About this project

Kay Kemble (1911-1989) is a character invented for this project. Kay sang on radio commercials as a child and went on to lead Big Bands and swing ensembles in the 30's and 40's. She worked at Scott Air Field as a WAAC enlistee and a civilian. She produced war bond rallies, and her all-female band promoted a popular shampoo brand. In the 80's there was renewed interest in Kay's musical career.

Kay informally adopted the orphaned niece and nephew of her partner Wilmetta "Teeny" Stockton, and in the early 70's the family moved from St. Louis to New Orleans. After Kay and Teeny's deaths, family members remained in New Orleans until displaced by Hurricane Katrina. In 2014, I arranged to archive, organize, and restore Kay's memorabilia. Most items were damaged due to age, hurried packing , and lack of funds for formal archiving.

I've "become" Kay in reproduction radio broadcasts, and created artifacts to represent damaged or destroyed items in the collection.



Monday, February 24, 2020

Child star of the 1930s/1940s: Jane Withers

Shirley Temple and Baby Rose Marie weren't the only child actor to win the movie-going public's heart; there was also Jane Withers.

Withers, in her younger years, is best known for playing the anti-heroine in "Bright Eyes." But a few years later, she did some Judy Garland style young-teenager singing in a 1944 Broadway musical. I couldn't find a recording on Withers herself singing "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" in 1944, so here's Kitty Kallem singing a Big Band version the following year.


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