I have learned to ignore hearsay and rumor, especially when quotes are qualified with "or words to that effect", and not to make any speculations based on such hearsay and rumor.
Sigh. As the old adage says, no good deed goes unpunished. (Or, in this case, “no well-meant” deed.) I used the expression "words to that effect” because I was not quoting verbatim, and because I was neither at home nor willing to spend additional time searching for commentary which I believed I remembered reasonably well. Looks like I’m going to have to make the time, after all. ============ From an interview and article published on the September 1, 2011 issue of Rolling Stone magazine: During the session for Frank Sinatra‘s “Strangers in the Night,” Campbell remembers he stared at Sinatra so long the singer pulled the producer aside to complain. “He said, ‘Who’s the f*g down there looking at me?'” Campbell cackles. “I’ll never forget that." From another interview, this one published by the London Independent: "In the studio, I just kept staring at him. I couldn't believe that I was in the same room, let alone playing for him." As a result, Campbell recalls, "Sinatra asked someone who the f*g guitar player was." From page 62 of his autobiography, here’s what Glenn recalled being told by the session's producer: "He wanted to know who the f*g guitar player was. Frank said you never stopped looking at him and he thought you were lusting." One Frank biography (maybe more than one) also tells the story. I think it is from one of those which my mind recalls the “who the ****” portion of the statement. However, I put far less trust in bios; hence I’m not going to look up those. ========== The funny thing is that originally I wasn’t even planning to mention the Glenn anecdote. I added it at the last moment, mostly because I wanted something else to take up space on the page! For about two weeks, I’ve been impatiently waiting and waiting for that previous page to reach its end, as I have been keen on the idea of starting this page “freshly” with a nice video, created a couple of weeks ago (“Peggy 100”). Instead, the page has wounded up opening with all this silliness.[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]
I'd just like to point out that I've always appreciated your musical insight on all matters, so please fill as many pages as you like because I will always be reading this thread! Thank you for all that you do for Peggy; not just your discography work but also in keeping the discussion of her artistry thriving at a forum that is nearly otherwise dead to me at this point.
On the occasion of Peggy Lee’s 101 birthday commemoration, this very cool video was put together. Many of these 101 factoids run a little too fast for the human eye, but you can always hit pause, if curious:
I'll speculate all I want, thanks. I'm fascinated by this music and the artists, musicians and composers who all played a role in making this musical history. Feel free to use the "Ignore" feature if you'd like to skip my words.
Ha, neat. Thanks for sharing. I never thought I'd hear another artist cover "Similau", at least not from that era!
Wow, so much good stuff in there... I always wondered if singers would listen to their own albums, aside from hearing playbacks at a session. I don't think I would. Now we know Peggy didn't! The parrot named 'Go-geous' made me laugh. Writing sad songs when happy, and happy songs when sad makes songwriting (at least good songwriting) seem all the more impossible to anyone except those with a gift. I'm with Fran Lebowitz on that one. If I saw Peggy in traffic, I'd probably accidentally bump into her too, for staring Glenn Campbell-style instead of watching the road... When I started driving, I wanted to be able to drive a manual transmission, so the first car I bought was standard. The excitement of owning my first vehicle motivated me to learn how to handle a manual transmission as quickly as possible, because I wanted to be able to go places on my own. Left-hand turns were absolutely terrifying at first, and hugely embarrassing, since I kept stalling the vehicle in the middle of the intersection while trying to get the reflex between the clutch and gas sorted out! Anyway, Peggy. Her nicknames were cute. I would've enjoyed calling her "Normer"
Not officially. Some folks (fans and/or members of Peggy’s camp) did tape it, though. We are referring to one of her very last concerts. Her official site offers excerpts from three of the press reviews: “How do you explain the profound magic that is Peggy Lee? How do you explain the power of this woman – who, quite naturally, has much less voice and energy now than she had forty years ago – to unsettle emotions, to touch hearts? Some things are beyond explaining. Witnessing them, you feel awe and gratitude. Saturday at Carnegie Hall (where Lee shared a double-bill with Mel Tormé), her physical gestures and vocal inflections were minimalist. And yet with the slightest shrug, hint of a sweet/sad smile, or upturn of a warm, smoky note, she said volumes. ‘And when the kids grow up -‘ she sang in ‘The Folks Who Live on the Hill,’ pausing longer than other singers would risk, before finishing the line: ‘and leave us…’ And in that pause, enough was implied about time’s inexorable passage to make you cry… She drew strength from the audience, finishing her short set with more assurance than when she started (seeming frail, tired). The audience gave her a standing ovation (which they did not give Tormé). By the time she wrapped things up with an emotion-drenched ‘I’ll Be Seeing You,’ the question was: What could Tormé add?… For the first time in JVC history, Tormé had the show stolen from him by another singer.” – Chip Deffaa, New York Post, date unknown. “One didn’t know quite what to make of the lush, creamy pink apparition that was gently steered to a comfy chair on the Carnegie Hall stage Saturday night. It seemed so fragile that one was almost afraid that the thunderous applause greeting its appearance would shatter it into a million crystalline pieces. Then from deep inside this vision came a taut, tender voice that seems to have been with us forever, singing ‘That Old Feeling.’ It wasn’t a dream. It was Peggy Lee. She’s 75 years old and so hobbled in recent years by health problems that she did her whole set sitting down. Still, this most minimalist of jazz pop giants had enough magic and power to transform the grand old concert hall into her own intimate lounge. Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra may be the only other singers alive capable of such alchemy. Of those two, Sinatra is Lee’s sole peer as a lasting presence and influence in American music.” – Gene Seymour, Newsday, date unknown. “One should never underestimate the power of star quality and tenacity to pull a singer through a difficult performance. In a rare appearance at Carnegie Hall on Saturday evening, an ailing Peggy Lee wove an eerie spell that transcended a vocal capacity so diminished that her voice was little more than a wobbly murmur. Within the limited mobility left to her, Miss Lee still swings, although quietly. Looking a lot like Mae West in her later years, the 75-year-old singer also conveyed more than a glimmer of the smoldering sexuality that made her the most glamorous nightclub singer of the 1960s. Miss Lee, who shared the bill with Mel Tormé in a concert that was a flagship event of the JVC Jazz Festival, was accompanied by a quintet led by Mike Renzi, whose pianism was exquisitely attuned to her every nuance. The singer’s versions of ballads…had the sad and disturbing quality of someone trying to remember an elusive dream. Up-tempo songs…were phrased with a sly, finger-snapping acuity that showed Miss Lee in solid rhythmic command. A minimalist who could always stir up more action simply by rolling her eyes than most singers by shouting and stomping, Miss Lee remains a master of the small gesture that has earthshaking implications… Miss Lee’s mystique and Mr. Tormé’s technique made for a very full and satisfying concert.” – Stephen Holden, New York Times, 6/26/95
Just checked the RSD site in preparation for Drop 1 tomorrow, and see that Peggy Lee has been moved to Drop 2 on July 17th: RSD '21 Special Release: Peggy Lee - World Broadcast Recordings 1955, Vol. 1
i just noticed that these seven CDs from the very worthwhile Capitol Collectors series are currently being offered, used but in reasonably good condition, for a fine price ($25 + $3.65 s&h). Should anyone be interested: Collectors Lot.
