal, culminating in her first gold record, "Bonaparte’s Retreat," in 1950, followed by the massive #1 hit "Wheel of Fortune" in 1952, which sold over three million copies. She switched to RCA Victor in 1955, scoring another #1 with "The Rock and Roll Waltz" that year, and continued releasing hits like "Angry" (1952), "Side by Side" (1953), and "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)" (1954), while also appearing on television shows such as The Danny Thomas Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, touring in the musical Annie Get Your Gun, and starring in the 1956 television special The Lord Don't Play Favorites alongside Robert Stack and Buster Keaton. In 1949, she performed at President Harry S. Truman's inauguration, and her versatility extended to collaborations, including a 1968 album with Count Basie and live jazz recordings into the 1990s, such as Live at Freddy's (1997). Among her honors, Starr received a star on the in the recording category on February 8, 1960, at 1716 Vine Street; was named Oklahoma's Ambassador of Goodwill in 1985; and was voted magazine's #1 Female Entertainer alongside . Married six times, she had one daughter, , and in later years focused on Native American before retiring to , where she died at age 94 from complications of .

Early Life

Family Background and Childhood

Katherine LaVerne Starks, later known as Kay Starr, was born on July 21, 1922, in the small town of Dougherty, Oklahoma, on a Native American reservation. Her father, Harry Starks, was a full-blooded Indian born on a reservation in , while her mother, Annie Starks (née Coll), was of Irish and Native American ( and ) descent. This mixed heritage of Native American and Irish roots provided a unique cultural foundation for her early life, blending indigenous traditions with Irish-American influences. At the age of three, the Starks family relocated to , , amid the economic turmoil of the , seeking better opportunities. There, Harry found work installing sprinkler systems in buildings, a modest job that helped sustain the family. Despite this, the family endured significant , with Annie supplementing their income by raising chickens in their backyard. These hardships instilled a strong sense of in the household, as the family navigated the widespread financial struggles of the era. During her childhood in , Kay was exposed to the rich musical landscape of , including radio broadcasts of country and music that filled the airwaves and influenced her developing interests. She often sang informally around the home, such as serenading the family's chickens, activities that reflected the cultural blend of her heritage and the regional sounds surrounding her. This formative environment, marked by economic challenges and diverse auditory experiences, laid the groundwork for her lifelong passion for music.

Musical Beginnings

Kay Starr, born Katherine LaVerne Starks, displayed an early aptitude for music in , , where her family had relocated when she was three years old. At the age of nine, she entered and won a local radio talent contest on station WRR, which led to her own 15-minute program where she performed pop and songs accompanied by piano. This marked her first public performances, earning her $3 per night—a substantial sum during the —and establishing her as a young with regular appearances three times a week. By age twelve, Starr had honed her vocal style through self-taught practice, drawing influences from the , , and she heard on the radio, which shaped her versatile, emotive delivery. Her family supported her talents, with her aunt particularly encouraging her initial forays into performing. In 1935, at age thirteen, Starr's family moved to , for her father's job installing irrigation systems, seeking better opportunities amid economic hardship. It was in Memphis that she adopted the stage name "Kay Starr" due to fans frequently misspelling her surname in letters. She briefly attended Technical High School but soon prioritized music, landing spots on local radio including her own segment "Starr Time" on WREC and regular features on WMPS's Saturday Night , where she sang alongside emerging country acts. These appearances provided her first paid local gigs beyond , continuing to pay around $3 per night as she performed with regional bands in and , building her confidence and repertoire before transitioning to more formal ensembles.

Career

Early Career (1930s–1940s)

