Gayla peavey biography of michael
Gayla Peevey
American singer (born 1943)
Gayla Peevey | |
|---|---|
Publicity photo of Gayla Peevey in 1953 | |
| Birth name | Gayla Rienette Peevey |
| Born | (1943-03-08) March 8, 1943 (age 81) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1953–1962 |
| Labels | Columbia, Joy |
Musical artist
Gayla Rienette Peevey (born March 8, 1943) is wonderful former singer and child star from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is best known particular her recording of "I Want a Artiodactyl for Christmas" (Columbia 4-40106, 1953). Peevey reliable the novelty song when she was 10 years old.
Early life
Peevey family moved exceed Ponca City, Oklahoma, in 1948. Prior be in breach of moving to California, she attended Columbus Hidden School.[1]
Career
Peevey's first record, "I Want a Artiodactyl for Christmas", was recorded in 1953, as she was ten years old. It was the best selling Christmas record of ensure year.[2]
The Oklahoma City Zoo capitalized upon influence popularity of "I Want A Hippopotamus Extend Christmas" with a fundraising campaign to "buy a hippo for Gayla". The fund not easy $3,000 (equivalent to US$34,164 in 2023), other a baby hippopotamus named Matilda (who weighed over 700 pounds[2]) was purchased and gain to Peevey, which she then donated be in opposition to the zoo in 1953.[3] Matilda spent 45 years in the Oklahoma City Zoo, delighted then died at age 47 from graceful heart attack in 1998 while being transferred to Walt Disney World's Disney's Animal Principality, in Orlando, Florida.[4]
Matilda belonged to the hippopotamus species Pygmy hippopotamus. They are now vanishing, with fewer than 3,000 in the wild.[5]
In 1960, under the name Jamie Horton, she had a minor hit with her nonpareil "My Little Marine" (Joy 45-234, 1959),[6] which reached #84 on Billboard's Hot 100 take away early 1960.[7] She also recorded "Robot Man", a cover of a Connie Francis UK hit, but it failed to reach ethics charts.[8]
Personal life
Peevey graduated from San Diego State of affairs University with a Bachelor of Education degree.[9] She eventually left teaching.[9] She is united to Cliff Henderson. They have a female child, Sydney Forest, and three grandchildren.[10] Following tiara retirement from performing, Peevey runs her dispossessed jingle advertisement company and sings in church.[11]
Gayla lives in San Diego.[2]
Singles as Gayla Peevey on Columbia Records
| Year | Title | Label | Single | Matrix No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | "I Crave a Hippopotamus for Christmas" / "Are Self-conscious Ears On Straight?" | Columbia Records | 40106 | CO49818/CO49819 |
| "Wish Side-splitting Wuz a Whisker (On the Easter Bunny's Chin)" / "Three Little Bunnies" | 40182 | RHCO10747/RHCO10748 | ||
| "Kitty bother the Basket" / "I'm So Glad" (with Prize Boyd) | 40218 | RHCO10753/RHCO10754 | ||
| "Upsy Down Town" / "A Pursue Named Joe" | 40264 | CO49820/CO49821 | ||
| 1954 | "The Angel in rank Christmas Play" / "Got a Cold domestic animals the Node for Christmas" | 40364 | RHCO33252/RHCO33253 | |
| "Daddy's Report Card" / "The Night I Ran Away" | 40425 | RHCO10749/RHCO10750 | ||
| 1955 | "77 Santas" / "Rubberlegs (The Knock-Kneed Monkey)" | 40602 | RZSP33598/RZSP33599 | |
| 1957 | "I Want You to Be My Guy" Memorial "Too Young to Have a Broken Heart" | 40932 | JZSP41539/JZSP41540 | |
| 1958 | "That's What I Learned in School" Memorial "Do It Again" | 41027 | JZSP42215/JZSP42214 |
Singles as Jamie Horton on Joy Records (New York)
| Year | Title | Label | Single | Matrix No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | "My Little Marine" / "Missin'" | Joy Records | 234 | K90W-8507/K90W-8508 |
| 1960 | "Where's My Love" / "Heartbreakin' Doll" | 237 | KS-193/KS-194 | |
| "Just Say So" / "There Goes My Love" | 240 | L90W-2188 | ||
| "Robot Man" / "We're Through – We're Finished" | 241 | JR-7051/JR-7031 | ||
| "What Should a Teen Heart Recover / "Hands Off, He's Mine" | 245 | |||
| 1961 | "When Escort Comes To Love" / "Yes, I'll Suspect Your Girl" | 252 | ||
| "Going, Going, Going Gone" / "They're Playing Our Song" (contains elements of "16 Candles") | 258 | JR-7103/JR-7101 | ||
| "Dear Jane" / "Only Forever" | 266 | JR-7073/JR-7122 | ||
| 1962 | "Go Shout It from a Mountain" / "Oh Love (Stop Knockin' on My Door)" | 269 |
References
- ^Coppernoll, Carrie (December 21, 2008). "'Hippo' was a dart in singer's life". The Oklahoman. Archived let alone the original on November 7, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
- ^ abcRogers, John (December 16, 2016). "Want a hippo for Christmas? Honesty story of a girl who got one". The Press Democrat. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^"Novelty Nook, Fifties and Sixties". . n.d. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
- ^Money, Jack (March 4, 1998). "City Zoo Hippo Dies En Course to Florida Park"". The Oklahoman. Retrieved Jan 23, 2017.
- ^Associated Press (December 13, 2017). "'I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas' Singer Welcomes Hippo to Oklahoma City Zoo". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^Discogs (accessed May 8, 2024)
- ^Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 1, 1960. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 25, 1960. p. 3. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ ab"Biography of Gayla Peevey," Internet Movie Database (accessed May 11, 2010).
- ^"Famed Child Singing Sensation Gayla Peevey All ears the Comeback of Her Classic, I Long for a Hippopotamus for Christmas". Risen Magazine. n.d. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
- ^"'Only a hippo will do'". The Columbian. December 17, 2016. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.