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Gayla Peevey
Gayla Peevey 1953.jpg
Publicity photo of Gayla Peevey in 1953
Background information
Birth name Gayla Rienette Peevey
Born (1943-03-08) March 8, 1943 (age 81)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1953–1962
Labels Columbia, Joy

Gayla Rienette Peevey (born March 8, 1943) is a former singer and child star from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is best known for her recording of "I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas" (Columbia 4-40106, 1953). Peevey recorded the novelty song when she was 10 years old. In 1960, under the name Jamie Horton, she had a minor hit with her single "My Little Marine" (Joy 45-234, 1959), which reached #84 on Billboard's Hot 100 in early 1960. She also recorded "Robot Man", a cover of a Connie Francis UK hit, but it failed to reach the charts.

Biography

Her family moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma, in 1948. Prior to moving to California, Gayla attended Columbus Elementary School. Peevey graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Education degree. She eventually left teaching. She is married to Cliff Henderson. They have a daughter, Sydney Forest, and three grandchildren. Following her retirement from performing, Peevey runs her own jingle advertisement company and sings in church.

Singles as Gayla Peevey on Columbia Records

Year Title Label Single Matrix No.
1953 I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas/Are My Ears On Straight Columbia Records 40106 CO49818/CO49819
Wish I Wuz A Whisker (On The Easter Bunny's Chin)/Three Little Bunnies 40182 RHCO10747/RHCO10748
Kitty In The Basket (duet with Jimmy Boyd)/I'm So Glad (duet with Jimmy Boyd) 40218 RHCO10753/RHCO10754
Upsy Down Town/A Dog Named Joe 40264 CO49820/CO49821
1954 Angel In The Christmas Play/Got A Cold In The Node For Christmas 40364 RHCO33252/RHCO33253
Daddy's Report Card/The Night I Ran Away 40425 RHCO10749/RHCO10750
1955 77 Santas/Rubberlegs (The Knock-Kneed Monkey) 40602 RZSP33598/RZSP33599
1957 I Want You To Be My Guy/Too Young To Have A Broken Heart 40932 JZSP41539/JZSP41540
1958 That's What I Learned In School/Do It Again 41027 JZSP42215/JZSP42214

Singles as Jamie Horton on Joy Records (New York)

Year Title Label Single Matrix No.
1959 My Little Marine/Missin' Joy Records (New York) 234 K90W-8507/K90W-8508
1960 Where's My Love/Heartbreakin' Doll 237 KS-193/KS-194
Just Say So/There Goes My Love 240 L90W-2188
Robot Man/We're Through – We're Finished 241 JR-7051/JR-7031
What Should A Teen Heart Do/Hands Off, He's Mine 245
1961 When It Comes To Love/Yes, I'll Be Your Girl 252
Going, Going, Going Gone/They're Playing Our Song (contains elements of 16 Candles) 258 JR-7103/JR-7101
Dear Jane/Only Forever 266 JR-7073/JR-7122
1962 Go Shout It From A Mountain/Oh Love (Stop Knockin' On My Door) 269
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