Starr's professional career began in 1937 at age 15, performing with and the Playboys, before her 1939 engagements with major bands. At age 17 in 1939, Kay Starr joined as a replacement vocalist, making her national network debut singing "Memphis Blues" on the Camel Caravan , which led to touring and recordings with the band for . That same year, she had a brief stint with Glenn Miller's , recording her first sides "Love with a Capital You" and "" for . Following these early opportunities, Starr reunited with Joe Venuti's band through 1941, performing and standards on the road. In the early 1940s, Starr continued her band affiliations amid . By 1943, she briefly sang with Wingy Manone's Band before replacing in Charlie Barnet's orchestra, signing with and releasing the blues-inflected single "Share Croppin' Blues," while also recording V-Discs distributed to U.S. troops overseas and performing on Armed Forces Radio broadcasts to entertain servicemen. Her wartime efforts included appearances on programs like , blending upbeat with torch songs to boost morale. During this period, Starr's style evolved, incorporating phrasing with emerging pop and elements, as heard in her 1945 rendition of "Stormy Weather" backed by Barney Bigard's group on Lamplighter Records. Her 1948 recording of "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" with a small combo further exemplified this development. Starr's career faced a major setback in 1945 when she contracted during an Army camp performance, leading to vocal cord nodes that silenced her for nearly a year; she recovered by 1946 without surgery, resuming singing with a deeper, huskier tone that enhanced her emotive delivery. Transitioning to solo work, she signed with in 1947, releasing singles that gained modest airplay, such as "You Were Only Foolin' (While I Was Fallin' in Love)" in 1948, which marked her first chart entry at No. 14. By 1949, tracks like "So Tired" and "A Faded Summer Love" continued her steady output, positioning her for broader recognition while she honed a versatile sound drawing from roots and influences honed in her youth .

Peak Success (1950s)

In 1950, Kay Starr achieved a breakthrough with her recording of "Bonaparte's Retreat," which reached number four on the Billboard pop chart and sold nearly one million copies, marking her first major commercial success on Capitol Records. The song's country-tinged style highlighted her versatility, building on her earlier experiences with jazz and big bands. That same year, she collaborated with Tennessee Ernie Ford on the duet "I'll Never Be Free," which peaked at number three on the pop chart and number two on the country chart, showcasing her ability to cross over into country music. Starr's popularity soared in 1952 with "Wheel of Fortune," which topped the pop chart for ten weeks and sold over one million copies, becoming her signature hit and establishing her as a leading pop artist. The song's success was followed by "I Waited a Little Too Long," which reached #18 on the pop chart. By mid-decade, she had racked up multiple chart entries, including the 1953 hits "Side by Side" (number three pop) and "Comes A-Long A-Love" (number seven pop), along with "Allez-Vous-En" (number nineteen pop). In 1954, "Changing Partners" reached number six on the pop chart, while "The Man Upstairs" hit number seven, demonstrating her consistent appeal in the pop genre. In 1955, Starr signed with RCA Victor Records, shifting from after nearly a decade, and released "The Rock and Roll ," which became her second number-one pop hit and earned gold certification for over one million sales. The novelty tune incorporated emerging rock elements into a rhythm, reflecting her adaptability amid the rise of rock 'n' roll while preserving her jazz-infused phrasing. She promoted the single with appearances on popular television programs, including . Throughout the decade, Starr explored rock-influenced pop arrangements but stayed rooted in her origins, blending delivery with broad commercial appeal. Contemporaries, including , praised her distinctive vocal timbre, with Holiday calling her "the only white woman who could sing the ." By the late , she had several million-selling singles to her credit, solidifying her status as one of the era's top-selling female vocalists.

Later Career (1960s–2010s)

Following her peak commercial success in the 1950s, Kay Starr continued recording with into the early , releasing albums that explored and influences, such as Just Plain Country in 1962. She departed from in 1966 amid shifting musical tastes dominated by rock 'n' roll. Transitioning to smaller labels, Starr collaborated with Count Basie on the jazz album How About This in 1968, released by Paramount Records, which highlighted her versatile vocal style in a big-band setting. Throughout the decade, she maintained a busy touring schedule, including performances in casinos, where she signed a landmark five-year, million-dollar contract with the Sahara Hotel in 1955—the first for a female vocalist. In the 1970s and , Starr entered a period of semi-retirement, reducing her recording output to focus on selective live appearances, such as club and casino shows in and a 1983 engagement in . Capitol reissued compilations of her earlier hits in 1977, sustaining interest in her catalog. Her total discography exceeded 40 albums across various genres, reflecting her adaptability from pop to and . The brought rare but notable engagements, including tours of with and nostalgic revues featuring her classic hits. Her first live album, Live at Freddy's—recorded in 1986 at a New York club—was released in 1997 by Baldwin Street Music, capturing her enduring stage presence. Entering the 2000s, Starr contributed a vocal on Tony Bennett's 2001 blues album Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues, performing "Blue and Sentimental." She made one of her final major appearances at in 2002 as part of a tribute concert, after which health issues curtailed her activities by 2010. Starr's robust, emotive style influenced subsequent generations of singers, including , who cited her as a key inspiration for blending and elements.

