Left photo (circa early 2002): Cliffie and Joan Carol backstage with Peggy Lee after her spellbinding performance at the Hollywood Bowl wherein she shared the marquee with Mel Torme. Right photo: Joan Carol and Cliffie at a music brunch meeting at Peggy’s beautiful home in Bel Aire, CA. (Peggy’s unique looking “Pied Piper Award” statue from ASCAP was the center piece on her dining room table.) Joan Carol’s comments: When I was twenty years old, I went to Las Vegas with family and friends to see the Peggy Lee show. Ever since then, she was my favorite female singer/entertainer. Several years later, I was a secretary in the A&R Department of Capitol Records in Hollywood and my desk was next to David Cavanaugh’s (Peggy’s producer) secretary. David allowed me to go to several of her recording sessions, which I felt privileged to attend. Many years later, after I married Cliffie, Dale Sheets (Mel Torme’s manager) set up a meeting at Peggy’s home because Cliffie wanted to talk to her about possibly recording a country album. Long story short, Cliffie and I became friends with her. She invited us several times for dinner at her home and to be her guests when she performed at the Raymond Theater in Pasadena as well as the Hollywood Bowl. Unfortunately, the country album never materialized because she had some health issues. When Cliffie passed away in January 1998, I was totally devastated and Peggy and I talked on the phone a number of times because she knew what I was going through. She invited me over for Easter dinner with her family and some of her close friends. It was my first social outing since Cliffie had passed on and I am so indebted to her for that thoughtful invitation. She was a brilliant lady, a great performer as well as a great human being and I cherish the memories that I have of her.” Peggy Lee’s testimonial for Cliffie’s book, ‘Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Songwriting…’: “So many have written to me over the years wanting to know the answers that are contained in this book – and Cliffie Stone is a name well-respected ‘across the board’ in the music world. He knows whereof he speaks. You’ll enjoy reading this informative and amusing book.” Excerpts from Cliffie’s songwriting book: “What comes to your mind when you hear the wonderful and sensuous Peggy Lee sing her classic song ‘Fever?’ When you get the opportunity to hear it, just listen to her vocal intonations on the word ‘fever.’ These provocative and timeless lyrics were written and sung with such great taste that they turned the world on then and they still turn the world on now. Joan Carol and I had the wonderful opportunity of having a music meeting at Peggy’s beautiful home to discuss a potential country album. Since she has her own public address system and her guitar player, John Chiodini, was also there, she proceeded to sing about eight of her newly written songs for us and for my business associate, Dale Sheets, who arranged the meeting. She’s such an excellent songwriter! This ageless lady still has that charismatic ‘it,’ and she can still sell a song in her inimitable sensuous, sultry way which will whisk you off to never-never land and you don’t care if you never come back! After the singing meeting was over, we all had coffee and cake in her living room. During our conversation, I told her that I had always wanted to do a country album with her, because I believed it would be fantastic! She looked at me with her alluring Mona Lisa smile and said, “I’ve been thinking about doing a country album for years; you’re an angel sent to me from heaven.” Now, folks…I’ve been a fan of hers for many years and to have just listened to her sing in the privacy of her own home for thirty minutes was almost too much for me. But to hear her call me ‘angel’…why…it was beyond my wildest Pisces dreams! I stammered, my heart started racing, and I dropped a piece of chocolate cake on her living room floor. I was on cloud nine and I have no idea what I said for the next ten minutes. As a matter of fact, excuse me while I get an aspirin and some water. I think I’m running a slight ‘fever.’” Visit: www.peggylee.com.