CR 015: Kay Hanley on Her Extraordinary Career
The Letters to Cleo frontwoman and Emmy Award-winning songwriter discusses her path from rock stardom to children’s television.
It sounds like the plot of a made-for-TV movie: A one-hit wonder rock star leaves her hometown for Hollywood and goes on to win an Emmy for her work on an animated TV show produced by a beloved former U.S. president. And yet, it’s a pretty good summary of singer-songwriter Kay Hanley’s remarkable career path.
In 1994, the Dorchester, Massachusetts native and Letters to Cleo frontwoman became an alt-rock darling when “Here and Now,” a single from the band’s debut album, charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Music videos, tours, TV and film appearances, and two more albums followed before Letters to Cleo disbanded in 2000. Soon after, Hanley provided the singing vocals for Rachel Leigh Cook’s Josie in the live-action adaptation of Josie and the Pussycats. There were additional soundtrack contributions, TV appearances (including NBC’s Parks and Recreation), and solo albums and EPs. And then, in 2012, her career pivoted to children’s television.
For over a dec…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Creative Reverberations to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.