Peggy Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peggy Lee
|
|
|---|---|
Lee in 1950
|
|
| Born |
Norma Deloris Egstrom
May 26, 1920 Jamestown, North Dakota, U.S.
|
| Died | January 21, 2002 (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|
| Resting place | Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 1 |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Valley City, Jamestown, Wimbledon, Fargo, North Dakota |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments | Vocals (Contralto) |
| Years active | 1936–2000 |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts |
|
Norma Deloris Egstrom (born May 26, 1920 – died January 21, 2002) was a famous American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was known professionally as Peggy Lee. Her career lasted for over 60 years!
Peggy Lee started singing on local radio. Later, she joined Benny Goodman's big band. She became known for her smooth and elegant style. Peggy Lee wrote music for movies, acted, and recorded many albums. She recorded over 1,100 songs and wrote more than 270 of her own. People called her the "Queen of American Pop Music."
Contents
Peggy Lee's Early Life
Peggy Lee was born Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota. She was the seventh of eight children. Her father, Marvin Olaf Egstrom, worked for a railroad. Her mother, Selma Emele Egstrom, died when Peggy was four. Her father then married Minnie Schaumberg Wiese.
Peggy and her family lived in several towns in North Dakota. She finished high school in Wimbledon in 1937. The old train station where her family lived is now a museum. It has a special exhibit about Peggy Lee's life and career.
Singing from a Young Age
Peggy started singing when she was very young. In Wimbledon, she sang with a college dance band. She traveled with the band on weekends.
She first sang professionally on KOVC radio in Valley City, North Dakota in 1936. Later, she had her own 15-minute radio show. A local restaurant sponsored it and paid her in food! She sang on local radio stations during and after high school.
In October 1937, a radio host named Ken Kennedy heard her. He worked at WDAY in Fargo, North Dakota. He put her on the air that day. But first, he changed her name to Peggy Lee.
Moving to Hollywood
Peggy Lee moved to Hollywood, California, when she was 17. Her first job was cooking and waiting tables at a cafe. After that, she worked as a carnival barker. She even wrote a song about this time called "The Nickel Ride."
Later in 1938, she tried to sing at a club in Hollywood. But she fainted onstage because she was overworked and not eating enough. She had to go back to North Dakota for an operation.
The next year, she sang regularly at The Powers Hotel in Fargo. She also toured with two orchestras.
When she returned to California in 1940, she sang at The Doll House in Palm Springs. Here, she developed her famous "sultry purr" singing style. She learned to sing softly but powerfully.
While performing, she met Frank Bering, a hotel owner. He offered her a job at a nightclub in Chicago. There, bandleader Benny Goodman noticed her. She joined his band in August 1941. Her first recording with them was "Elmer's Tune." Peggy Lee stayed with Benny Goodman's orchestra for two years.
Peggy Lee's Music Career
In 1942, Peggy Lee had her first number-one hit song, "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place." In 1943, her song "Why Don't You Do Right?" sold over a million copies! This made her very famous. She also sang with Goodman's orchestra in two movies in 1943. These were Stage Door Canteen and The Powers Girl.
In March 1943, Peggy married Dave Barbour. He was a guitarist in Goodman's band.
She started writing songs again and recording for Capitol Records in 1944. She had many hits with Capitol. Many of these songs were written by Peggy and Dave Barbour. Hits included "I Don't Know Enough About You" and "It's a Good Day." Her song "Golden Earrings" was a big hit in 1947–1948.
Her song "Mañana," which she wrote with Barbour, was a huge success. It stayed on the charts for 21 weeks and was number one for nine weeks! It sold over a million copies.
In 1948, Peggy Lee hosted a radio show called The Chesterfield Supper Club. She also appeared often on Bing Crosby's radio shows.
She worked with Capitol Records for almost 30 years. She also recorded for Decca Records from 1952 to 1956. For Decca, she recorded Black Coffee. She also had hit singles like "Lover" and "Mister Wonderful."
In 1958, she recorded her famous version of "Fever." She changed the song and added new lyrics. Her version of "Fever" was a big hit. It was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1959.
In 1970, while in London, Peggy Lee met Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney. They gave her a song they had written called "Let's Love." In 1974, Paul McCartney produced her recording of the song. It became the title track for her 40th album.
Peggy Lee's Acting Roles
Peggy Lee also had a successful acting career. She starred with Danny Thomas in The Jazz Singer (1952). This was a new version of an old movie.
