Mary Kaye, Vegas lounge act original, dies

When I was in the hospital & recovering from my own heart problems recently, I must have missed the news of Mary Kaye's death. She is a Vegas legend, guitarist & singer, & founder of the Mary Kay trio, who originated the Vegas "lounge act" concept:

"LAS VEGAS, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Singer/guitarist Mary Kaye, credited with linking "lounge" with Las Vegas, died in a Las Vegas hospital of heart and respiratory failure.

Kaye, 83, of the Mary Kaye Trio, was the one who suggested building a stage in the bar area of the Last Frontier and calling it a lounge, the Los Angeles Times said.

Norman Kaye, her brother and trio member, told the Times, "We were the first lounge group advertised as such. ... It was a marvelous career for all of us."

The group performed in the wee hours of the morning, helping to turn Las Vegas into a 24-hour entertainment capital. Headliners, including Frank Sinatra and Elvis, caught the trio's lounge act between 1-6 a.m., according to a family history.

The best-known version of the trio included Mary Kaye on guitar, her older brother Norman on bass and Frank Ross, the group's comedian and sometimes accordionist.

The band released a dozen albums before breaking up in 1966.

Kaye, who died Saturday, is survived by a brother, three children and nine grandchildren."

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From Political Gateway UPI article

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Related: Mary Kay Trio links site.