Biography
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Born
12 June 1946 (age 77)
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Born In
Lawrenceville, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, United States
Kathy Zee was born Kathleen Ann Zaleski in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania June 12, 1946. At age 4, the talented Mz Zee started playing the mandolin and was the youngest mandolin player in the city of Pittsburgh.
She started singing at age 4 when her brother Jim was a featured entertainer at a local benefit show for one of the local TV stations. Kathy wanted to be a part of the show and asked to sing a song called "Some of these days".
The people loved her and her career started flourishing. She and Jim teamed up and created "the Harmony WIldcats." They were regulars on the Eva Jackson TV and radio show, numerous local tv shows and benefit shows. Brother Jimmy played guitar and was a singer who had won many local talent shows, including the Wilkens Amateur Hour. (He is 8 years older than Kathy).
They were featured on many top talent shows including the Ted Mack Amateur hour, where they toured all over the east coast with the show.
In 1959, a talent agent from Pittsburgh PA named Elmer WIllett signed Kathy only to a record contract on the Laurie Label based out of New York. The record was called "Buzzin". JIm played guitar and did the backup vocals. Buzzin hit number one in Hamberg Germany for 3 weeks straight and then hit the top 40 in the US.
A follow up recording called "Santa Claus Rock and Roll" and "Your Name, Your Name" which featured both Kathy and Jimmy, was released on the Willet Label shortly after. Jim played lead guitar and Dick Glaser and the Glaser Brothers did the back up vocals.
In 1964, Kathy graduated from Divine Providence Academy in Pittsburgh at age 17. Kathy and Jim ventured out to California and were signed by the Johnny Robinson Agency, one of the largest talent agencies at that time in Hollywood. They were booked at places such as the Sands Hotel in San Diego then went on to be part of a major hit show in Reno Nevada called the "Al Bello Revue." The show played at the Primadonna for over a year then moved to the Mapes Hotel in Reno Nevada where it played for another year, successfully.
Kathy was getting multiple offers to join other groups and when the show came to an end, Kathy and Jim went in different directions. Kathy joined the famous "Abby Neal and the Ranch Girls" as a rhythm guitar player and singer. They toured all over the US until Abby had a heart attack and the band broke up.
Kathy Zee then joined the "Diplomats" where she was the featured singer and electric bass player at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and other Nevada casino's. She semi retired from the music business to raise a family at age 27.
Currently Kathy resides near Sacramento CA and sings Christian music at her local church. She is married, has two adoped children, 5 grandchildren, and two dogs, a yellow lab named Mollie and a german shorthair/lab mix named Maxine. Brother Jim is married and resides in Reno Nevada and has one adoped son.
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