Peggy Lee was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and
popular musicPopular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with
Benny GoodmanBenjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
's big band, she forged a sophisticated
personaA persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and performer. She wrote music for films, acted, and created conceptual record albums—encompassing poetry, jazz, chamber pop, and art songs.
Early life
Lee was born
Norma Deloris Egstrom in
Jamestown, North DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 per square mile . There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile...
, the seventh of eight children of Marvin Olof Egstrom, a station agent for the Midland Continental Railroad. Her mother, Selma Amelia (Anderson), died when Lee was four years old. Her father was
Swedish AmericanSwedish Americans are Americans of Swedish descent, especially the descendants of about 1.2 million immigrants from Sweden during 1885-1915. Most were Lutherans who affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ; some were Methodists...
and her mother was
Norwegian AmericanNorwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
.
Lee first sang professionally over
KOVCKOVC is a radio station based in Valley City, North Dakota, USA. It is a full service station, with frequent weather, news and sports updates...
radio in
Valley City, North DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 6,826 people, 2,996 households, and 1,668 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,062.5 per square mile . There were 3,250 housing units at an average density of 982.0 per square mile...
. She later had her own series on a radio show sponsored by a local restaurant that paid her a "salary" in food. Both during and after her high school years, Lee sang for paltry sums on local radio stations. Radio personality Ken Kennedy, of WDAY in
Fargo, North DakotaFargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
(the most widely heard station in North Dakota), changed her name from Norma to
Peggy Lee. Thereafter, Lee left home and traveled to
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the age of 17.
She returned to North Dakota for a
tonsillectomyA tonsillectomy is a 3,000-year-old surgical procedure in which the tonsils are removed from either side of the throat. The procedure is performed in response to cases of repeated occurrence of acute tonsillitis or adenoiditis, obstructive sleep apnea, nasal airway obstruction, snoring, or...
, and later made her way to
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
for a gig at The Buttery Room, a nightclub in the Ambassador Hotel East. There, she was noticed by bandleader
Benny GoodmanBenjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
. According to Lee, "Benny's then-fiancée, Lady Alice Duckworth, came into The Buttery, and she was very impressed. So the next evening she brought Benny in, because they were looking for a replacement for
Helen ForrestHelen Forrest was one of the most popular female jazz vocalists during America's Big Band era. She was born Helen Fogel to a Jewish family in Atlantic City, New Jersey on April 12, 1917...
. And although I didn't know, I was it. He was looking at me strangely, I thought, but it was just his preoccupied way of looking. I thought that he didn't like me at first, but it just was that he was preoccupied with what he was hearing." She joined his band in 1941 and stayed for two years.
Recording career
In 1942 Lee had her first #1 hit, "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", followed by 1943's "
Why Don't You Do Right?"Why Don't You Do Right?" is an American blues- and jazz-influenced pop song – now a standard – written in 1936 by Kansas Joe McCoy. It is a twelve-bar minor key blues form with a few chord substitutes, it is considered a classic "woman's blues" song....
" (originally sung by
Lil GreenLil Green was an American blues singer and songwriter.-Life and career:Originally named Lillian Green, she was born in Mississippi; after the early deaths of her parents, she went to Chicago, Illinois, where she began performing in her teens and where she would make all of her recordings.Green was...
), which sold over a million copies and made her famous. She sang with Goodman's orchestra in two 1943 films,
Stage Door CanteenStage Door Canteen is a musical film produced by Sol Lesser Productions and distributed by United Artists. It was directed by Frank Borzage and features many cameo appearances by celebrities, and the majority of the film is essentially a filmed concert although there is also a storyline to the...
and The Powers Girl.
In March 1943 Lee married
Dave BarbourDave Barbour was an American musician. He was a jazz banjoist and guitarist, a pop songwriter, an actor, and the husband of Peggy Lee for nine years....
, a guitarist in Goodman's band. Peggy said, "David joined Benny's band and there was a ruling that no one should fraternize with the girl singer. But I fell in love with David the first time I heard him play, and so I married him. Benny then fired David, so I quit, too. Benny and I made up, although David didn't play with him anymore. Benny stuck to his rule. I think that's not too bad a rule, but you can't help falling in love with somebody."
When Lee and Barbour left the band, the idea was that he would work in the studios and she would keep house and raise their daughter, Nicki. But she drifted back to songwriting and occasional recording sessions for the fledgling
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1947, for whom she produced a long string of hits, many of them with lyrics and music by Lee and Barbour, including "I Don't Know Enough About You" and "It's a Good Day" (1948). With the release of the US #1-selling record of 1948, "
Mañana-Music:* *Mañana, a Swiss Indie band formed in 2002* "Mañana ", a 1947 song written by Peggy Lee and Dave Barbour* "Mañana", a 1972 hit for the Bay City Rollers* "Mañana", a song written by Juan Gabriel...
