Molly Bee

Molly Bee had several hits in the early '60s, crafting a showy stage persona, ideal for clubs. Raised in Beltbuckle, TN, Bee didn't begin singing until her family moved to Tucson, AZ. Even then, she started her singing career much earlier than most -- she was ten years old when she gained the attention of Rex Allen, the singing cowboy. Bee's mother took her to see the singer at a local concert, where she had her daughter sing for him. Impressed with her performance of "Lovesick Blues," Allen had the child sing on his radio show shortly afterward. A year later, her family moved to Hollywood, where she became a regular on Hometown Jamboree, a Los Angeles-based television show run by Cliffie Stone. Bee sang on the Jamboree throughout her teens, gaining a large following of fans; she was so popular, the program was occasionally called the "Molly Bee Show." During this time, she was also a regular on The Pinky Lee Show, appearing on the television program for three years. When she was 13, Bee signed with Capitol Records, releasing her first single, "Tennessee Tango." However, it was "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," released late in 1952, that was her first major success. In 1953, she recorded "Don't Start Courtin' in a Hot Rod Ford," a duet with Tennessee Ernie Ford. The following year, she left Pinky Lee's show for Ford's daytime television show. Bee's career continued to grow, as she had more hit singles -- including "Young Romance," "Don't Look Back," and "5 Points of a Star" -- and appeared on a variety of television shows. By the late '50s, her live shows were drawing large, record-breaking crowds. In the early '60s, Bee began to move her talents to other areas, acting in several musical plays (The Boy Friend, Finian's Rainbow, Paint Your Wagon) and movies...