The Lady With the Gold Baton: A Creative Tribute

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, May 30, 2022

Films of Kay's ear: 1950 movie with Jane Powell and Ricardo Mantelban doing the tango

"Two Weeks with Love"

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

"Real radio" in Kay's era -- Don McNeil and the Breakfast Club

A tour guide in Chicago, where The Breakfast Club originated, has done THIS SHORT PROFILE of the show, including some fun photos and memorabilia.

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Politics in Kay's Day: "Mister American," Ike's campaign bio-pic

This fourteen-minute newsreel style portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower was shown in movie theaters and civic clubs during Ike's run for the Presidency.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?417599-1/mister-american

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Comedy in Kay's day: Jack Pearl and The Three Stooges in "Meet the Baron"

Monday, March 14, 2022

Social Reforers of Kay's Era: Miriam Van Waters, The Lady at Box 99

Miriam Van Waters was a gentle, fierce reformer of women's prisons. She was profiled by author Burton J. Rowles in the book The Lady at Box 99.

Friday, March 11, 2022

Music technology of Kay's era: Hawaiian guitar

Friday, March 4, 2022

Odd Jobs in World War II

I was looking up piecework done by defense workers during the Second World War , because Kay's partner did some of that, and while I haven't quite found what I'm looking for, I did find this illustrated of odd jobs people did during the war.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/story/Article/2001405/10-odd-jobs-of-world-war-ii/https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/story/Article/2001405/10-odd-jobs-of-world-war-ii/

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Snug as a Bug in a Rug

Sunday, February 27, 2022

1s film in Britain -- "Went the Day Well?" from Ealiung fim studio

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Lani McIntyre, "The One Rose"

Wikipedia has a lot of good information about Lani McIntyre (and his brothers), including Lani's work with Jimmie Roidgers and his influence on the Hawaiian guitar sound which was once widely popular.

Here's the link to the article.