VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The city of Valley City has designated Friday, June 20th as “Peggy Lee Day.”
KOVC Radio will have a special Peggy Lee hour dedicated to her life and music on Friday, June 20th from 10am to 11am hosted by Steve Urness. The music from her seven decade career has gained international praise.
Peggy Lee was born in Jamestown, ND, lived in the train depot in Wimbledon, ND with her father and step-mother. She kick started her musical career on KOVC Radio back in 1936 at the age of 16. Her museum is in the depot located along the railroad tracks in Wimbledon, North Dakota.
Among fellow musicians and technicians, Peggy Lee is famous for her meticulous workmanship, combined with her creativity. She spends whatever time and money are necessary for the finest musicians, arrangers, choreographers, and lighting experts in preparing a new act. NET cameras and crew have recorded in fascinating detail the complex preparations and numbers of people involved in the development of an important nightclub engagement starring Miss Lee: in this instance, her appearance at the opening of the lavish new International Hotel in Las Vegas. The cameras follow Miss Lee through many stages: work sessions at her beautiful Beverly Hills home in California; a preview performance of the act before an invited audience at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles; backstage congratulations at the Forum; last-minute preparations at her International Hotel suite; and finally shots from the much publicized opening itself. There are illuminating scenes of how a great artist works — scenes of Miss Lee with composer Johnny Mandel (“The Shadow of Your Smile”), with pianist-conductor Lou Levy, and executive producer David Prowitt. A major segment of the documentary shows Miss Lee on stage at the Mark Taper Forum where she previewed her finished act. Many of the numbers she sings are from her Capitol album “A Natural Woman.” Thanks to Ajelica James of the WNET Group and Troy Davis of Prairie Public Television for helping bring this program to us. The WNET Group.
The celebration of Peggy Lee’s career will be held Friday, June 20th at 7pm in the Larry J. Robinson Center for the Performing Arts. All are welcome. There will be a musical interlude featuring VCSU students performing as a trio and Myron Sommerfeld’s daughter Bonnie Sommerfeld singing the music of Miss Lee. Holly Foster-Wells, the granddaughter of Peggy Lee, will Zoom in to introduce the 38-minute 1969 documentary on Peggy Lee by National Educational Television “NET Presents: Miss Peggy Lee.”
Free pink ice cream, one of Peggy Lee’s favorites, will be served along with coffee following the performance Friday night. All are welcome to attend this free event. Please bring a non-perishable food item to the Friday night performance starting at 7pm. Those items will be donated to the Barnes County Food pantry.