Ode to Peggy Lee

Tonight in Largo, a singer and band will offer a Lee family-approved musical tribute to the venerable vocalist, who turns 80 today.

By MAUREEN BYRNE

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 26, 2000

LARGO -- In her home in Los Angeles, Peggy Lee, perhaps best known for her sultry rendition of Fever, is celebrating her 80th birthday today. The milestone is being marked here in the Tampa Bay area with a musical tribute to the great jazz vocalist.

Accompanied by a five-piece band, Jayne Anne Losito will sing 18 of Lee's favorites, including Fever, Why Don't You Do Right? and Lover, at Largo Cultural Center. Tonight's performance, one of only a few in the country sanctioned by Lee's family, is written and directed by Fred Johnson, local jazz master and community arts director for Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. In the tribute, titled Silhouette, Johnson gives a historical narrative of Lee, whose career spans five decades.

"This lady is so incredible," Losito, 42, said. "Look what she has done for music."

Lee's contributions to American music -- not only as a smoky-voiced singer, but also as a lyricist, composer and musical innovator -- exemplify popular music through the eras of jazz, blues, swing, Latin and rock.

She won a Grammy for best contemporary female vocal performance in 1969 for the hit Is That All There Is? and has recorded more than 600 songs and 60 albums. In addition to recording music, she appeared on television and in movies and earned an Oscar nomination as best supporting actress for her portrayal of Rosie, an alcoholic blues singer, in Pete Kelly's Blues.

"I love her music," said Losito, who manages the box office at Largo Cultural Center. "I remember being little and listening to her and seeing her on TV. What a classy singer."

Johnson agrees. "I think she had a wonderful voice and a great stage persona. One of the things about Peggy Lee is, she was appreciated across the board. She was quite an elegant lady."

Tonight, Johnson will play the role of a radio announcer highlighting Lee's career. On one end of the stage, he'll talk about Lee and pretend to spin her records. On the other end, Losito and accompanying musicians will perform Lee's music.

"My hope was that people would really get a sense of who she was," Johnson said.

With her blond hair, a long black dress from Saks Fifth Avenue and a fake mole on her face, Losito has a passing resemblance to Lee. "I'm not really trying to look like her," said Losito, the mother of three children. "It's a silhouette. I'm not impersonating her. I'm just giving the aura of her."

When the show made its debut last year at the cultural center, Losito and Johnson performed in front of a packed house. Otto Albuschat of St. Petersburg was in the audience.

"If you close your eyes and listen, you know it's Peggy Lee," said Albuschat, who saw Lee perform in the "old days" in Chicago. "It's magnificent. If you like anything about Peggy Lee, including her raspy voice, go see it."

"This is a real gem," said Holly Stevens, manager of the Cultural Center. "I don't think any of us had any inkling of just how magical the show was going to be until the pieces started coming together."

When Losito and Johnson decided to collaborate on a tribute to Lee, Losito sent a letter to Lee's secretary, explaining her intentions. Three months passed before the secretary called to say Lee's family approved of the show.

"I was so shocked," said Losito, who has sung in nightclubs, with rock 'n' roll bands and with local jazz artists, including pianist Allon Sams. "It was so neat."

After the performance, Losito sent a gift package to Lee and her family. She included audio and video tapes of the show, a guest book, a jar of fudge and some wine glasses. This year, Losito is asking patrons to sign one of dozens of birthday cards she made for the occasion.

In January, Losito vacationed in Los Angeles. While there, the Clearwater resident met Lee's daughter, Nicki Lee Foster, and granddaughter, Holly Foster-Wells. She was unable to meet Lee, who was in a hospital at the time.

"This is really special to me and I feel really honored to do this," Losito said.

A look back at Lee

Silhouette, a musical tribute to Peggy Lee, will be presented at 8 tonight at Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive. Tickets are $10.50. There will be cabaret-style seating and a cash bar. Call (727) 587-6793.

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