[citation needed] Melba, who convinced her to change her name to Winn, also called her a "human flute" due to her massive range.

She joined a touring company of The Merry Widow, but after finding it hard to be a successful singer, she left and started work as a journalist.

[3] After playing parts varying from pantomime to Shakespeare in a repertory company, she moved to England.

Within a few years she had made more than 300 appearances in various radio shows including the BBC's Just a Minute.

Winn was a regular in the BBC Radio version of Twenty Questions and Petticoat Line.