Guitarist-vocalist Betty Jay Holland traveled to Las Vegas where she met up with legendary Beryl Herrell. Betty’s son, Bobby Jay (Holland), an accomplished musician in his own right, relates that “besides being a Vegas act she also had a great deal of success on the west coast out of Bakersfield, California.”
Beryl and her groups were noted in hillbilly-music.com “by 1960, Beryl Harrell was living in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was a part of a female trio that was entertaining audiences at the El Cortez Hotel. The group included Clair Smith and Betty Jay Holland as well as Beryl, who at that time was playing a 4-neck Fender steel guitar she had purchased from Eddie Bush. The group played Hawaiian steel guitar songs and hillbilly or country music.” Returning to Baltimore she and her group performed as house band in mid-‘70s at the Olympic Lounge on Greenmount Avenue. The group performed dance music, jazz and standards featuring Earle Kahn (piano), Lou Hinkel (vocals), Reds Hubber (drums).
Betty Jay (guitar, vocals) performed at Ocean City’s Famous Irish House in 1973 with vocalist Johnny Sturgis and Paul Taylor on the Wurlitzer organ. Betty also worked with guitarist Warren Cassell at the Hitching Post…
Her single on the JABS label featured her own original song “Red Wagon.”
197* JABS 108/109 Stop The World And Let Me Off / Red Wagon
