Peggy King—”You Came A Long Way From St. Louis” (1954)

”You Came A Long Way (From St. Louis)” was a song composed by John Benson Brooks (1917-1999) from Maine, with lyrics by Bob Russell (1914-1970) from New Jersey. Brooks had worked as an arranger for Tommy Dorsey, Les Brown and Boyd Rayburn, and Russell was originally an advertising copywriter.

Vocalist Peggy King (born in 1930) recorded this scene at the Universal Studios between October 28 and November 24, 1954. It was part of the studios’ final Abbott and Costello movie “Meet the Mummy,” which premiered on May 23, 1955. The orchestra was directed by Henri Mancini.

Now 90-years old Peggy King was a fresh and vibrant jazz vocalist during the mid 20th century. She worked with the bands of Charlie Spivak, Ralph Flanagan, Pete Rugolo and Percy Faith. Besides recordings and cameo appearances in the movies, Peggy King took part in America’s most popular television programs, and the then newest star in the entertainment galaxy -- announced as “pretty, perky Peggy King” — recorded a series of commercial jingles for Hunt’s tomato sauce during the 1950s.

In 1960, the 29-year old songstress became one of the first stars to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2015, Fresh Sound released Peggy King’s latest album “Songs à la King-Peggy King and the All-Star Jazz Trio.”