Backstory: The Musical Romance of Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee
This show debuted at Birdland October 2022. Its creator/performers, Stacy Sullivan and Todd Murray will bring it to Carnegie Hall May 22, 2023.
Vocalist/songwriter/actress Peggy Lee and vocalist/actor Frank Sinatra likely developed a friendship when they both played the Paramount Theatre in 1941, Lee with the Benny Goodman Band, Sinatra with that of Tommy Dorsey. She was 21, he 26.
“In the ensuing years, Peggy appeared as a frequent guest star on Frank’s late-1940s radio shows; appeared with him in his television debut on the Bob Hope-hosted Star-Spangled Revue on May 27, 1950; and made two guest appearances on Frank’s 1957 ABC television series, where they duetted memorably in one episode with the Gershwins’ “Our Love Is Here to Stay” – yet another of many, many songs they each recorded separately over the course of their fifty-plus year careers. They also appeared together, along with Louis Armstrong and jazz pianists George Shearing, Joe Bushkin and Paul Smith, on a 1959 Bing Crosby Oldsmobile Hour. In this viewer’s mind, the song-filled program ranks among the all-time high-points in television variety show history.” (1989 autobiography, Miss Peggy Lee (Donald I. Fine, Inc.).
Later, when both achieved fame, Lee was coined “the female Frank Sinatra” by Tony Bennett. She considered it the highest of compliments.
Stacy, who has her own splendid Peggy Lee show, was invited by Lee’s granddaughter Holly Foster Wells to the Frank Sinatra centennial exhibit at The New York Public Library. Wells introduced the vocalist to those who manage Sinatra’s musical legacy as a result of which she’s attended several events with family members and dined with Nancy Sinatra. The icon’s daughter told her, “At Christmas, the Sinatras play Peggy Lee.”
Stacy: “Frank and Peggy were lifelong friends in a world where friendships are rare. Many things changed in their lives through the years, but their relationship was a constant. The idea of telling the story of their friendship through music appealed to Todd and me. It has an underlying thread of loyalty in the midst of chaos. During COVID, working on the show offered a lifeline at a time of uncertainty. There’s a lot of joy here, but also soulful honesty.”
Todd: “The first time I realized Peggy and Frank had a special bond was when I read about a Capitol Records album called “The Man I Love” (Lee’s favorite album) for which Sinatra conducted and chose the songs. This had to be a deeper relationship than I knew….It seems from the start, Frank took Peggy under his wing, advising and socializing with her. They were very different performers, but when they worked together, there was a devilish, sometimes steamy vibe between them. As we dug deeper, I think Stacy and I were waiting to find evidence of romance. That never occurred. Still, their love for each other remained strong.”
“Hello Frank. I have so many memories, and Barbara, you simply must forgive me; I’ve been in love with that man all the years I’ve known him. But it’s OK, it’s platonic, I think…(Peggy Lee at Society of Singers Night to honor Frank Sinatra December 1990). “Peg is just about the best friend a song ever had.” (Frank Sinatra)
Stacy: “Frank and Peggy sang their truth. It’s one of the things I admire most about them and an ability they shared. Todd and I perform some of their television duets as well as reimagining some of their respective hits as might have been presented as duets.”
Todd: “The Sinatra/Lee repertoire is quite a challenge. How do you squeeze so many popular, expected songs into 90 minutes while telling a story? We offer both familiar showstoppers and worthy, lesser known material.”
Stacy: “Todd and I are excited to have a performance vehicle that will give us time to further explore this incredible music and to share the story of two kids who had meteoric careers caring about one another every step of the way.”
Todd: “Stacy and I never set out to copy other artists. We ARE artists and want to present music as we see and feel it, true to our thoughts, hearts, and voices. We don’t set out to sound like Peggy and Frank, but rather to showcase the essence of who they were and why we’ve come to love their talent.”
A glamorous evening featuring two immensely talented artists celebrating two immensely talented icons.
Photos by Savannah Brown
The Musical Romance of Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee
Stacy Sullivan and Todd Murray
Directed by Savannah Brown
MD- Yasuhiko FukuokaCarnegie Hall – Weill Recital Hall May 22, 2023
