by J. D. Reed She has always been unique, ruling a musical territory as distinct as those of Lotte Lenya and Edith Piaf. So it is no surprise that Peggy Lee did not issue one of those regulation, 500-page aggrandizing confessionals called a celebrity autobiography. Instead, she brought her life[…]

by Jay Sharbutt New York – About five years ago, a blonde, smoky-voiced, famous singer from Jamestown, North Dakota, began her autobiography. Alas, she sighs, “it began to be so long and tedious and” – she chuckles – “grim.” “It occurred to me to take bits out of it and[…]

by Maurice Zolotow In her file of faded clippings there is a Life magazine layout, March 29, 1948. It is a moment frozen in time, and if she could have lasted in that place forever she would have been happy. The first page of three pages shows her leaning on[…]

by Benny Golson Following is an excerpt from a longer interview conducted by Les Tompkins with arranger/conductor Benny Golson. Yes, I’ve written for a wide variety of singers – each of them, and what they are trying to achieve, is a separate entity. Peggy Lee, say, doesn’t sound like Connie[…]

by Larry Kart “Last night,” says Peggy Lee, her speaking voice no less hazy and lilting than the voice she brings to her songs, “last night I was up till about 4, going over old tapes, editing some and throwing others out. I’m the only one who can do that[…]

by Bob Thomas She’s done almost everything in a career laden with honors. Now Peggy Lee is preparing to make her debut in a Broadway musical. It’s called “Peg.” No mere “and then I sang” concert, it will be fully staged with a cast of 22 and a multimillion dollar[…]