", her "retirement" was over.
In 1948 Lee joined
Perry ComoPierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
and
Jo StaffordJo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
as a rotating host of the NBC Radio musical program Chesterfield Supper Club. She was also a regular on NBC's
Jimmy Durante ShowJames Francis "Jimmy" Durante was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s...
.
She left Capitol for a few years in the early 1950s, but returned in 1953. She is most famous for her
cover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the
Little Willie JohnWilliam Edward John was better known by his stage name Little Willie John. Many sources erroneously give his second name as Edgar...
hit "
Fever"Fever" is a song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym John Davenport. It was originally recorded by Little Willie John in 1956. It has been covered by numerous artists from various musical genres, notably Peggy Lee in 1958....
" written by Eddie Cooley and John Davenport, to which she added her own, uncopyrighted lyrics ("Romeo loved Juliet," "Captain Smith and Pocahontas") and her rendition of
Leiber and StollerJerome "Jerry" Leiber and Mike Stoller were American songwriting and record producing partners. Stoller was the composer and Leiber the lyricist. Their most famous songs include "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Kansas City", "Stand By Me" Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011)...
's "
Is That All There Is?"Is That All There Is?" is a song written by American songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller during the 1960s. It became a hit for American singer Peggy Lee from her recording in November 1969...
". Her relationship with the Capitol label spanned almost three decades, aside from her brief but artistically rich detour (1952–1956) at
Decca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, where in 1956 she recorded one of her most acclaimed albums, Black Coffee. While recording for Decca, Lee had hit singles with the songs
Lover"Lover" is a popular song written by Richard Rodgers, with words by Lorenz Hart. It was featured in the movie Love Me Tonight . Les Paul's version was a guitar instrumental released by Capitol Records in 1948. It has a french title Partout Toi...
and
Mister Wonderful"Mr. Wonderful" is a popular song, written in 1955 written by Jerry Bock, George David Weiss, and Larry Holofcener, as the title song of a Broadway musical starring Sammy Davis Jr....
.
Lee is today internationally recognized for her signature song "
Fever"Fever" is a song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym John Davenport. It was originally recorded by Little Willie John in 1956. It has been covered by numerous artists from various musical genres, notably Peggy Lee in 1958....
". She had a string of successful albums and top 10 hits in three consecutive decades. She is regarded as one of the most influential jazz vocalists of all time, being cited as a mentor to diverse artists such as
Judy GarlandJudy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
,
Frank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
,
Paul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
,
Bette MidlerBette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
,
MadonnaMadonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, and
Dusty SpringfieldMary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
. Lee was also an accomplished actress,.
In her 60-year-long career, Peggy was the recipient of three Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, an Academy Award nomination, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Award; the President's Award, the Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Living Legacy Award from the Women's International Center. In 1999 Lee was inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of FameThe Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
.
Songwriting
Lee was a successful songwriter, with songs from the Disney movie
Lady and the TrampLady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
, for which she also supplied the singing and speaking voices of four characters. Her collaborators included
Laurindo AlmeidaLaurindo Almeida was a Brazilian virtuoso guitaristand composer who made many recordings of enduring impact in classical, jazz and Latin genres...
,
Harold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
,
Sonny BurkeSonny Burke was a big band leader. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke Ambassadors....
,
Cy ColemanCy Coleman was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.-Life and career:He was born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929, in New York City to Eastern European Jewish parents, and was raised in the Bronx. His mother, Ida was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason...
,
Duke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
,
Dave GrusinDavid Grusin is an American composer, arranger and pianist. Grusin has composed many scores for feature films and television, and has won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record work, including an Academy award and 12 Grammys...
,
Quincy JonesQuincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
,
Francis LaiFrancis Lai is a French accordionist, and composer noted for his film scores.While in his twenties, Francis Lai left home and went to Paris where he became part of the lively Montmartre music scene...
,
Jack MarshallSir John Ross Marshall, GBE, CH, , generally known as Jack Marshall, was a New Zealand politician. After spending twelve years as Deputy Prime Minister, he served as the 28th Prime Minister for most of 1972....
,
Johnny MandelJohnny Mandel is an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. Among the musicians he has worked with are Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, and Shirley Horn.-Life:...
,
Marian McPartlandMargaret Marian McPartland, OBE is an English-born jazz pianist, composer, writer, and the host of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on National Public Radio, NPR.-Early life:...
,
Willard RobisonWillard Robison was an American composer of popular song. Born in Shelbina, Missouri, his songs reflect a rural, melancholy theme steeped in Americana. Their warm style has drawn comparison to Hoagy Carmichael...
,
Lalo SchifrinLalo Schifrin is an Argentine composer, pianist and conductor. He is best known for his film and TV scores, such as the "Theme from Mission: Impossible". He has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations...
and
Victor YoungVictor Young was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. He was born in Chicago.-Biography:...
