As Rita Rio, she led a touring all-girl orchestra in the early 1940s, also known as "Dona Drake and her Girl Band",[citation needed] among other names for her musical and dance acts.

[6][7] The 1950 United States census, taken in Pennsylvania, records her father and brother as negro and Drake (under the name Dona Travilla), taken in California, as white.

Besides singing and dancing, she sometimes played piano, trumpet, clarinet, saxophone and drums and occasionally led the orchestra.

Studio publicity during her heyday incorrectly stated that Drake was of Mexican origin and was born Rita Novella (borrowing her mother's first name as a new last).

In 1944 she appeared as a lead role as a big band singer in a B-movie titled Hot Rhythm, which also featured Irene Ryan (Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies) as a ditsy secretary.

Drake had a "non-ethnic", non-musical role as the second female lead in the 1949 comedy The Girl from Jones Beach, playing opposite Eddie Bracken.

[6] Travilla appeared on the March 24, 1960, episode of You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Marx, and introduced his elegantly dressed wife to the audience.