Valley City – Celebrate Peggy Lee in Valley City during Rally in the Valley. Learn more about her music and radio career and how it started in Valley City!

Myron Sommerfeld is down this year due to knee surgery.  Many years of drumming and keeping rhythm have caught up to him.  As such, to keep the momentum going on Peggy Lee Day, Peggy Lee’s granddaughter Holly Foster-Wells suggested we show a 1969 documentary on Peggy Lee by National Educational Television “NET Presents: Miss Peggy Lee”

“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 has graciously waived any fees normally associated with showing one of their programs.  We thank them!

There will also be a musical interlude featuring VCSU students performing as a trio and Myron’s daughter Bonnie Sommerfeld singing the music of Miss Lee.  Holly Foster-Wells, granddaughter of Peggy Lee, is to Zoom in to introduce the 38-minute documentary.

Free ice cream and coffee, and free floral arrangement raffle after the concert. Please bring a food item for our local food pantry.