.
She wrote the lyrics for:
- "I Don't Know Enough About You"
- "It's A Good Day", composed by Dave Barbour
- "I'm Gonna Go Fishin'", composed with Duke Ellington
- "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter"
- "Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)"
- "Bless You (For The Good That's In You)", composed with Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
- "What More Can a Woman Do?"
- "Don't Be Mean to Baby"
- "New York City Ghost", composed with Victor Young
- "You Was Right, Baby"
- "Just an Old Love of Mine"
- "Everything's Movin' Too Fast"
- "The Shining Sea"
- "He's A Tramp"
- "The Siamese Cat Song"
- "There Will Be Another Spring"
- "Johnny Guitar
Johnny Guitar is a 1954 Republic Pictures Western film starring Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge, and Scott Brady.The screenplay was based upon a novel by Roy Chanslor. Though credited to Philip Yordan, he was merely a front for the actual screenwriter, blacklistee Ben Maddow. ...
", composed with Victor Young
- "Sans Souci", composed with Sonny Burke
- "So What's New?"
- "Don't Smoke in Bed"
- "I Love Being Here With You"
- "Happy With the Blues" with Harold Arlen
- "Where Can I Go Without You?"
- "Things Are Swingin'"
- "Then Was Then" with Cy Coleman
Her first published song was in 1941, "Little Fool". "What More Can a Woman Do?" was recorded by
Sarah VaughanSarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
with
Dizzy GillespieJohn Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
and
Charlie ParkerCharles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
. "Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)" was no.1 for 9 weeks on the Billboard singles chart in 1948, from the week of March 13 to May 8.
Lee was a mainstay of
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
when rock'n'roll came onto the American music scene. She was among the first of the "old guard" to recognize this new genre, as seen by her recording music from
The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
,
Randy NewmanRandall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
,
Carole KingCarole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
,
James TaylorJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
and other up-and-coming songwriters. From 1957 until her final disc for the company in 1972, she produced a steady stream of two or three albums per year which usually included standards (often arranged quite different from the original), her own compositions, and material from young artists.
Acting career
Lee starred and sang in the hit
filmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s
The Jazz SingerThe Jazz Singer is a 1952 remake of the famous 1927 talking picture, The Jazz Singer. It starred Danny Thomas, Peggy Lee, and Eduard Franz and was nominated for an Oscar in 1953. The film follows about the same storyline as the version starring Al Jolson. It was also distributed by Warner Bros...
, Disney's
Lady and the TrampLady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
, and Pete Kelly's Blues, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
In 1952 Lee played opposite
Danny ThomasDanny Thomas was an American nightclub comedian and television and film actor, best known for starring in the television sitcom Make Room for Daddy . He was also the founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital...
in a remake of the early
Al JolsonAl Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
film,
The Jazz SingerThe Jazz Singer is a 1952 remake of the famous 1927 talking picture, The Jazz Singer. It starred Danny Thomas, Peggy Lee, and Eduard Franz and was nominated for an Oscar in 1953. The film follows about the same storyline as the version starring Al Jolson. It was also distributed by Warner Bros...
. In 1955 she played an alcoholic blues singer in Pete Kelly's Blues, for which she received an
Academy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
nomination. In 1955 Lee did the speaking and singing voices for several characters in
Disney'sThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
Lady and the TrampLady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
movie: she played the human "Darling" (in the first part of the movie), the dog "Peg", and the two
SiameseThe Siamese is one of the first distinctly recognized breeds of Oriental cat. The origins of the breed are unknown, but it is believed to be from Thailand. In Thailand, where they are one of several native breeds, they are called Wichian Mat...
cats "Si" and "Am". In 1957 Lee guest starred on the short-lived
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
variety programA variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
,
The Guy Mitchell ShowThe Guy Mitchell Show is a short-lived half-hour television variety program hosted by and starring 30-year-old recording artist Guy Mitchell , which was broadcast from October 7, 1957, to January 13, 1958. The series aired on Monday evenings at 8 p.m. Eastern time on ABC following a half-hour...
.
In the early 1990s she retained famed entertainment attorney
Neil PapianoNeil Papiano born , in Salt Lake City, Utah, is an American lawyer, and managing partner of Iverson, Yoakum, Papiano & Hatch. He received B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stanford University, the latter in 1957, and an LL.B. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1961...
to sue Disney for royalties on Lady and the Tramp. Lee's lawsuit claimed that she was due royalties for video tapes, a technology that did not exist when she agreed to write and perform for Disney. Her lawsuit was successful.
Never afraid to fight for what she believed in, Lee passionately insisted that musicians be equitably compensated for their work. Although she realized litigation had taken a toll on her health, Lee often quoted
Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century...
on the topic: "God will not have his work be made manifest by cowards."
She also successfully sued MCA/Decca with the assistance of noted entertainment attorney Cy Godfrey.
