As Long As You Want Me / White Sails

This single by Peggi Griffith (1939-2015) was produced by local record label, Celestial Records. Side A features an original song written by Griffith, which she performed with the Elmer Gill Trio.

Griffith, who was raised in Seattle by a musical family, gave her first performance at age 10, singing at the Grange Hall in Bothell, Washington. Along with performing at local venues and events, Griffith wrote her own music independently and in collaboration with her father. She recorded numerous singles with local record labels including Celestial Records, Electricraft, and Dolton. In 1962 she recorded two promotional songs for the World’s Fair, “In the Space Needle,” and “Cafe in the Sky” which she recorded under the name of her daughter, Kelly Gates. Although her music career largely ended in 1958 when she married, Griffith continued writing songs.

The Elmer Gill Trio was an interracial Jazz group, formed in the early 1950s by Elmer Gill (1926-2004) with Al Turay (1913-2010) and Al Larkins (b. unknown - 1977). The group had previously recorded with Celestial Records, and this may be how they connected with Griffith for this single.