With American Indian heritage, Katherine Laverne Starks
was born July 21, 1922 on the reservation at Dougherty, Oklahoma.
At just seven years of age she was singing on Dallas radio station,
WRR. In her teens, as her family moved to Memphis, WMPS
radio began to feature her as Kay Starr.

As a junior high school student Kay was a singer with the
Joe Venuti orchestra and from time to time sang with the 
Bob Crosby and Glenn Miller bands.  Upon completing high
school in 1940, Kay moved to Los Angeles where she became
a soloist with the Charlie Barnet band.

After signing with Capitol Records, in 1948 Kay Starr’s familiar
deep and husky voice earned her a first ride on the Hit Parade
with, “You Were Only Foolin’, While I Was Falling in Love”.
She landed on the top ten for the first time later that same year
with, “So Tired”. In 1950, Kay had four more top ten hits, 
“Hoop-Dee-Doo”, “Bonaparte’s Retreat”, "I'll Never Be Free"
and “Oh, Babe”, but it was in 1952 she topped the charts with
her biggest hit, the #1 multi million selling “Wheel of Fortune”
that stayed on the Hit Parade for 25 weeks.  1953 saw
Kay Starr with four more giant hits, “Side By Side”,
“Half a Photograph”,  “Allez-Vous-En” and “Changing Partners”.
The next year in 1954 Kay had a two sided smash hit with
“The Man Upstairs” and “If You Love Me, Really Love Me”.

Moving to RCA Records in 1955, Kay Starr would have a
another multi-million seller, “Rock and Roll Waltz” that
would also stay on the Hit Parade for 25 weeks straight.
In 1957 “My Heart Reminds Me” gave her yet
another top ten hit.

Kay Starr was on the Hit Parade more than 40 times

during her recording career.

Visit the official Kay Starr website here