Personal life
Lee was married four times; each marriage ended in divorce:
- Musician Dave Barbour
Dave Barbour was an American musician. He was a jazz banjoist and guitarist, a pop songwriter, an actor, and the husband of Peggy Lee for nine years....
(1943–1951); daughter Nicki Lee Foster (born 1943)
- Actor Brad Dexter
Brad Dexter , was an American actor.-Life and career:Dexter was born Boris Malanovich , in Goldfield, Nevada, of Serbian parentage. He spoke Serbian as his first language. Burly, dark and handsome, Brad Dexter was usually given supporting roles of a rugged character...
(1953)
- Actor Dewey Martin
-Career:Martin was born December 8, 1923 in Katemcy, Texas. His film debut was an uncredited part in Knock on Any Door . He also appeared in The Thing from Another World , co-starred with Kirk Douglas in The Big Sky , played younger brother of Humphrey Bogart in The Desperate Hours , and was...
(1956–1958)
- Actor Jack Del Rio (1964–1965)
Retirement and death
Lee continued to perform into the 1990s, sometimes in a wheelchair. After years of poor health, Lee died of complications from diabetes and a
heart attackMyocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at age 81. Her body was buried in
Westwood Village Memorial Park CemeteryThe Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery is a cemetery in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles, California. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood....
in Los Angeles'
Westwood, Los Angeles, CaliforniaWestwood is a neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles .-History:...
neighborhood. On her marker in a garden setting is inscribed, "Music is my life's breath."
Academy Awards memoriam omission
She was not featured in Memoriam Tribute during the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony. When her family requested she be featured in the following year's ceremony, the
AcademyThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
stated they did not honor requests and Lee was omitted because her contribution to film and her legacy were not deemed significant enough, although she had been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Pete Kelly's Blues. Her family pointed out that, although she had been omitted, R&B singer/actress
AaliyahAaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
, who died a few months earlier, was included though having been in only one moderately successful film,
Romeo Must DieRomeo Must Die is a 2000 martial arts film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak. Starring Jet Li, Aaliyah, Anthony Anderson, Delroy Lindo, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, and features action and fight choreography by Corey Yuen...
(
Queen of the DamnedQueen of the Damned is a 2002 film adaptation of the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series, The Queen of the Damned, although the film contains many plot elements from the latter novel's predecessor, The Vampire Lestat. It stars Aaliyah as the vampire queen Akasha, and Stuart...
had yet to be released). The Academy provided no comment on the oversight.
Awards
Lee was nominated for 12
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s, winning
Best Contemporary Vocal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
for her 1969 hit "Is That All There Is?" In 1995 she was given the
Grammy Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording."...
.
Lee is a recipient of North Dakota's
Roughrider AwardThe Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award is an award presented by the governor of the state of North Dakota. It is bestowed upon prominent North Dakotans.-Recipients:Note: date in parentheses indicates date of award...
; the Pied Piper Award from The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP); the Presidents Award, from the
Songwriters Guild of AmericaThe Songwriters Guild of America is an organization founded in 1931, to help "advance, promote, and benefit" the profession of songwriters. It was founded as the "Songwriters Protective Association" by Billy Rose, George M. Meyer and Edgar Leslie...
; the Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement, from the
Society of SingersSociety of Singers, known appropriately as "SOS" is the only nonprofit 5013 charitable organization devoted exclusively to helping professional singers.-Foundation:...
; and the Living Legacy Award, from the Women's International Center. In 1999 she was inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of FameThe Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
.
Carnegie Hall tribute
In 2003, "There'll Be Another Spring: A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee" was held at Carnegie Hall. Produced by recording artist
Richard BaroneRichard Barone is a rock musician born in Tampa, Florida who gained attention as frontman for The Bongos. He works as a songwriter, arranger, author, director, and producer, releases albums as a solo artist, tours, and has created major concert events at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl and New York's...
, the sold-out event included performances by
Cy ColemanCy Coleman was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.-Life and career:He was born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929, in New York City to Eastern European Jewish parents, and was raised in the Bronx. His mother, Ida was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason...
,
Debbie HarryDeborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
,
Nancy SinatraNancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
,
Rita MorenoRita Moreno is a Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress. She is the only Hispanic and one of the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, and was the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award....
,
Marian McPartlandMargaret Marian McPartland, OBE is an English-born jazz pianist, composer, writer, and the host of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on National Public Radio, NPR.-Early life:...
,
Chris ConnorChris Connor was an American jazz singer.-Biography:She was born as Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri to Clyde and Mabel Loutsenhizer. She studied and became proficient on the clarinet, having studied for 8 years throughout junior high and high school...
,
Petula ClarkPetula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II...
