{{short description|American singer (1913–1977)}} {{distinguish|text=the Hong Kong actress Loletta Lee}}{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Loretta Lee | image = <!-- just the filename, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing brackets --> | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Margaret Viegas<br>or '''Vieages''' | birth_date = {{birth date|1913|6|14}} | birth_place = New Orleans, Louisiana | death_date = {{death date and age|1977|1|21|1913|6|14}} | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = Singer | alma_mater = Peabody Conservatory of Music | spouse = Irvin L. Dussom | children = | parents = | known_for = }} '''Loretta Lee''' (June 14, 1913<ref>{{cite journal|title=What Do You Want to Know?|journal=Radio Mirror|date=October 1936|volume=6|issue=6|page=56|url=https://archive.org/stream/radiomi00macf#page/56/mode/1up/search/%22Margaret+Vieages%22|accessdate=15 January 2018}}</ref> – January 21, 1977<ref>{{cite web|title=The Times Picayune 1977 Obituary Index Orleans Parish Louisiana|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/orleans/obits/times/tpi1977.txt|website=usgwarchives.net|publisher=The Times Picayune|accessdate=15 January 2018}}</ref>) was an American singer in the first half of the 20th century.

==Early years== Lee was born '''Margaret Viegas'''<ref name=rm1035/> (or '''Vieages''')<ref name="rd070937">{{cite news|title=New Orleans|url=https://archive.org/stream/radiodailyjulsep02unse#page/n42/mode/1up|accessdate=15 January 2018|work=Radio Daily|date=July 9, 1937|page=3}}</ref> in New Orleans, the daughter of a juvenile court judge,<ref name=rm1035>{{cite journal|title=Gallery of Beauty|journal=Radio Mirror|date=October 1935|volume=4|issue=6|page=22|url=https://archive.org/stream/radiomirr00macf#page/22/mode/2up|accessdate=14 January 2018}}</ref> Joseph Viegas (or Vieages), and his wife.<ref name=rd070937/> Her ancestry was Spanish on her father's side and Irish on her mother's side.<ref name="slst">{{cite news|title=Radio Songster Coming Friday|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16556279/loretta_lee/|work=The St. Louis Star and Times|date=January 20, 1937|location=Missouri, St. Louis|page=17|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 15, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> She was educated at a convent in New Orleans,<ref name="dc">{{cite news|last1=Bloomfield|first1=Howard|title=Loretta Rose to Radio Fame in Afternoon|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16592426/loretta_lee/|work=Democrat and Chronicle|date=May 12, 1935|location=New York, Rochester|page=7C|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 16, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> but left that city as a teenager because her parents opposed her romance with a young Frenchman.<ref>{{cite journal|date=October 1936|title=(untitled continuation)|url=https://archive.org/stream/radiomi00macf#page/79/mode/1up|journal=Radio Mirror|volume=6|issue=6|page=79|accessdate=15 January 2018}}</ref>

She sang with the Boswell Sisters at charity functions when she was a youngster<ref name="mc"/> 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.<ref name="bs052927">{{cite news|title=WBAL Lists Loretta Lee|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16514286/loretta_lee/|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=May 29, 1927|location=Maryland, Baltimore|page=Part 2, Section 1 - Page 12|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 13, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> On June 1, 1927, radio station WBAL in Baltimore, Maryland, broadcast one of her recitals.<ref name="bs052927" />

== Career == A visit to a publishing house during a trip to New York City in 1932,<ref name="bs052927"/> when she was 18,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Brown|first1=Harold P.|title=Twists and Turns|journal=Radio Digest|date=March 1933|volume=XXX|issue=2|page=4|url=https://archive.org/stream/radiodigest193212930radi#page/4/mode/1up/search/%22Loretta+Lee%22|accessdate=15 January 2018}}</ref> led to a singing engagement for Lee at a New York night club, launching her career.<ref name="bs052927"/> George Hall, leader of the orchestra at the Hotel Taft,<ref>{{cite news|title=Woodside Attractions|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16516270/loretta_lee/|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=July 23, 1933|location=Pennsylvania, Philadelphia|page=47|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 13, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> heard her singing and invited her to perform with his orchestra,<ref name="bs052927"/> which she did that same evening.<ref name="dc" /> A year later, she was also the female singer with Hall and his orchestra on his program on CBS radio.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Doran|first1=Dorothy|title=University Glee Club To Give Air Concert|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16515676/loretta_lee/|work=The Akron Beacon Journal|date=January 26, 1933|location=Ohio, Akron|page=24|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 13, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref>

In the fall of 1935, she became a featured vocalist on ''Your Hit Parade'', as the program's lineup of performers was revamped.<ref name="mc">{{cite news|title='New Hit Parade' Cast Stars Loretta Lee and Willie Morris|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16514698/loretta_lee/|work=The Morning Call|date=November 26, 1935|location=Pennsylvania, Allentown|page=16|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 13, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> Also in 1935, she was the singer on a comedy program that featured Marty May<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bernes|first1=Robert|title=The Radio Reporter|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/97746886/?terms=%22Margaret%2BViegas%22|work=Detroit Free Press |date=August 4, 1935|location=Michigan, Detroit|page=''Screen & Radio Weekly,'' 74|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 16, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> and Carol Deis,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Melick|first1=Welcon|title=The Critic on the Hearth|journal=Radio Mirror|date=1935|volume=4|issue=6|page=70|url=https://archive.org/stream/radiomirr00macf#page/70/mode/1up|accessdate=15 January 2018|publisher=MacFaddenPublications}}</ref> and she had her own program on CBS radio.<ref>{{cite journal|title=(photo caption)|journal=Radio Mirror|date=March 1935|volume=3|issue=5|page=11|url=https://archive.org/stream/radiomirro00macf#page/n404/mode/1up|accessdate=14 January 2018}}</ref> In 1937, she became the main vocalist on a new radio program featuring Werner Janssen and his orchestra.<ref>{{cite news|title=Loretta Lee Signed|url=https://archive.org/stream/motionpicturedai42unse#page/n77/mode/1up/search/%22Loretta+Lee%22|accessdate=15 January 2018|work=Motion Picture Daily|date=July 9, 1937|page=10}}</ref>

She also performed in theaters in vaudeville engagements<ref>{{cite news|title=Coming and Going|url=https://archive.org/stream/radiodailyjanmar03radi#page/n177/mode/1up|accessdate=15 January 2018|work=Radio Daily|date=February 2, 1938|page=2}}</ref> and appeared in the short film ''Midnight Melodies''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Midnight Melodies|url=https://archive.org/stream/motionpictureher1221unse#page/n807/mode/1up|accessdate=15 January 2018|work=Motion Picture Herald|date=April 18, 1936|page=38}}</ref>

==Personal life== Lee was married to Irvin L. Dussom.<ref>{{cite web|title=Margaret Vieages Marriage and Divorce Records|url=http://marriage-divorce-records.mooseroots.com/d/c/Margaret-Vieages|website=MooseRoots|publisher=Graphig|accessdate=15 January 2018}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Loretta}} Category:1913 births Category:1977 deaths Category:20th-century American women singers Category:Singers from New Orleans Category:20th-century American singers Category:American radio personalities