In 1947, Capital Records signed her to a contract. Her song “I’m the Lonesomest Gal in Town” was well received. Enjoying even greater success was “So Tired,” her first top ten hit in early 1949. In 1950, she recorded Perry Como’s polka “Hoop-Dee-Doo,” which climbed to number two on the charts.

When she made a return visit to her hometown of Dougherty, she heard Pee Wee King’s fiddle tune “Bonaparte’s Retreat.” She fell in love with the simple melody. She wrote words to the song, recorded it at Capitol, and it became a million dollar best seller.

She then recorded other songs including a duet with popular country singer “Tennessee” Ernie Ford. Early in 1952, she recorded “Wheel of Fortune.” The song became an overnight hit and earned her another gold record.

During the next two years, Kay recorded many more single records in different genres – jazz, country, popular, spirituals, Broadway tunes and rhythm and blues. By 1954, she had logged more than two dozen top forty successes. After signing with RCA, she had another gold record with “The Rock And Roll Waltz”in 1956. Although she became the first female vocalist with a top hit in the “Rock and Roll” era, her popularity as a recording star began fading with the advent of “Rock and Roll.”

During the 1960s she turned did more solo concerts in the U.S. and England including many performances in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada. By the 1970s – she was in her 50s — she cut back on her performances but occasionally did concerts and sang in nightclubs.

She married six times and has a daughter and grandchild. At last report the girl from Dougherty, now 85, was living in Bel Air, California.

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