, and others. In 2004 Barone brought the event to the
Hollywood BowlThe Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
and to Chicago's Ravinia Festival, with expanded casts including
Maureen McGovernMaureen Therese McGovern is an American singer and Broadway actress, well known for her premier renditions of the Oscar winning songs "The Morning After" from the 1972 film The Poseidon Adventure, and "We May Never Love Like This Again" from The Towering Inferno in 1974.-Early life:McGovern was...
,
Jack JonesJohn Allan "Jack" Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:...
and Bea Arthur. The Carnegie Hall concert was broadcast on
NPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's "Jazz Set".
In popular culture
- The Peggy Lee Rose is a light pink hybrid tea rose with a "touch of peach" that was introduced in 1983 and named in her honor. Lee considered peach to be her favorite color.
Capitol Records
- 1948 Rendezvous with Peggy Lee (set of 78s: 6 songs)
- 1952 Rendezvous with Peggy Lee (10-inch LP: 8 songs; 12-inch LP: 12 songs)
Decca Records
- 1953 Black Coffee (10-inch version)
- 1954 Songs in an Intimate Style
- 1954 Selections from Irving Berlin's 'White Christmas' (w/ Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
and Danny KayeDanny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
)
- 1955 Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues
Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues is a 1955 soundtrack album by Peggy Lee featuring tracks by Ella Fitzgerald, and several jazz instrumentals.It is the soundtrack to the 1955 film Pete Kelly's Blues, which starred Lee and Fitzgerald....
(w/ Ella FitzgeraldElla Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
)
- 1956 Black Coffee (12-inch version)
- 1957 Dream Street
Dream Street is a 1957 album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Sy Oliver. -Track listing:# "Street of Dreams" – 3:22# "What's New?" – 2:59# "You're Blasé" – 2:50...
- 1957 Songs from Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp"
- 1958 Sea Shells
Sea Shells is a 1957 album by Peggy Lee, recorded in early 1955.The album was possibly thought by her record company to be too esoteric, hence its later release. It was her last recording for Decca Records. The album is considered one of Miss Lee's more personal records, featuring a mix of love...
(recorded 1955)
- 1959 Miss Wonderful
Miss Wonderful is a 1959 album by Peggy Lee, arranged and conducted by Sy Oliver.-Track listing:# "Mister Wonderful" # "They Can't Take That Away from Me"...
(recorded 1956)
- 1964 Lover (recorded 1952)
- 1964 The Fabulous Peggy Lee (recorded 1953-56)
Capitol Records
- 1957 The Man I Love
The Man I Love is a 1957 album by Peggy Lee, with an orchestra arranged by Nelson Riddle, and conducted by Frank Sinatra.This was Lee's first 12 inch LP record after re-signing for Capitol Records in 1957.- Reception :...
- 1959 Jump for Joy
- 1959 Things Are Swingin'
Things Are Swingin' is a 1959 album by Peggy Lee, arranged and conducted by Jack Marshall.-Track listing:# "It's a Wonderful World" - 2:14...
- 1959 I Like Men!
I Like Men! is a 1959 studio album recorded by Peggy Lee, arranged and conducted by Jack Marshall.-Track listing:# "Charley My Boy" – 1:35# "Good-For-Nothin' Joe" – 2:32...
- 1959 Beauty and the Beat!
Beauty and the Beat! is a 1959 album by Peggy Lee, accompanied by the George Shearing Quartet.-Track listing:# "Do I Love You?" – 3:03# "I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City" – 2:27...
- 1960 Latin ala Lee!
Latin ala Lee! is a 1960 album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Jack Marshall. Latin ala Lee! won the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, the Grammy Award went to Marvin Schwartz.-Track listing:#"Heart" - 1:57...
- 1960 All Aglow Again!
All Aglow Again! is a 1960 compilation album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Jack Marshall.-Track listing:All Aglow Again! is a 1960 compilation album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Jack Marshall....
- 1960 Pretty Eyes
The Allmusic review by Dave Nathan awarded the album three stars and commented that "There's no brass in the orchestra, just flutes, woodwinds, and strings. The result is that the arrangements are tame compared to charts May turned out when he had trumpets and trombones to work with...
- 1960 Christmas Carousel
Christmas Carousel is a 1960 studio album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Billy May.-Track listing:Christmas Carousel is a 1960 studio album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Billy May.-Track listing:...
- 1960 Olé ala Lee
Olé ala Lee is a 1961 album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Joe Harnell.-Track listing:#"Come Dance with Me" #"By Myself" #"You're So Right for Me"...
- 1961 Basin Street East Proudly Presents Miss Peggy Lee
Basin Street East Proudly Presents Miss Peggy Lee is a 1961 live album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Jack Marshall. -Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album two stars and said that "Originally it was planned that the singer would record a live set at Basin Street East in New York...
- 1961 If You Go
If You Go is a 1961 album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Quincy Jones.-Track listing:# "As Time Goes By" – 2:48# "If You Go" – 2:39...
