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Kay Starr - Wheel of Fortune (1940s-50s)

Kay Starr was born Katherine LaVerne Starks, Oklahoma, in 1922, her father was an Iroquois Indian. Due to her precocious talent Katherine had her own spot singing on radio at an extremely young age. She changed her name to Kay Starr after her name was miss-spelt so many times in fan letters. In July 1939 Kay joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra replacing Marion Hutton, and subsequently made her first recording on the Bluebird label Love With A Capitol YOU. Capitol Records signed her in 1947. On January 17, 1952 Kay was awakened and called into Capitol’s Melrose studios late one night to record a rush release of a new song titled Wheel Of Fortune Kay’s version was released along with two others, and became a huge success. It was to be the song most associated with her, her biggest hit, and her first gold record.

Tracks:

01. Wheel of Fortune

02. If I could be with You

03. Stormy Weather

04. After you've Gone

05. What a difference a Day Made

06. I've got my Love to keep me Warm

07. Ain't Misbehavin'

08. After I say I'm Sorry

09. I'm Confessin'

10. So Tired

11. Honeysuckle Rose

12. Where or When

13. Stardust

14. Them There Eyes

15. Should I

16. Into each Life some Rain must Fall

17. I can't get started with you

18. You've got to see Mama every Night

19. Pretty baby

20. There's a Lull in my Life

21. It's a Great Feeling

22. Love Me or Leave Me

23. Sharecroppin' Blues

24. All of Me

25. Honey

26. You always Hurt the One You Love

27. He's Funny that Way

28. The Dixieland Band

29. St. Louis Blues

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Kay Starr’s mother was of Cherokee, Choctaw and Irish descent and her father was a full-blooded Iraquois Indian. Her talent for singing was revealed early, but it was her maternal Aunt Norah who egged her on at the age of thirteen to enter a Dallas Radio station’s weekly talent contest at Dallas’s Melba Theatre. Here she took third place with the chance to perform on air. Soon Kay won the listener’s vote and was awarded her own thrice-weekly 15 minutes spot for three dollars per night during which she sang mainly hillbilly numbers. It wasn’t until her family moved to Memphis that Kay landed her own radio show. From then on many well known in the profession must have noticed her potential. Soon the wheel of fortune began to turn more in Kay’s favour and Glenn Miller hired her as a temporary replacement for the indisposed Marion Hulton. Although she only stayed with Miller two weeks, that stay brought her more fame and the prestige of having worked with America’s most famous orchestra. It was while at the height of World War Two that her day-to-day activity centred on entertaining the troops with its unremitting travel and one night stands caused her health to suffer, but after a rest cure she recovered and carried on with her career.

Her recording of "You Always Hurt The One You Love" was made in New York in October 1944 with Charlie Barnet and his orchestra. Barnet had a big band and in this number you hear all the instruments playing clearly and they are well worth hearing too. After a long introduction from the band you hear Kay sing. I like her deep, warm and sweet-sounding voice, and you know she means every word. A good number to follow is "If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight" recorded in March 1945 in Los Angeles with The Capitol International Jazz Men. This is quite a nice song, but not one I enjoyed as much as the first. However, I do like how the Jazz Men play throughout. The many different instrumentalists are clearly heard and Kay certainly sings with her usual clarity but to my mind it’s the musicians who make this recording.

I was delighted to hear again the great "Stormy Weather" which Kay recorded in Los Angeles in March 1945, again with The Capitol Jazz Men. I know this song very well and love this particular arrangement where the orchestra plays such a big part, particularly the pianist. Kay sings in such a way that you know that although it’s stormy she accepts it no matter what. That’s the kind of voice Kay has. She can effortlessly convey how she feels. I was less impressed with her next recording. This is "Honey" recorded in Los Angeles in June 1945. I have to say I found it difficult to discover who was this Honey Kay was singing about. The orchestra again scores however, showing that she was very lucky with her arrangers and orchestras. This is proved again in "After You’ve Gone" recorded with The Lamplighter Five in Los Angeles in June 1946. The instrumentalists here are brilliant and I liked this number very much. Although Kay needs to pause at times, the band fills in with some great playing.

"You’ve Gotta See Mama Ev’ry Night, Or You Can’t See Mama At All" was made with Dave Cavanaugh and his music in October 1947. I have listened to this recording several times, trying to decide if I liked it. Kay as usual sings it well, but I thought the music too loud, though Kay as usual is able to match the volume of the band. But this is not one for me.

Another pleasant number to follow is "You Were Only Foolin’" recorded in Los Angeles in August 1948. Kay sings this in a deeply heartfelt way, tells how she had been fooled as she had been falling in love. Perhaps not everyone’s type of song, but it’s pleasant to listen to. Also you will enjoy how the pianist and later the saxophone play during the refrains. Next is a great favourite of mine, "So Tired", recorded in Los Angeles that November. I wonder how many people have felt tired of waiting for someone. Well Kay certainly tells you what it is like as she sings this moving song and the orchestra plays along with her just as meaningfully as though they understand too.

It is appropriate to leave Kay’s theme song "Wheel of Fortune" to the end even though the CD places it first. She recorded it with Harold Mooney and his orchestra in Los Angeles January 1952. She sings it, as you would expect, brilliantly. Pleading to her wheel of fortune not to let her down, but to keep turning and, as it proved, it did all she said through her career. Kay’s million-selling version proved an out-and-out winner, a best seller that stayed for 25 weeks in the American Charts.

Original News:

Video: Kay Starr singing "Wheel of Fortune" on Wayne Newton's TV Special "One More Time" 01:47

Rating:
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