Rock and Roll History

I Will Follow Him

Perry Como Show April 24, 1963

Little Peggy March

Little Peggy March (Margaret AnnaMarie Battavio from Lansdale Pa.) Discovered at age 13 singing at her cousin’s wedding. This is the first Perry Como show appearance: April 24, 1963. Just as I Will Follow Him hits #1 on the US charts.

She was discovered at age 13 singing at her cousin‘s wedding and was introduced to record producers Hugo & Luigi. They gave her the nickname Little Peggy March because she was only 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) tall, she was only 13, the record she did with them was “Little Me,” and her birthday was in March.

On April 24, 1963, her single “I Will Follow Him” soared to number one on the U.S. charts.  She recorded the song in early January 1963 and it was released on January 22, when she was only 14.  

Peggy March became the youngest female artist with a number one hit, at 15, in late April 1963, a record that still stands for the Billboard Hot 100. The recording also reached number one in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, and Scandinavia, although it failed to chart in the UK. It was a translation of the French song “Chariot” recorded a year earlier by Petula Clark. March also became the first white female solo artist to hit #1 on the Billboard R&B chart.

March’s success also came with financial trouble. She was a minor and the Coogan Law prevented her parents from managing her money. The responsibility was placed on her manager, Russell Smith. It was discovered in 1966 that he had squandered the fortune, leaving her with $500. Peggy graduated from Lansdale Catholic High School in 1966. 

Great Video Below from the Perry Como Show

April 24, 1963