- 1962 Blues Cross Country
Blues Cross Country is a 1962 studio album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Quincy Jones.- Reception :The Allmusic review by William Ruhlmann awarded the album three and a half stars and commented that "Though Jones' arrangements are often a touch brassier than the blues standards can handle, Lee...
- 1962 Bewitching-Lee
- 1962 Sugar 'N' Spice
Sugar 'n' Spice is a 1962 album by Peggy Lee.-Track listing:LP side A#"Ain't That Love" - 1:59#"The Best is Yet to Come" - 3:19#"I Believe in You" - 2:45...
- 1963 Mink Jazz
Mink Jazz is a 1963 studio album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Benny Carter.- Track listing :# "It's a Big Wide Wonderful World" – 1:37# "Whisper Not" – 2:17...
- 1963 I'm a Woman
I'm a Woman is a 1963 song and album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Benny Carter. The title song, one of Lee's signature songs despite reaching a minor peak of number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, has been covered by many artists....
- 1964 In Love Again!
-Track listing:# "A Lot of Livin' to Do" # "I've Got Your Number" # "Little By Little" – 1:59# "Got That Magic" – 1:41...
- 1964 In the Name of Love
- 1965 Pass Me By
- 1965 Then Was Then - Now Is Now!
-Track listing:#"Trapped " #"Losers Weepers" #"Free Spirits" #"I Go to Sleep" #"Leave It To Love"...
- 1966 Guitars A là Lee
-Track listing:#"Nice 'n' Easy" #"Strangers in the Night" #"Mohair Sam" #"Goodbye, My Love"...
- 1966 Big $pender
Big $pender is a 1966 studio album by Peggy Lee. - Track listing :# "Come Back to Me" # "You've Got Possibilities" # "It's a Wonderful World"...
- 1967 Extra Special!
Extra Special! is a 1967 compilation album by Peggy Lee. -Track listing:#"Hey, Look Me Over" #"When He Makes Magic" #"Walking Happy"...
- 1967 Somethin' Groovy!
Somethin' Groovy! is a 1967 studio album by Peggy Lee. -Track listing:#"Somethin' Stupid" #"Makin' Whoopee" #"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby"...
- 1968 2 Shows Nightly
-References:...
- 1969 A Natural Woman
A Natural Woman is a 1969 album by Peggy Lee. It was arranged and conducted by Bobby Bryant and Mike Melvoin.-Track listing:#" My Heart Sings"...
- 1969 Is That All There Is?
The Allmusic review by Alex Henderson awarded the album four and a half stars and commented that "Everything on this LP is a gem...The LP's centerpiece, however, is Newman's hit arrangement of Leiber & Stoller's title song, which was covered by P.J. Harvey in the 1990s. Influenced by German...
- 1970 Bridge Over Troubled Water
- 1970 Make It With You
Make It With You is a 1970 album by Peggy Lee. It was arranged and conducted by Benny Golson. The album peaked at #194 on the Billboard 200 in December 1970...
- 1971 Where Did They Go
Where Did They Go is a 1971 album by Peggy Lee. It was arranged and conducted by Don Sebesky and Al Capps.-Track listing:...
- 1972 Norma Deloris Egstrom from Jamestown, North Dakota
Norma Deloris Egstrom from Jamestown, North Dakota is a 1972 album by Peggy Lee. It was her final album for Capitol Records, her label since 1957 and, prior to that, from 1944 to 1952.-Track listing:...
Post-Capitol albums
- 1974 Let's Love
Let's Love is a 1974 album by Peggy Lee, with the title track arranged, produced and written by Paul McCartney.-Track listing:# "Let's Love" # "He Is the One" # "Easy Evil"...
- 1975 Mirrors
Mirrors is a 1975 album by Peggy Lee, being an A&M Records album of neo-cabaret "art songs" sung by that same Peggy Lee, written and produced by rock & roll pioneers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, mostly arranged & conducted by Johnny Mandel.-Track listing:#"Is That All There Is?" – 4:21 #"Ready...
- 1977 Live in London
Live in London is a 1977 live album by Peggy Lee, recorded at the London Palladium.-Track listing:#"Love for Sale" - 2:44#"Everything Must Change" - 3:58#"You Gotta Know How" - 3:00...
- 1977 Peggy
Peggy is a 1977 album by Peggy Lee. It was arranged and conducted by Pete Moore.-Track listing:#The Hungry Years #Here Now Peggy is a 1977 album by Peggy Lee. It was arranged and conducted by Pete Moore.-Track listing:#The Hungry Years (Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield)#Here Now Peggy is a 1977 album...
- 1979 Close Enough for Love
- 1988 Miss Peggy Lee Sings the Blues
-Track listing:# "See See Rider" – 5:06# "Basin Street Blues" – 3:10# "Squeeze Me" – 2:47# "You Don't Know" – 4:09# "Fine and Mellow" – 5:13...