Today, July 9, 2021, marks the 50th year since one of the great luminaries of American music was laid to rest. To commemorate the solemn date, the Louis Armstrong Museum has uploaded the video below, in which Peggy Lee honors Satchmo’s memory by singing “The Lord’s Prayer” at his funeral (4:01) and “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” at a post-funeral gathering with jazz musicians (39:38).
I would be curious to know the opinion of the wise folks at this thread of Maxine Sullivan's 1955 interpretation on her Leonard Feather Presents Maxine Sullivan LP of "The Folks Who Live on the Hill," with Dick Hyman on organ, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. She also recorded it in 1937, but I find this later version more satisfying.
Maxine's voice and vocal phrasing improved throughout her life. Her mature recordings late in life were all masterpieces. Fortunately she was recorded frequently with sympathetic musicians and excellent material in her later years. It is too bad that many other singers did not have this good fortune. They had good voices and great phrasing, but did not have the opportunities to record such good material with such good accompaniment. I recommend that people collect and listen to ALL of her many later recordings.
I like it. Sullivan is like a smoother, less bluesy Etta Jones. I'm of the opinion they're both excellent singers. I also enjoy Arthur Prysock's reading of that song, but Peggy's is, and always will be, my definitive. Back to Peggy, was anyone here lucky enough to get a copy of the newest RSD release? If so, I'd love to hear your opinions RE sound quality, packaging, etc...
For those interested in today's technology, they should know that the California label Eric Records released in 2020 a stereo "Johnny Guitar" by Peggy Lee on the below CD: I have not yet listened to it.
These discs are intriguing but I guess I’m a bit of a purest and so am slightly turned off by the whole DES process (Digitally Extracted Stereo.
I'm simultaneously fascinated and repulsed by DES. It's very difficult to create a tasteful and accurate mix, and very time consuming. I've dabbled in the process on my YouTube channel, with varying degrees of success. It's fun to play what-might-have-been, but at the end of the day, I'll always reach for the mono originals. Creating a binaural mix (vocalist in one channel) is much easier than true stereo. I've only heard a short sample of the "Johnny Guitar" remix, but it sounds promising.
that’s the thing with me, ‘what might have been”….is interesting, but it wasn’t, so I want to hear what they actually did at the time.
I listened to the Eric Records stereo "Johnny Guitar," and I must say it is very well done. I am impressed.
Some vocalists work better than others. The mastering quality of the source file, as well as the original recording conditions make some songs more suitable DES candidates than others. I'll post one of my better attempts for Peggy here. She tends to hold her consonants longer than other vocalists (a hallmark of her unique approach to phrasing), and the digital algorithm I used mistook them for percussive elements on occasion, placing them in the opposite channel.
Here's the best I could do for Peggy. I'm just an amateur. I give it a 5/10. Peggy and bass left, guitars and celeste right. One benefit is that it lifts Peggy's delicate vocal out of the arrangement a little bit for a breathier presentation. For comparison, here's a mix I created for Peggy's friend Margaret. This arrangement was much easier to process, since the notes are short and percussive rather than legato. I give this one a 7.
Mine arrived yesterday. It's a nice package, basic cardboard cover with a poly inner that says "won't bite or scratch". The liner notes on the back from Peggy's biographer James Gavin seem to be adapted from the 2017 double CD. The vinyl is an attractive transparent pink, although transparent vinyl still freaks me out a little. My copy was fairly flat, and just a couple of minor clicks (but I haven't washed it yet). Sound quality is what you would expect from a transcription recording. It took a couple of tracks to adjust to the sound, but then I just sat back and enjoyed the intimate, laidback performances. Funny that the label is called Audiophile Records when this is anything but. The only review on Discogs compares it to the Acoustic Sounds "Black Coffee", which is not really a valid comparison. (It is a 5 star review, however.) Manufactured and distributed by Org Music (not ORG). Bottom line, I'm very happy I managed to pick this up. (I had this and the Lou Reed in my cart at the In Groove and was surprised when Peggy was the one to disappear. Managed to grab one at Vinylgram instead.)
