During the 1950s, she was a studio musician in Hollywood, playing harp on albums by Chet Baker, June Christy, Ella Fitzgerald Anita O'Day, and Frank Sinatra. She worked as a vocalist with Freddy Martin at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles. Jerry Gray invited her to perform with his band at Las Vegas, where she played piano for Billie Holiday and accompanied her on tour. As a solo act, she recorded the album "Corky Hale Plays George Gershwin and Vernon Duke" with Buddy Collette, Howard Roberts, and Chico Hamilton. In the 1960s she accompanied Tony Bennett on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson". In 1970, Hale married Mike Stoller of the Leiber-Stoller songwriting team.