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Gayla Peevey
American singer (born 1943) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Gayla Rienette Peevey (born March 8, 1943) is a former singer and child star from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is best known for her recording of "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" (Columbia 4-40106, 1953). Peevey recorded the novelty song when she was 10 years old. In 1960, under the name Jamie Horton, she had a minor hit with her single "My Little Marine" (Joy 45-234, 1959),[1] which reached #84 on Billboard's Hot 100 in early 1960.[2] She also recorded "Robot Man", a cover of a Connie Francis UK hit, but it failed to reach the charts.[3]
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Biography
The Peevey family moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma, in 1948. Prior to moving to California, she attended Columbus Elementary School.[4] Peevey graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Education degree.[5] She eventually left teaching.[5] She is married to Cliff Henderson. They have a daughter, Sydney Forest, and three grandchildren.[6] Following her retirement from performing, Peevey runs her own jingle advertisement company and sings in church.[7]
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In popular culture
The Oklahoma City Zoo capitalized upon the popularity of "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas" with a fundraising campaign to "buy a hippo for Gayla". The fund raised $3,000 (equivalent to US$35,257 in 2024), and a baby hippopotamus named Matilda was purchased and given to Peevey, which she then donated to the zoo in 1953.[8] Matilda spent 45 years in the Oklahoma City Zoo, and then died at age 47 from a heart attack in 1998 while being transferred to Walt Disney World's Disney's Animal Kingdom, in Orlando, Florida.[9]
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Singles as Gayla Peevey on Columbia Records
Singles as Jamie Horton on Joy Records (New York)
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References
External links
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