“The Mary Kaaihue Trio” began in 1945 with Frank Ross, Mary Kaye & Jules Pursley. Their popularity grew while they performed to Standing Room Only crowds in Atlantic City at the Holiday Room in The Mayflower Hotel. Jules was drafted into the service in 1946 & Norman returned from the service and replaced Jules in Philadelphia at Frank Columbo’s Lounge.The name Kaaihue was changed to Kaye when Mary & Norman made the change official. At the same time Biagio Blogna became Frank Ross & the ” Mary Kaye Trio ” was begun as equal partners. The Trio played Matt Monzello’s Orchid Lounge in Springfield, Illinois in 1947. When Jules returned from the service he and Mary were married and he became the Trio’s road manager. The Trio performed at The Cairo’s Supper Club in Chicago, Illinois, where they met their longtime manager Billy Burton.
According to all the members of the Mary Kaye Trio and all his peers, Billy Burton was the greatest manager that ever lived. A little unknown fact; Billy Burton and The Mary Kaye Trio never had a written contract between them. Their arrangement with him was to pay him as a silent 4th member of the Trio who was in charge of all aspects of the Trio, both professionally and personally. Other clients of Billy’s at that time were Jimmy & Tommy Dorsey, Helen O’Connell, Dick Haymes, Margaret Whiting, Betty Hutton, The Kings Four, and Doris Drew. Billy died in 1962.