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Blonde on Blonde

Blonde on Blonde: Episode 3: Peggy Lee

Peggy Lee

Episode 3

Episode 3: Peggy Lee

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Mariella Frostrup tells the story of influential jazz vocalist, Peggy Lee.

Mariella Frostrup tells the story of Peggy Lee, widely regarded as one of the most influential jazz vocalists of all time.

Peggy Lee is widely regarded as one of the most influential jazz vocalists of all time; not just a great singer but a great songwriter and member of the Song-writers' Hall of Fame. 
Peggy first appeared on record with Benny Goodman in mid-August 1941, singing a wordy novelty of the day called "Elmer's Tune". Benny and Peggy shared an interest in the blues, and he spotted that she was addicted to a recently-released record by Lil Green and her Trio called "Why Don't You Do Right?". Peggy proposed that Benny should have his band play it, and he agreed. When the record was released, it was a million-seller and put Peggy Lee firmly on the map. The attention she'd paid to the black singers of the Thirties was bearing fruit. She knew Billie Holiday's work so well that throughout her career, she could produce a brilliant imitation of Billie, as you will hear on a very rare party-tape from her home, broadcast here for the very first time (by kind permission of Peggy Lee Associates LLC).

Peggy Lee was a prolific songwriter contributing the lyrics for "I Don't Know Enough About You", "It's A Good Day", "I'm Gonna Go Fishin'" (composed with Duke Ellington), "Manana", "Everything's Movin' Too Fast", "The Shining Sea", "There Will Be Another Spring", "Don't Smoke in Bed", "I Love Being Here With You", "Things Are Swingin'" and many others. She also recorded in many different settings, like an orchestra conducted by Frank Sinatra for the definitive recording of "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", and occasionally just with solo harp.
Throughout the 1950's and 60's the hits on record continued."Fever", "Pass Me By", "I'm A Woman", "Is That All There Is?", "Some Cats Know", "The Shining Sea". She continued to perform in concert, sometimes in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank nearby, and still mesmerized audiences and critics alike.
Peggy was the recipient of three Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, an Academy Award nomination, The ASCAP Award; the Presidents Award; the Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Living Legacy Award, from the Women's International Center. 

In 1999 Peggy Lee was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Peggy Lee died in 2002.
Featuring new interviews with: 
Songwriters Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller; 
Biographer Peter Richmond; 
Peggy's granddaughter Holly Foster-Wells;
Gilbert O'Sullivan;
Harpist Stella Castallucci;
Drummer / Singer Grady Tate;
Drummer Ed Shaughnessy
And from the archive: Miss Peggy Lee.

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Mariella Frostrup celebrates more iconic blondes

Mariella Frostrup celebrates three further iconic blondes: Jayne Mansfield, Peggy Lee and Lana Turner

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Episode 3: Peggy Lee

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