For 72 years, children and adults alike have sung along to the holiday classic, “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” It’s one of those songs that nearly everyone knows the words to. What you might not know, though, is that it was first sung and recorded by a young girl from South Oklahoma City named Gayla Peevey.
Peevey was a mere 10 years old at the time of the recording. She had already been singing in public for a couple of years by the time she got her big breakthrough record deal.
A full-length interview with Peevey will be available on YouTube later this month as part of the SHINE on Oklahoma Music series. The video includes dozens of photos and videos from her illustrious career as she tells her life story.
She is one of four Oklahoma Music Hall of Famers who got their start at KLPR radio station in historic Capitol Hill, which is located at the corner of SW 25th and Robinson Street in Oklahoma City. Just down the street from the historic building, there is an Oklahoma City/County Historical Society marker affixed to the front of the Yale Theater. It highlights Gayla Peevey’s name along with Wanda Jackson, Pretty Miss Norma Jean, and the late Tommy Collins. Each of these singers were discovered on the small radio station, which led to their successful musical careers. Peevey was the only one to go directly from the radio station to a major recording contract.
Columbia Records signed Peevey, who was only 10 years old at the time, and immediately brought her the now-famous “Hippo” song. It was a smash hit right away, prompting a coveted invitation to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. Sullivan had taken such a liking to Peevey after meeting her that he invited her to appear on the show multiple times, giving Peevey national recognition. Taking advantage of her growing success, the Peevey family moved to California to be closer to the Columbia studios as well as the film and television sets where Peevey would frequently perform.
Her popularity was so immense she was able to harness it into a fundraising drive across the United States to help purchase a real-life hippopotamus named Matilda. In 1953, she donated Matilda to the Oklahoma City Zoo, sparking a lifelong affiliation with the zoo that continues to this day. In fact, this past July, a statue of young Peevey and Matilda the hippo was unveiled by Mayor David Holt and zoo officials. It commemorates not only the extraordinary hippo story, but also the many decades of support Peevey has given the zoo and her home state.
Following “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” only few more singles would be released under her real name. As Peevey became a teenager, recording executives decided to change her image and name. Her new name would be Jamie Horton. The new image would have her be a 1950’s teen idol who toured on package shows. She was often booked on the Dick Clark’s famous “Caravan of Stars” with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, among others.
What is especially impressive about Peevey is that she was among the very first female singer/songwriters. And, regardless of gender, she was also among the youngest songwriters of her time. Her penned song, “My Little Marine,” charted the Billboard Top 100 hit list in 1960. The song solidified Peevey as a musical talent, even if its success had been achieved under a new name and identity. Beyond the songs she wrote and recorded herself, she also penned tunes for others.
Peevey’s recording of “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” has placed in the holiday charts every single year since its release in 1953. As of Dec. 2025, Peevey’s recording has over 139 million streams on Spotify and more than 65 million plays on YouTube. And, these numbers do not even include the countless radio plays all over the world. Moreover, her holiday recording has been featured in movies, television shows, commercials, and even inside Hallmark greeting cards.
In 2018 she was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. In 2023, Peevey returned to Capitol Hill for the dedication of the historical marker that bears her name. In 2025, she came home once again for the dedication of her statue at the Oklahoma City Zoo. On all three occasions multiple other Oklahoma music stars attended the functions in her honor, each making sure they got a picture with the legend herself.
Peevey has always said that she is proud to be from Oklahoma. Everyone who has met her loves her; she is a caring and compassionate person who has truly devoted her life to bringing joy to others. For that, even more than her amazing musical success, we too are all proud that Gayla Peevey is from Oklahoma.
Brian Maughan serves as Oklahoma County Commissioner, Dist 2 and does a series of interviews with Oklahoma music stars for the Oklahoma History Center called SHINE on Oklahoma Music.