The daughter of a well-known musician, Suzanne Lake felt compelled to follow in her father’s footsteps. She was surrounded by musically talented people her entire childhood, and was thus encouraged to sing and play the piano as soon as she was able. Ms. Lake never considered another career; she knew she was meant to be a musician when she was 6 years old. She worked hard to achieve her goal, studying under some of the best teachers in New York. Notably, when she was just 14, she began taking lessons with Queena Mario, a metropolitan opera singer who said Ms. Lake was the youngest student she had ever accepted. She furthered her academic endeavors with classes with private teachers at California State University, Sacramento, and in Oakland, California.
One of Ms. Lake’s first professional experiences was when she was featured in an opera in New York, New York, between 1948 and 1951. That year, she was accepted as a member of “The King and I,” a Broadway musical. Ms. Lake held the role until 1954, at which point she went on to appear in concert and supper clubs throughout the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Europe, as well as in “Soul of Chanson,” “Potpourri,” “Broadway and Beyond,” and various television shows. She was also featured in “History of Musical Comedy with Leonard Bernstein,” “Flower Drum Song,” “Revival No, No, Nanette,” and “Guy Lombardo,” among others. She retired in 1991.
As a testament to Ms. Lake’s success, she received an Emmy Award in 1957. Her achievements were highlighted in numerous editions of Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Entertainment, Who’s Who in the World, and Who’s Who of American Women.
In Ms. Lake’s spare time, she enjoys taking nature walks.
