Herbie Kay

Herbie Kay, born Herbert Kaumeyer (1904 – May 11, 1944, Dallas, Texas) was an American trumpeter and big band leader.

Kay's career began while he was a student at Northwestern University, where he played in dance bands in the mid-1920s. He led his own group from the late 1920s, and played extensively in the Chicago area from the early 1930s to the early 1940s, including a longstanding residency at the Blackhawk Restaurant. Kay hired Dorothy Lamour as a vocalist in 1934, and married her in 1935; by 1936, Lamour had moved to Hollywood to pursue a film career, and her marriage to Kay ended in 1939.

He recorded for Vocalion and Columbia Records and toured throughout the Western US; his band’s songs included a specially-written novelty dance tune, “Rhythm Steps”. For most of his career, he led a band with four saxophones, four brass instruments, and three rhythm instruments. Singers included Shirley Lloyd, Fuzzy Combs, King Harvey, and a vocal trio called “The Three Kays”. He dissolved the group in the early 1940s and moved to Dallas, where he died in 1944.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1904, Died May 11, 1944 (Dallas)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1933

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-77017 10-in. 9/22/1933 I've an evening for sale Lee Bennett ; Jan Garber Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kay, Herbie," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/115354.

Kay, Herbie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/115354.

"Kay, Herbie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/115354

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