Role

:

Composer

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Film

 

Peggy Lee, born Norma Deloris Egstrom on May 26, 1920, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress. She was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, to a Swedish-American family. Her father was a station agent for the Midland Continental Railroad, and her mother was a homemaker. Peggy Lee grew up in a musical family, and she began singing at a young age. She was inspired by the music of Benny Goodman, and she began performing with local bands in her teenage years. In 1937, Peggy Lee moved to Fargo, North Dakota, where she began singing on a local radio station. She soon moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she continued to perform on the radio and in local clubs. In 1941, she moved to Hollywood, California, where she was discovered by Benny Goodman. She joined his band as a vocalist, and she quickly became one of the band's most popular members. Peggy Lee's career as a composer began in the 1940s, when she began writing songs for films. She wrote the lyrics for the song "It's a Good Day," which became a hit for her in 1946. She also wrote the lyrics for the song "Mañana," which became a hit for her in 1948. In 1952, she wrote the lyrics for the song "Lover," which became a hit for her and was later covered by many other artists. In addition to her work as a composer, Peggy Lee was also a successful recording artist. She recorded many popular songs, including "Fever," "Is That All There Is?," and "Why Don't You Do Right?". She also appeared in several films, including "The Jazz Singer" and "Pete Kelly's Blues." Peggy Lee's career continued to thrive throughout the 1950s and 1960s. She continued to write and record music, and she also appeared on television and in concerts. In 1969, she won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance for her album "Is That All There Is?". She continued to perform and record music throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999. Sonny Burke, born Joseph Francis Burke on March 22, 1914, was an American composer, arranger, and pianist. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and he began playing the piano at a young age. He studied music at the Juilliard School in New York City, and he began his career as a pianist and arranger in the 1930s. In the 1940s, Sonny Burke began working as a composer and arranger for films. He wrote the music for several films, including "The Glenn Miller Story" and "The Benny Goodman Story". He also worked as an arranger for many popular recording artists, including Peggy Lee. In the 1950s, Sonny Burke became the musical director for the ABC television network. He worked on several popular television shows, including "The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom" and "The Lawrence Welk Show". He also continued to work as a composer and arranger for films and recording artists. One of Sonny Burke's most famous compositions is the song "Black Coffee," which he wrote with Peggy Lee. The song was first recorded by Peggy Lee in 1953, and it has since been covered by many other artists. Sonny Burke also wrote the music for the song "Midnight Sun," which was a hit for Ella Fitzgerald in 1957. Sonny Burke continued to work in the music industry throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He worked as a composer and arranger for films and television shows, and he also worked with many popular recording artists.

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