Biography

Peggy Hayama (Japanese: ペギー葉山) born Shigeko Kotakari (Japanese: 小鷹狩繁子, 9 December 1933 – 12 April 2017) was a Japanese singer.

Born Shigeko Kotakari in Yotsuya, Hayama attended Aoyama Gakuin Senior High School, where she was discovered while singing jazz. She debuted at the age of 18 in 1952, and two years later entered the Kohaku Uta Gassen for the first time. Hayama was known for singing the Japanese-language version of "Do-Re-Mi", a show tune from The Sound of Music later placed on the Nihon no Uta Hyakusen in 2007. She also lent her voice to Japanese dubs of Disney films and released a Japanese cover of "The Wedding" under its original title "La Novia". Hayama's famous Japanese songs included "Having Left Tosa", "School Days", and "Shimabara Lullaby". Her last performance was held in March 2017, at a memorial concert for Fubuki Koshiji.Hayama was honored by the Ministry of Education in 1993 for her contributions to fine arts in Japan. Two years later, she received the Medal with Purple Ribbon. In 2004, Hayama was awarded an Order of the Rising Sun, fourth class. She became the first chairwoman of the Japanese Singers Association in 2007, and served until 2010.Hayama was married to Jun Negami from 1965 until his death in 2005. She died at the age of 83 in 2017, after being hospitalized in Tokyo due to pneumonia.