he Lady With the Gold Baton: A Creative Tribute: November 2020

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.

Saturday, November 28, 2020

In Kay's time, "Victory" often meant "hmmm" when it came to products

Kay's Peers: A Violinist

https://www.thestrad.com/news/american-violinist-camilla-wicks-dies-aged-92/11495.article?fbclid=IwAR3X0i7RYOPZETi54juUzqvmPdC3PBFBZw98pnVieYax2j3DREKfdnaPDYk

Friday, November 20, 2020

Teeny's Cartoon Corner

Teeny Stockton, Kay's life partner was a big fan of cartoons. Betty Boop was fine, but Teeny really loved Pudgy the dog.

Here's Pudgy in "Swing School":

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Song from Kay's era by Guy Lombardo and Orchestra

Monday, November 16, 2020

Kay's partner Teeny was a cartoon lover

Teeny cartoon hound https://www.newsfromme.com/iaq/iaq12/#:~:text=Disney's%20%22Silly%20Symphonies%2C%22%20the,cartoons%20built%20primarily%20around%20music.&text=Apart%20from%20that%2C%20the%20other,%2Dand%2Dwhite%20until%201943.

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Friends of Kay: Bob McFadden

http://www.rankinbass.com/bobmcfaddenhome.html

Monday, November 9, 2020

In Kay's era: The Kalamazoo Gals at the Gibson factory

https://www.michiganradio.org/post/best-gibson-guitars-were-made-kalamazoo-gals?fbclid=IwAR2VwpQYNz4QdxoBVSy3fhLfk1QscCFyAG98v4b6x927_HkOI2sfEtpsNIk