Dolly Kay (12 June 1900? – 26 August 1982) was a vaudeville and cabaret singer who started performing sometime around 1920 on the Orpheum curcuit accompanied by pianist Phil Phillips. According to an article that appeared in the September 28th, 1923 issue of the Los Angeles Times Dolly Kay was a stenographer who was living in New York City with her parents.After seeing her first vaudeville performance she was so affected and inspired that she introduced herself to a vaudeville agent who gave her a tryout and he immediately hired her as a vaudeville singer. This story may or may not be true, but Dolly Kay continued to be a popular vaudeville and cabaret singer throughout the 1920s and early 1930s. Dolly Kay’s solo recording career spanned the years 1921 to 1928. She also appeared as a vocalist on records made by the University Six (Harmony 581-H) and the Georgians (Columbia 117-D, 70-D). Lincoln 2096 was released under the pseudonym of Margaret White, Harmony 107-H was released under the pseudonym of Sally Freeman.
The last mention I’ve been able to find of Dolly Kay performing was at the Knights of Columbus Music Hall in Los Angeles on April 18th, 1965. The French Canadian Club presented “Fifi D’Orsay’s Ruby Jubilee,” a variety show honoring the stage and screen star’s 40th year in show business, at the Knights of Columbus music hall.
Thanks to Bob Palmer for his help with this page.
| Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
| Add A Little Wiggle (Roy Turk / J. Russell Robinson) | 1-30-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A2828 |
| A Good Man Is Hard To Find With Milt Shaw (Eddie Green) | 3-5-1928 | New York, New York | Vocalion 15664-B |
| Aggravatin’ Papa (Roy Turk / J. Russel Robinson) | 1-29-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3828 |
| Any Way The Wind Blows (James F. Hanley / Henry Creamer) | 11-11-1924 | New York, New York | Columbia 246-D |
| Blue (Lou Handman) | 1-27-1922 | New York, New York | Columbia A3758 |
| Buzz Mirandy (Dave Franklin) | 6-7-1922 | New York, New York | Columbia A3644 |
| Cry Baby Blues (George Meyer) | 10-20-1921 | New York, New York | Columbia A3502 |
| Don’t Think You’ll Be Missed (Harrison / Lyons / Rose) | 3-9-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3882 |
| Fifty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong Phil Phillips at the Piano (Rose / Raskin / Fisher) | 10-27-1926 | New York, New York | Harmony 411-H |
| Got To Have My Daddy Blues (Erdman / Cohn / Jones) | 12-22-1921 | New York, New York | Columbia A3534 |
| Hard Hearted Hannah (Yellen / Bigelow / Bates) | 5-28-1924 | New York, New York | Columbia 151-D |
| Hot Lips (Henry Busse / Jack Lange / Lou Davis) | 10-27-1922 | New York, New York | Columbia A3758 |
| How Could Red Riding Hood? Phil Phillips at the Piano (Randolph) | 10-5-1926 | New York, New York | Harmony 268-H Velvet Tone 1268-V |
| I Ain’t Got Nobody With Milt Shaw (Abel Baer / Samuel Lewis / Joseph Young) | 3-5-1928 | New York, New York | Vocalion 15664-A |
| I Ain’t That Kind Of Baby Phil Phillips at the Piano (Fain / Kahal / Britt) | 7-1-1927 | New York, New York | Harmony 449-H Diva 2449-G |
| I Can’t Get The One I Want (Lou Handman) | 5-28-1924 | New York, New York | Columbia 151-D |
| If I Can’t Have You I Don’t Want Nobody (Brown / Morgan) | 6-29-1922 | New York, New York | Columbia A3664 |
| I Haven’t Told Her – She Hasn’t Told Me (But We Know It Just The Same) Phil Phillips at the Piano | 10-27-1926 | New York, New York | Harmony 411-H |
| I Love My Baby (Warren / Green) | 1-27-1926 | New York, New York | Harmony 107-H |
| I Loved You Once (West / Porray) | 1-9-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3808 |
| I’m Nobody’s Gal From Strut Miss Lizzie (Henry Creamer / J. Turner Layton) | 8-15-1922 | New York, New York | Columbia A3692 |
| It Takes A Good Woman (To Keep A Good Man At Home) Phil Phillips at the Piano (Jack Yellen / Milton Ager) | 10-5-1926 | New York, New York | Harmony 268-H Velvet Tone 1268-V |
| It’s The Last Time You’ll Ever Do Me Wrong (Williams) | 6-7-1922 | New York, New York | Columbia A3644 |
| I Want To See My Tennessee (Milton Ager / Jack Yellen) | 11-11-1924 | New York, New York | Columbia 246-D |
| Lonesome Longin’ Blues (Roberts) | 6-29-1922 | New York, New York | Columbia A3664 |
| Magnolia Phil Phillips at the Piano (Buddy De Sylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson) | 7-1-1927 | New York, New York | Harmony 449-H Diva 2449-G |
| My Sweetie Went Away Phil Phillips at the Piano (Roy Turk / Lou Handman) | 7-16-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3955 |
| No One’s Fool (Rose) | 7-16-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3502 |
| Not Here – Not There (It’s Fifty Miles From Nowhere) (Dixon / Breuer) | 9-1923 | New York, New York | Lincoln 2096 |
| Oh! Sister Ain’t That Hot! Phil Phillips at the Piano (Harry White / Will Donaldson) | 7-16-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3955 |
| Poor Papa (Rose / Woods) | 1-27-1926 | New York, New York | Harmony 107-H |
| Pretty Little Thing Phil Phillips at the Piano (Tobias / Rose / Dubin) | 10-27-1926 | New York, New York | Harmony 294-H |
| Rags Phil Phillips at the Piano (Kahal / Fain / Silver / Richman) | 10-27-1926 | New York, New York | Harmony 294-H |
| Seven Or Eleven (My Pair Of Dixie Dice) (Walter Donaldson) | 1-30-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3828 |
| Sweet Henry (Pride Of Tennessee) (Harry Akst) | 8-11-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3980 |
| Sweet Man O’ Mine (Roy Turk / J. Russell Robinson) | 8-15-1922 | New York, New York | Columbia A3692 |
| The Gold Digger (James Hanley) | 8-11-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3980 |
| Wabash Blues (Fred Meinken) | 12-22-1921 | New York, New York | Columbia A3534 |
| Wet Yo’ Thumb (Lew Cooper / Harry Akst) | 3-9-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3882 |
| You’ve Got To See Mama Ev’ry Night (Billy Rose / Con Conrad) | 1-9-1923 | New York, New York | Columbia A3808 |
| Artist | Instrument |
| Phil Phillips | Piano (Columbia A3980, Harmony 449-H, 268-H) |
| Frank Westphal | Orchestra (Columbia A3808) |
| unknown | Studio Orchestras |