Personal Life

Marriages and Family

Kay Starr was married six times throughout her life, though she maintained a low profile regarding her personal relationships and rarely elaborated on them in interviews. Details about most of her marriages are limited, reflecting her focus on her professional career over public disclosure of romantic matters. One documented union was a brief marriage to and Vic Schoen in 1953, which lasted only a few months. In 1964, Starr obtained an uncontested divorce from her fifth husband, auto dealer Earl Spencer Callicutt, in Santa Monica Superior Court. Earlier marriages included one to trumpeter in the 1950s, which provided some stability amid her rising fame, and a union with millionaire George Mellen from 1957 to 1959. Her final marriage was to Woody Gunther, beginning in the mid-1960s and enduring until his death in the early 2000s. None of these relationships produced additional children, and Starr often navigated them alongside the demands of her touring schedule. Starr had one daughter, Katherine Yardley (born Katherine Laverne Starks in 1946), her , with whom she shared a close and supportive bond. Katherine died on October 3, 2019. Starr was also survived by her grandson, Paul Yardley, through Katherine, underscoring the small but tight-knit family circle she maintained privately. Occasional interviews revealed glimpses of her home life, including affection for pets, but she prioritized discretion about familial matters.

Health and Interests

In 1945, while performing at an , Kay Starr contracted , which led to the development of vocal nodes and polyps. She collapsed and was hospitalized for 10 days, temporarily losing her voice. To avoid surgery, doctors froze her as treatment. She remained silent for over four months and took nearly a full year to regain her singing ability, resulting in a huskier that became a defining characteristic of her style. A longtime resident of the Bel Air neighborhood in , Starr purchased her home there in 1955 for approximately $65,000 and remained in the area for decades, enjoying a relatively private lifestyle amid her professional commitments. Starr pursued several personal interests outside her music career, including and ; during a year-long hiatus from performing, she took a six-week in , where she successfully hunted a . She also engaged in through the Society of Singers, an organization supporting vocal artists, to which she donated portions of her performance earnings to assist fellow singers facing financial or health difficulties.

Death and Legacy

Final Years and Death

In her later years, Kay Starr largely retired from performing after occasional appearances in the early , including a duet with in 2001, to focus on her health and family while residing in her Bel Air home in . She had reduced her professional commitments starting in the 1970s and 1980s to raise her family, though she continued sporadic stage returns such as a European tour with in the early 1990s. Starr was diagnosed with , which progressed to require full-time family care in her Bel Air residence during her final years. Her daughter, Katherine Yardley, provided support as her only immediate family member, ensuring she remained at home amid the illness's advancement. Starr died on November 3, 2016, at the age of 94 in her Bel Air home from complications of . Her daughter Katherine Yardley announced the passing, noting it occurred peacefully at home. A private family service was held in , with no public funeral planned, and arrangements were handled by Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park.

Awards and Honors

In recognition of her contributions to American popular music, Kay Starr received a star on the in the Recording category on February 8, 1960, located at 1716 in , . Starr was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1988, honoring her as a native Oklahoman who achieved national and international prominence as a singer. Her signature 1952 recording of "Wheel of Fortune" was inducted into the in 1998, acknowledging its enduring historical and artistic significance. Starr earned multiple gold records during the , including for "," which became her first million-selling single, and "The Rock and Roll Waltz" in 1956. She was inducted into the Music Hall of Fame in 2002, celebrating her roots in the state and her versatile career spanning , pop, and country genres. In 2013, Starr was inducted into the Music Hall of Fame, recognizing her early radio career in the city and her lasting influence on blues and vocal styles.

