Loretta Lee (June 14, 1913^[1] – January 21, 1977^[2]) was an American singer in the first half of the 20th century.

Early years

Lee was born Margaret Viegas^[3] (or Vieages)^[4] in New Orleans, the daughter of a juvenile court judge,^[3] Joseph Viegas (or Vieages), and his wife.^[4] Her ancestry was Spanish on her father's side and Irish on her mother's side.^[5] She was educated at a convent in New Orleans,^[6] but left that city as a teenager because her parents opposed her romance with a young Frenchman.^[7]

She sang with the Boswell Sisters at charity functions when she was a youngster^[8] and later studied music at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, winning a Peabody scholarship for four years and a Juilliard scholarship for one year. She was the third Peabody student to graduate as a singer.^[9] On June 1, 1927, radio station WBAL in Baltimore, Maryland, broadcast one of her recitals.^[9]

Career

A visit to a publishing house during a trip to New York City in 1932,^[9] when she was 18,^[10] led to a singing engagement for Lee at a New York night club, launching her career.^[9] George Hall, leader of the orchestra at the Hotel Taft,^[11] heard her singing and invited her to perform with his orchestra,^[9] which she did that same evening.^[6] A year later, she was also the female singer with Hall and his orchestra on his program on CBS radio.^[12]

In the fall of 1935, she became a featured vocalist on Your Hit Parade, as the program's lineup of performers was revamped.^[8] Also in 1935, she was the singer on a comedy program that featured Marty May^[13] and Carol Deis,^[14] and she had her own program on CBS radio.^[15] In 1937, she became the main vocalist on a new radio program featuring Werner Janssen and his orchestra.^[16]

She also performed in theaters in vaudeville engagements^[17] and appeared in the short film Midnight Melodies.^[18]

Personal life

Lee was married to Irvin L. Dussom.^[19]

References