Music Career
She was accepted into the USC's music conservatory's junior opera program in 1976 but disliked opera and dropped out. She became part of the punk rock music scene of the early 1980s. She started country punk bands and befriended and shared the stage with musicians as diverse as Black Flag, Social Distortion, James Harman, The Circle Jerks, Los Lobos, The Blasters and Lone Justice. In 1985, she caught the attention of CBS/Epic A&R Head, Larry Hanby. She was signed to a developmental deal and recorded her first demo with Grammy Winner Val Garay. Kane was initially marketed as a country singer but CBS dropped her when they found out about her controversial past: At 17 she got pregnant with her first son. When she turned 18 she turned to adult modelling and stripping to make some cash, appearing in videos and over 150 magazines from 1983 to 1985. Eventually she worked as a columnist for Gent as well.
In 1986, she moved from Los Angeles to San Diego. She married bass player Thomas Yearsley (of rockabilly power trio The Paladins) with whom she had another son. She majored in women's studies at Palomar Community College. She continued to write songs and accidentally discovered the brash blues stylings of Big Maybelle, Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton, Etta James and Bessie Smith.
In 1991, she self-released Burlesque Swing, her first recording since A Town South of Bakersfield. In 1992 was signed by Clifford Antone to a record deal with Antones Records. Her first CD, "Home Cookin'" was produced by Cesar Rosas (of Los Lobos) and Dave Gonzales and Thomas Yearsley (of the Paladins). It was released in 1992 followed by Knock Out. She then signed with Discovery Records releasing Diva La Grande, produced by Dave Alvin and Derek O'Brien. Next, she was signed by record mogul Seymour Stein during the height of the swing revival.
She released Swango which was produced by Mike Vernon for Sire/London Records (her only major label debut to date.) This was followed by Kane's Rounder/Bullseye release, The Toughest Girl Alive produced by Scott Billington. Next she released four CDs on the German Label Ruf Records. Subsequent titles include Whole Lotta Love produced by Val Garay and White Trash Girl produced in Austin by Mark Kazanoff. In 2007, she released Guitar'd and Feathered on the RUF records label. The CD was produced by former Muddy Waters guitarist, Bob Margolin. In 2009, she signed to Delta Groove records and released Superhero in June 2009.
A stage play about Kane's life debuted at San Diego's Diversionary Theater in January 2009, directed by Javier Velasco. The play is called The Toughest Girl Alive and is based on Kane's memoir about her turbulent life.
She was included on the 30 Essential Women of the Blues CD set released by the House of Blues record label and the Rock for Choice compilation. She appears with Lucinda Williams and Dwight Yoakam on a Town South of Bakersfield on Enigma Records.
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