Cultural Impact

Kay Starr's ability to seamlessly blend genres such as pop, , , and R&B marked her as a in musical crossover during the mid-20th century. Her roots in informed a versatile style that incorporated elements, earning her acclaim as one of the few white performers to authentically convey the genre's emotional depth. famously described her as "the only white woman who could sing the ," highlighting Starr's role in broadening accessibility to wider audiences while drawing from her mixed heritage to infuse authenticity into her interpretations. Starr's innovative approach influenced a generation of vocalists who admired her genre-spanning prowess. , for instance, cited Starr's recordings, including "," among her favorite songs and performers, crediting her emotive delivery as a key inspiration for Ronstadt's own eclectic career. In popular media, Starr's music has endured through archival features and soundtrack placements, reinforcing her timeless appeal. Her holiday classic "(Everybody's Waitin' For) The Man with the Bag" appeared in the 2016 film , underscoring its nostalgic charm in contemporary cinema. Her hits have also been licensed for television soundtracks, such as "" in episodes of , introducing her work to new viewers via retro-themed programming. As a performer of and descent, born on a Native American , Starr brought visibility to voices in mainstream music at a time when such representation was rare. Her success challenged stereotypes, making her contributions as a Native American-Irish jazz and pop singer legible across genres and paving the way for greater Native inclusion in American music history. Following her death in 2016, Starr's catalog experienced a notable revival on digital streaming platforms, amassing hundreds of thousands of monthly listeners on services like by the late 2010s and into the 2020s. This resurgence has been amplified by modern covers of her standards, including contemporary reinterpretations of "" and "Rock and Roll Waltz" by vocal groups and remix artists, ensuring her influence persists in neo-vintage and revival scenes.

Discography

Notable Singles

Kay Starr achieved significant success with several crossover singles that bridged pop, R&B, and audiences during the early . Her breakthrough hit, (1952, ), written by Bennie Benjamin and , topped the pop chart for 10 weeks, reached #1 on the R&B chart, and #3 on the chart, selling over 1 million copies and earning gold certification. Earlier, Bonaparte's Retreat (1950, Capitol), a cover of Pee Wee King's country tune, peaked at #5 on the pop chart and #1 on the country chart, marking Starr's entry into country music while showcasing her versatile vocal style. If You Love Me (Really Love Me) (1954, Capitol), an English adaptation of the French chanson "Hymne à l'amour," reached #3 on the pop chart and highlighted Starr's emotional delivery in a romantic ballad format. Transitioning to RCA Victor in 1955, Starr scored her second #1 pop single with The Rock and Roll Waltz, a novelty tune blending waltz rhythm with emerging rock elements that stayed at the top for six weeks and became one of the label's early million-sellers. Over her career, Starr amassed 15 top-10 pop hits between 1949 and 1957, with many demonstrating her ability to cross over into R&B and markets, as exemplified by the multi-format dominance of .

Selected Albums

Kay Starr's album discography reflects her evolution from and pop to and influences, with releases spanning major labels like , Victor, and . Her early long-playing records emphasized her roots in big band and standards, while later works explored covers and holiday themes. Throughout her career, she collaborated with renowned arrangers such as on several sessions, contributing to the sophisticated orchestration of her 1950s output. In the mid-1950s, Starr's initial forays into the LP format highlighted jazz standards and compilations of her rising hits. "The Kay Starr Style," released in 1955 by , featured interpretations of classic tunes, showcasing her warm, emotive vocal style against swinging arrangements. Shortly after switching labels, "The One, The Only Kay Starr" appeared in 1956 on RCA Victor as a hits compilation, gathering popular tracks like "" and demonstrating her commercial appeal in pop and genres. Starr's peak era in the late 1950s blended pop, country, and rockabilly elements, often under Riddle's arrangements for Capitol. "Movin'!" (1959, Capitol) mixed pop and country numbers, including playful tracks that highlighted her rhythmic phrasing and crossover versatility. These releases solidified her as a multifaceted artist capable of bridging genres. By the 1960s, Starr ventured deeper into country and spiritual music. "Just Plain Country" (1962, Capitol) consisted of covers of contemporary hits like "Crazy" and "Four Walls," adapting them to her husky timbre and emphasizing narrative-driven ballads. In 1959, Capitol released "I Hear the Word," focusing on spirituals and gospel-inspired selections that reflected her interest in faith-based material. In 1968, she collaborated with Count Basie on "How About This" (Paramount Records). Compilations played a significant role in preserving Starr's legacy, with numerous reissues in the capturing her enduring hits. ": Greatest Hits," part of various collections on labels like , anthologized her top-charting singles and album tracks, underscoring her impact across decades. Overall, Starr produced 18 studio albums and 18 compilations, many featuring collaborative production that enhanced her distinctive voice.

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