“My grandmother told me when I was six years old that I was going to be doing this job,” she says. “I didn’t understand it; I didn’t even know what she was talking about. And as I got older she started giving me little nuggets of information along the way;[…]
Why Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’ Still Smolders
In July of 1958, nearly 20 years into her career, 38-year-old Peggy Lee scored her 48th Billboard hit with “Fever.” Known for her sultry delivery, impeccable timing, and bluesy intonation, Lee had already earned the respect of jazz greats while her commercial hits won her legions of admirers. Versatile and prolific, she[…]
‘I Go to Sleep’: Long Before the Pretenders, Peggy Lee Sang Ray Davies
Many fans of the Pretenders who helped their 1981 single “I Go To Sleep” become their third Top 10 UK hit were aware that it was a cover of a Ray Davies composition, from the early years of the Kinks. Some even knew that the band never officially recorded the[…]
Peggy Lee’s Good-Hearted Autobiography Back in Print
Loaded with anecdotes (usually fond) about show biz biggies, the ordinary people in her life, and even, once, Harry Truman – as well as her pranks and gaffes – her good-hearted autobiography was originally published in 1989. Now it’s back in print, with an expanded epilogue and 38 pages of[…]
Peggy Lee Day June 17th in Valley City
The first “Peggy Lee Day” is this Friday in Valley City. The day honors her legacy and contribution to the music industry spanning more than 70 years…. The Peggy Lee mural on the north wall of the historic Rudolf Hotel in Valley City has been completed by artist Bill Cochran[…]
Sunday Nights With Peggy Lee on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’
Peggy Lee’s 13 guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show span nearly the entire 23-year life of the legendary show – the longest-running musical-variety program in television history. She first appeared only seven weeks after the show’s June 20, 1948 launch, when it was titled Toast of the Town, borrowing[…]