Sandra Kaye born November 4, Dallas, Texas. The only daughter of a minister, she grew up singing gospel music and was often featured in church socials and elementary school activities as a young girl with various choirs and girl groups.
She began her professional career by winning an amateur singing contest at the West End Cabaret Dallas 1986. Now, established as the consummate artist, Sandra attributes her success to having a good rapport with great musicians, and a love for music and poetry. Performing for years in her home state under the music direction of Robert Sanders and Julie Bonk, Sandra Kaye is now one of the few big band singers in North Texas and abroad, her debut with big band was presented to her by Shelley Carrol, a long time friend and colleague and long standing member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Sandra is a member of the newly founded SCBL Big Band, AKA The Shelley Carrol / Brad Leali Big Band. Brad Leali, also a long time friend and colleague played with the Count Basie band and served as music director for Harry Connick Jr. In this illustrious big band career, Sandra has been featured with the Curtis Bradshaw's First Reunion Orchestra, The Dallas Jazz Orchestra, The Galen Jeter Orchestra, the Vecho Vecencio Group, The Shanghai Conservatory Big Band and the JZ's Big Band In Shanghai under the direction of Nicholas Bolucas.
Some of Sandra Kaye’s performances were and are held at The Dallas Museum of Art, The Caravan of Dreams, The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, The African American Museum of Art and Culture, The Sammons Center for the Arts, The Morton Myerson Symphony Hall, The Botanical Gardens, The Women's Museum, The Texas Stadium, Eastfield College, Richland College, The University of North Texas, The University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas at Dallas, The South Dallas Culture Center, The Mesquite Arts Center, The Dallas Theatre Center (Kalita Humphreys), The Bob Hope Theatre @ Southern Methodist University, The Marshall Texas Civic Center, Preservation Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, Eisemann Theatre Center in Richardson, Texas, Cactus Theatre in Lubbock, Texas, Mount Vernon Music in Mount Vernon, Texas and the Shanghai Conservatory in Shanghai, China.
In 1991 and 1992, Sandra performed for the Duke Ellington Birthday Celebration in conjunction with the Forth Worth Jazz Society and in 1994, In 1997, Sandra Kaye was the key performer for the launching of the Anthony Mark Hankins Design Company at the Hall of State in Fair Park Dallas, Texas. Also, in 1997, Sandra was the key performer for the Beaux Arts Ball held at the Dallas Museum of Art in Dallas, Texas.
Sandra Kaye participated in tributes to a few great men in Dallas, Texas:
Al Lipscomb, John Wiley Price, Dr. Roscoe Smith and Coma Cottrell.
Sandra’s CD recordings include: Sandra Kaye with Julie Bonk, The James Gilyard Ensemble Featuring Sandra Kaye “What Will I Tell My Heart, Scott Bucklin and Friends Featuring Sandra Kaye, “Sandra Kaye Sings Big Band Ballads and Blues” and jingles for radio, television and performances for Mercedes, Porche,Cadillac and the American Dental Association.
Sandra Kaye has International experience and exposure:
Turkey, Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, China and Africa.
Sandra Kaye performed the opening act and performed on stage with David "Fathead" Newman, Onzy Matthews, Roy Hargrove, Monty Alexander, Dionne Warwick, Johnny Taylor, Marchel Ivery, James Clay, Yarbrough and Peoples, George Tallifierro, (formerly of the Marcels), The Platters, The Drifters, Tanya Tucker, Antonio Fargas and the famed comedians, George Wallace and Shucky Ducky.