Evelyn Kaye

Evelyn Kaye Klein (1911–1990) was an American violinist, best known for her performances as "Evelyn and Her Magic Violin" with Phil Spitalny's Hour of Charm Orchestra.

Early years Born in the Yorkville neighborhood of New York City, Klein was the daughter of a German-Catholic father and a Hungarian-Jewish mother. As early as 1926, she was playing violin on radio stations WPCH and WJZ in New York City.

She graduated with honors from the Juilliard School, then known as the Institute of Musical Art, and she advanced her education in music as a fellowship student at the graduate school of the institute. She was awarded the Fontainebleau Grand Prix scholarship to study music in Paris, but she gave it up to pursue a professional career.

Career Evelyn Kaye as featured on the cover of Radio Life magazine's September 7, 1949, issue. When Klein was 14 years old, she debuted at The Town Hall in New York City. Among the members of the audience was Spitalny, who at the time was conductor of the orchestra at the Capitol Theater. Although Kaye's grandmother slammed the door in Spitalny's face when he first tried to contact the girl about auditioning for him, she eventually auditioned for him, and he signed her to be the first member of his planned all-female orchestra.

Besides being concertmistress for the Hour of Charm Orchestra Evelyn Kaye was "responsible for settling dress, date, and temperament problems" for members of the group. She also arranged most of the group's orchestral and choral music.

Personal life On June 12, 1946, Kaye married Spitalny in Margate, New Jersey. The two collaborated as composers of songs, including "Save the Last Dance for Me" and "Pining for You".

Death On July 8, 1990, Kaye died of heart failure at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida. She was 78.