While a teenager, she sang at The Barn, also known as Gannett Youth Club, an alcohol-free venue for young people in Henrietta, every Saturday night.
[5] When Simms visited relatives in New York City, she got her break, appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts.
Buzzell, however, died from a sudden heart attack in 1959, a mere three months before the birth of their second daughter, a hardship from which Simms never fully recovered.
[17] She was commissioned to record several tunes intended for soundtracks of beach party flicks for American International Pictures, but her tracks were often re-recorded by the stars of the films.
[18] In the 1970s, she worked as assistant to songwriter and record producer Bob Crewe at Far Out Productions, contributing backing vocals to a handful of folk and disco music concept albums.
[21][22] The wedding of Simms and Buzzell took place in New York City in 1954, with two thousand people present, including celebrities.