[1] Some backing bands recorded their own material under alternate names, Professor Ratbaggy and Stardust Five, with Kelly as an individual member.

She has toured with the artists including Missy Higgins, Neil Finn, Katie Noonan, Tim Rogers (musician), Bill Chambers, Justine Clarke, All Our Exes Live in Texas, Lanie Lane, Lisa Mitchell and Wendy Mathews.

[1][2] Kelly then began to play and record with a full-time band, which included Michael Armiger on bass guitar, Michael Barclay on drums, Steve Connolly on guitar, eventually bassist Jon Schofield, and keyboardist Peter Bull joined.

[2] Through a joke based on Lou Reed's song "Walk on the Wild Side", the band became known as Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls.

[1][8] The line-up of the Coloured Girls changed rapidly with some stability late in 1985 as Barclay, Bull, Connolly and Schofield.