Mary Kaye | Hawaiian musician, 83

Mary Kaye, 83, a Hawaiian guitarist and singer who headed the Mary Kaye Trio and kicked off Las Vegas' 24-hour lounge scene, died Saturday in Las Vegas of respiratory and heart failure.

Born Mary Kaaihue, she was the daughter of Johnny "Ukulele" Kaaihue, and an accomplished guitarist.

Ms. Kaye and her trio, made up of older brother Norman Kaye and Frank Ross, began playing deep into the night at Las Vegas' Frontier casino-hotel in the 1950s before such performances were hip, said John Kaye, Norman's son.

Norman Kaye, 84, is the only surviving member of the trio, John Kaye said. Ross died in California in 1995.

The group recorded 13 albums, 21 singles, made 22 appearances on television, and played on four movie soundtracks, John Kaye said. The albums included Night Life (1966), Our Hawaii (1962), and A Night in Las Vegas (1952). - AP