She played a blues singer in Pete Kelly's Blues (1955). For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Working with Disney
Peggy Lee lent her voice to several characters in the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp (1955). She was the voice of the human character Darling, the dog Peg, and the two Siamese cats, Si and Am.
She also helped write all the original songs for the film with Sonny Burke. These songs include "He's A Tramp," "Bella Notte," and "The Siamese Cat Song."
Later, in 1987, Lady and the Tramp was released on VHS. Peggy Lee asked for money from the video sales because she had helped create the movie's songs and characters. Disney refused to pay. She filed a lawsuit in 1988. After a long legal fight, in 1992, Peggy Lee won $2.3 million.
Peggy Lee also wrote the lyrics for "Johnny Guitar." This was the main song for the 1954 movie Johnny Guitar. She sang part of it at the end of the film.
Throughout her career, Peggy Lee appeared in many TV shows and specials.
Peggy Lee's Personal Life
Peggy Lee was married four times. Her husbands were guitarist Dave Barbour, actor Brad Dexter, actor Dewey Martin, and percussionist Jack Del Rio. All her marriages ended in divorce.
She had one child, a daughter named Nicki Lee Foster, born in 1943. Nicki's father was Dave Barbour, Peggy's first husband.
Peggy Lee also learned Transcendental Meditation. She said the Maharishi himself taught her.
Later Years and Death
Peggy Lee continued to perform even into the 1990s. Sometimes she used a wheelchair due to poor health. She died on January 21, 2002, at age 81. She had been ill for many years. Her ashes were buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Awards and Honors for Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was nominated for 13 Grammy Awards. In 1969, her hit song "Is That All There Is?" won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance. In 1995, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors artists who have made lasting contributions to music.
She received many other awards:
- The Rough Rider Award from North Dakota in 1975.
- The Pied Piper Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1990.
- The Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1994.
- The Living Legacy Award in 1994.
- The Presidents Award from the Songwriters Guild of America in 1999.
She was also inducted into several halls of fame:
- The Big Band Jazz Hall of Fame in 1992.
- The Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999.
- The Songbook Hall of Fame in 2020.
Peggy Lee's Legacy and Tributes
Peggy Lee is often said to be the inspiration for the Margarita cocktail. In 1948, she asked a bartender for a drink like one she had in Mexico. The bartender created the Margarita and named it after the Spanish version of Peggy's name.
She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. It is located at 6319 Hollywood Boulevard.
Baseball player Tug McGraw named one of his pitches the "Peggy Lee." He said it was the pitch where the hitter would say, "Is that all there is?"
In 1971, Peggy Lee sang the Lord's Prayer at the funeral of Louis Armstrong.
The designer of the Miss Piggy Muppet, Bonnie Erickson, was inspired by Peggy Lee. Bonnie grew up in North Dakota, like Peggy. Miss Piggy was originally called Miss Piggy Lee.
Peggy Lee received honorary doctorates in music from two universities in North Dakota.
In 1983, a hybrid tea rose was named in her honor. It was called the Peggy Lee Rose.
In 2003, a tribute concert called "There'll Be Another Spring: A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee" was held at Carnegie Hall. Many famous musicians performed.
On her 100th birthday in 2020, the Grammy Museum held an online discussion. Musicians like Billie Eilish and k.d. lang participated.
Peggy Lee has influenced many other artists. These include Paul McCartney, Madonna, Beyoncé, and Diana Krall.
In 2020, the ASCAP Foundation and Lee's family created the annual Peggy Lee Songwriter Award.
Peggy Lee as a Songwriter
Peggy Lee wrote or co-wrote over 270 songs. She wrote songs for herself to sing. She was also hired to write songs for movies. For the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp, she co-wrote all the original songs. She also voiced four characters in the film.
She worked with many other songwriters, including David Barbour, Harold Arlen, and Quincy Jones.
Her first published song was "Little Fool" in 1941. Her song "What More Can a Woman Do?" was recorded by Sarah Vaughan. "Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)" was number one on the Billboard charts for nine weeks in 1948.
Peggy Lee was a key artist for Capitol Records. She was one of the first older artists to appreciate new music genres like rock and roll. She recorded songs by the Beatles, Randy Newman, and Carole King. From 1957 to 1972, she released two or three albums each year. These albums often included classic songs, her own songs, and new songs by young artists.
Many of her songs have become classics. Singers like Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, and Ella Fitzgerald have performed them.
Images for kids
-
Lee in 1950
See also
In Spanish: Peggy Lee para niños