- 1990 The Peggy Lee Songbook: There'll Be Another Spring
The Peggy Lee Songbook: There'll Be Another Spring is a 1989 studio album by Peggy Lee.-Track listing:# "Circle in the Sky" 2:58# "I Just Want to Dance All Night" 4:01# "He's a Tramp" 2:34...
- 1993 Love Held Lightly: Rare Songs by Harold Arlen
Love Held Lightly: Rare Songs by Harold Arlen is a 1988 album by Peggy Lee, released in 1993.-Track listing:Love Held Lightly: Rare Songs by Harold Arlen is a 1988 album by Peggy Lee, released in 1993....
(rec. 1988)
- 1993 Moments Like This
Moments Like This is a 1993 studio album by Peggy Lee, the last album that Lee recorded. - Track listing :# "I Don't Know Enough About You" – 2:46# "I'm in Love Again" – 4:33...
Chart singles
| Year |
Title |
Chart Positions |
| US Pop The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
|
US AC The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
|
| 1941 |
"I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" |
25 |
— |
| "Winter Weather" (w/ Art Lund Art Lund was an American baritone singer, initially with bandleaders Benny Goodman and Harry James, and was also a television and stage actor.-Biography:...
) |
24 |
— |
| "Blues in the Night "Blues in the Night" is a popular song which has become a pop standard and is generally considered to be part of the Great American Songbook. The music was written by Harold Arlen, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, for a 1941 film begun with the working title Hot Nocturne, but finally released as Blues...
" |
20 |
— |
| "Somebody Else is Taking My Place" |
1 |
— |
| "My Little Cousin" |
14 |
— |
| "We'll Meet Again "We'll Meet Again" is a 1939 song made famous by British singer Vera Lynn, and it also may refer to:* We'll Meet Again , a musical starring Lynn that includes the song...
" |
16 |
— |
| "Full Moon" |
22 |
— |
| "The Way You Look Tonight "The Way You Look Tonight" is a song featured in the film Swing Time, originally performed by Fred Astaire. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936. The song was sung to Ginger Rogers as Penelope "Penny" Carroll by Astaire's character of John "Lucky" Garnett while Penny was busy...
" |
21 |
— |
| 1943 |
"Why Don't You Do Right" |
4 |
— |
| 1945 |
"Waitin' for the Train to Come in" |
4 |
— |
| 1946 |
"I'm Glad I Waited for You" |
24 |
— |
| "I Don't Know Enough About You" |
7 |
— |
| "Linger in My Arms a Little Longer, Baby" |
16 |
— |
| "It's All Over Now" |
10 |
— |
| 1947 |
"It's a Good Day "It's a Good Day" is a popular song written by Peggy Lee and Dave Barbour and published in 1947.The song has been recorded by many singers since its introduction, most recently by Susie Arioli...
" |
16 |
— |
| "Everything's Moving too Fast" |
21 |
— |
| "Chi-baba, Chi-baba (My Bambino, Go to Sleep)" |
10 |
— |
| "Golden Earrings Golden Earrings is a 1947 romantic spy film made by Paramount Pictures and starring Ray Milland and Marlene Dietrich. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen and produced by Harry Tugend from a screenplay by Frank Butler, Helen Deutsch and Abraham Polonsky, based on a novel by Jolán Földes. The music...
" |
2 |
— |
| 1948 |
"Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)" |
1 |
— |
| "All Dressed up with a Broken Heart" |
21 |
— |
| "For Every Man, There's a Woman" |
25 |
— |
| "Laroo, Laroo, Lili Bolero" |
13 |
— |
| "Talking to Myself About You" |
23 |
— |
| "Don't Smoke in Bed" |
22 |
— |
| "Caramba! It's the Samba" |
13 |
— |
| "Baby, Don't Be Mad at Me" |
21 |
— |
| "Somebody Else is Taking My Place" (re-issue) |
30 |
— |
| "Bubble Loo, Bubble Loo" |
23 |
— |
| 1949 |
"Blum Blum, I Wonder Who I Am" |
27 |
— |
| "Similau (See-Me-Lo)" |
17 |
— |
| "Bali Ha'i "Bali Ha'i", also spelled "Bali Hai", is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific.-In musical South Pacific:...
" |
13 |
— |
| "Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)" |
2 |
— |
| 1950 |
"The Old Master Painter" (w/ Mel Torme Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
) |
9 |
— |
| "Show Me the Way to Get out of This World" |
28 |
— |
| 1951 |
"(When I Dance with You) I Get Ideas" |
14 |
— |
| 1952 |
"Be Anything (But Be Mine)" |
21 |
— |
| "Lover" |
3 |
— |
"Watermelon Weather" (w/ Bing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
) |
28 |
— |
| "Just One of Those Things "Just One of Those Things" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for the 1935 musical Jubilee.The song was later featured in two Doris Day musical films, Lullaby of Broadway and Young at Heart .-Influence in popular culture:...
