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Singer and actress Peggy King, whose broad career ranged from 1950s big band performances to popular television variety programs, died on Oct. 25 at the age of 96. Her death was commemorated on NPR’s Fresh Air, which re-broadcast a 1983 studio concert and interview detailing her life and musical legacy.
Early Career and Television Success
King began her singing career in the early 1950s performing with Ralph Flanagan and his orchestra before signing a long-term recording contract with Columbia Records. During her time with the label, she produced popular albums such as Wish Upon A Star and Girl Meets Boy.
In 1952, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer signed King to a film contract. Although studio executives frequently remarked that she resembled and sounded like Judy Garland—an assessment King disagreed with—she appeared in a singing cameo in the movie The Bad And The Beautiful. She subsequently became a regular performer on television variety shows hosted by Mel Tormé and George Gobel, and she guest-starred on dramatic series including Dragnet in 1955. King also traveled internationally with the USO, performing alongside Bob Hope for military personnel in Alaska in 1956.
Hiatus and Return to Music
King stepped away from the entertainment industry in 1961, moving to the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband to focus on raising their family. After her children were grown, she returned to active performing in the 1980s.
Her resurgence included appearances with the Philly Pops Orchestra and the All-Star Jazz Trio, along with nightclub engagements at New York venues like Michael’s Pub and the Metropolitan Room. She also returned to the recording studio to record classic standards by composers such as Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, and Rodgers and Hart. In 1983, she released the album Rain Sometimes, which was arranged and produced by pianist Michael Abene alongside sound engineer Jay Messina.
Reflections on Her Career
In an interview originally broadcast on NPR’s Fresh Air in 1983, King spoke about her decision to take an extended break from performing. She explained that her departure was not a long-term strategy, stating, “I really didn’t plan to take that long a break. But I – you know, we moved to the suburbs. I had two children in a year and 10 days, and I was very busy.”
King also described the contrast between studio recording methods of the 1950s and her 1980s comeback album. Rather than assembling songs in separate audio tracks, King and Abene chose to record complete live takes during three-hour studio sessions to maintain an authentic emotional tone. Reflecting on her artistic identity as a mature performer, King noted, “I don’t really think that I sound like anyone. I don’t copy anyone. I don’t try to sing like anyone. And I think for the first time – you know, I’m a grown woman.”
Archival recordings of King’s 1983 Fresh Air studio session and her musical performances remain available through public media archives following her death.
