Peggi Blu (1946–2024), Star Search champ and American Idol vocal coach
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2 min readPeggi Blu was a “Star Search” champion in 1986, an R&B singer who backed up for artists like Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand, and a vocal coach on “American Idol.”
- Died: May 2024
- Details of death: Died at the age of 77.
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Peggi Blu’s legacy
Peggi Blu was already singing by the age of 3, and by the time she was a teen, she was regularly booking performances in and around New York. In the 1970s, she began doing session work, singing with artists such as Archie Shepp, Elkie Brooks, and Esther Phillips. Blu’s solo debut came in 1980 with the album “I Got Love,” her first of three LPs.
In 1986, Blu went on “Star Search,” the longtime TV entertainment competition show then hosted by Ed McMahon. Her talents led to her becoming the “Star Search” grand champion for female vocals and performances singing in front of national audiences. Blu also continued to back up other artists, appearing on records by Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Tracy Chapman, and a host of others.
In the 2000s, Blu became a vocal coach on “American Idol,” and she also restarted her solo music career with 2002’s album, “Livin on Love.”
Tributes to Peggi Blu
Full obituary: Soul Tracks
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