" |
14 |
— |
| "River, River" |
23 |
— |
| 1953 |
"Who's Gonna Pay the Check" |
22 |
— |
| "Baubles, Bangles, & Beads "Baubles, Bangles & Beads" is a popular song from the 1953 musical Kismet, credited to Robert Wright and George Forrest. Like all the music in that show, the melody was based on works by Alexander Borodin, in this case the second theme of the second movement of his String Quartet in D. The...
" |
30 |
— |
| 1954 |
"Where can I go Without You" |
28 |
— |
| "Let Me Go, Lover "Let Me Go, Lover!", a popular song, was written by Jenny Lou Carson and Al Hill, a pseudonym used by Fred Wise, Kathleen Twomey, and Ben Weisman. It is based on an earlier song called "Let Me Go, Devil," about alcoholism. It was featured on the television program Studio One on November 15, 1954,...
" |
26 |
— |
| 1956 |
"Mr. Wonderful" |
14 |
— |
| "Joey, Joey, Joey" |
76 |
— |
| 1958 |
"Fever "Fever" is a song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym John Davenport. It was originally recorded by Little Willie John in 1956. It has been covered by numerous artists from various musical genres, notably Peggy Lee in 1958....
" |
8 |
— |
| "Light of Love" |
63 |
— |
| "Sweetheart" |
98 |
— |
| 1959 |
"Alright, Okay, You Win" |
68 |
— |
| "My Man" |
81 |
— |
| "Hallelujah, I Love Him So" |
77 |
— |
| 1963 |
"I'm a Woman I'm a Woman is a 1963 song and album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Benny Carter. The title song, one of Lee's signature songs despite reaching a minor peak of number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, has been covered by many artists....
" |
54 |
— |
| 1964 |
"In the Name of Love" |
132 |
— |
| 1965 |
"Pass Me By" |
93 |
20 |
| "Free Spirits" |
— |
29 |
| 1966 |
"Big Spender "Big Spender" is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity, first performed in 1966. It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film...
" |
— |
9 |
| "That Man" |
— |
31 |
| "You've Got Possibilities" |
— |
36 |
| "So, What's New" |
— |
20 |
| "Walking Happy" |
— |
14 |
| 1967 |
"I Feel it" |
— |
8 |
| 1969 |
"Spinning Wheel "Spinning Wheel" is the title of a popular song from 1969 by the band Blood, Sweat & Tears. The song was written by band member and Canadian musician David Clayton-Thomas and appears on their self-titled album....
" |
— |
24 |
| "Is That All There Is? "Is That All There Is?" is a song written by American songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller during the 1960s. It became a hit for American singer Peggy Lee from her recording in November 1969...
" |
11 |
1 |
| "Whistle for Happiness" |
— |
13 |
| 1970 |
"(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story " Love Story" is a popular song published in 1970, with music by Francis Lai and lyrics by Carl Sigman. The song was first introduced as an instrumental theme in the 1970 film Love Story. The lyrics were added after the theme music became popular.-Covers:The song has been covered many times...
" |
105 |
26 |
| "You'll Remember Me" |
— |
16 |
| "One More Ride on the Merry-Go-Round" |
— |
21 |
| 1972 |
"Love Song" |
— |
34 |
| 1974 |
"Let's Love" |
— |
22 |
Film and television
Film
- The Powers Girl (1943)
- Stage Door Canteen
Stage Door Canteen is a musical film produced by Sol Lesser Productions and distributed by United Artists. It was directed by Frank Borzage and features many cameo appearances by celebrities, and the majority of the film is essentially a filmed concert although there is also a storyline to the...
(1943)
- Banquet of Melody (1946) (short subject)
- Jasper in a Jam
Jasper in a Jam is a short film in the Puppetoon Series by George Pal. It starred the voice of singer Peggy Lee, and was directed by Duke Goldstone.-Plot summary:...
(1946) (short subject) (voice)
- Midnight Serenade (1947) (short subject)
- Peggy Lee and the Dave Barbour Quartet (1950) (short subject)
- Mr. Music (1950)
- The Jazz Singer
The Jazz Singer is a 1952 remake of the famous 1927 talking picture, The Jazz Singer. It starred Danny Thomas, Peggy Lee, and Eduard Franz and was nominated for an Oscar in 1953. The film follows about the same storyline as the version starring Al Jolson. It was also distributed by Warner Bros...
(1952)
- Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
(1955) (voice)
- Pete Kelly's Blues (1955)
- Celebrity Art (1973) (short subject)
Television
- Mystery guest on What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
(February 28, 1960)
- The World of Peggy Lee - documentary film produced for National Educational Television
National Educational Television was an American non-commercial educational public television network in the United States from May 16, 1954 to October 4, 1970...
(October 16, 1969)
External links