Ginny Simms Biography

Fast Facts

• Earned distinction during WWII and had a B-17 Flying Fortress named after her
• A Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, Calif․, Walk of Stars was dedicated to her in 1993
• Studied at Fresno State Teachers College where she took advantage of opportunities to sing on campus
• After her death, she was interred in Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, Calif
• Bandleader Kay Kyser first heard her when she was singing at a club in San Francisco
• Started out as a soloist, earning her own local radio program by 1932
• For a time, she considered studying to become a concert pianist
• Had her own network radio show "The Ginny Simms Show" in the 1940s
• A big band singer, she came to fame as the lead singer for Kay Kyser's band in the 1930s, following him to Hollywood and making her first three films with his orchestra
• Had a secondary career as a decorator and developer, decorating her own homes as well as hotels and resorts in Palm Springs, Washington, Minnesota, Hawaii, Mexico and Spain