LOS ANGELES, C.A. – Peggy Lee Associates today announces the release of a previously unheard recording of Peggy Lee performing the beloved classic “La Vie en Rose” in French, accompanied by a jazz trio. Captured on Lee’s personal reel-to-reel tape recorder around 1952, the intimate performance makes its long-awaited debut as a Valentine, shared publicly for the first time. The digital-only single is available at all digital service providers.

Known to keep a reel-to-reel recorder both at home and while traveling, Peggy Lee documented her studio sessions, rehearsals, informal jam sessions, gatherings with friends, and business meetings, preserving ideas, conversations, and musical moments as they unfolded. Scores of these personal tapes have now been digitized, offering an extraordinary look at Lee’s life and creative process beyond the recording studio.

“As I’ve had my grandmother’s reel-to-reel and cassette tapes digitized, it has felt like being a fly on the wall, traveling back in time,” says Holly Foster Wells, President of Peggy Lee Associates and Lee’s granddaughter. “Hearing her in so many different settings has allowed me to keep getting to know her in new ways. Even with their imperfections, so much of the music on these tapes is stunning. There is something especially moving about hearing her sing just for herself.”

This home recording of “La Vie en Rose,” captured in just one take, comes from an informal gathering, with Lee singing alongside a trio of piano, string bass, and drums, working through several songs in a relaxed, off-the-cuff setting. Research is ongoing to identify the musicians involved. Recorded privately, the sound reflects its original setting and has been newly restored by multi-GRAMMY® Award–winning mastering engineer Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, bringing out the warmth and intimacy of the original performance.

Preserved for nearly 75 years, the release of “La Vie en Rose” launches From the Peggy Lee Archive, a new singles series drawn from the previously unreleased reel-to-reel recordings. While reviewing Lee’s personal tapes, Foster Wells uncovered this performance among a collection of previously unheard recordings that will be shared in future releases. These intimate moments offer a rare glimpse into Peggy Lee’s creative world away from the spotlight.

A lifelong admirer of Édith Piaf, Peggy Lee owned original 78s of “La Vie en Rose” and “Hymne à l’amour” dating back to the 1940s. She performed “La Vie en Rose” on several occasions throughout her career, including on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1950, beginning in English and ending in French; during her April 1951 show at the Copacabana; and as a French-language duet with Charles Aznavour on a 1977 television special. Despite her deep affection for the song, Lee never commercially recorded it, making this newly released performance especially rare.

One of the most important musical influences of the 20^th century, Peggy Lee wrote over 270 songs, recorded over 1,100 masters, and had over 100 chart hits throughout her seven-decade career. As one of the world’s first female contemporary singer-songwriters, she co-wrote and sang many of her own hits, most notably “He’s a Tramp” for Disney’s Lady and the Tramp, as well as “Mañana” and “It’s a Good Day.” She’s best known for hits “Why Don’t You Do Right?” “Fever,” “I’m a Woman,” and “Is That All There Is?” for which she won the GRAMMY® for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance. A 13-time GRAMMY® nominee, she received Lifetime Achievement Awards from NARAS, ASCAP, and Society of Singers, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Pete Kelly’s Blues. For more information about Peggy Lee, visit peggylee.com