Peterson's early professional experience came as a singer on radio station
WCCO, where she performed for 20 years, and on television stations
WCCO and
KSTP, all in Minneapolis-St. Paul. In the early 1940s, she was the featured female vocalist with Sev Olsen's orchestra. Although pianist
Marian McPartland and others encouraged Peterson to move to
New York City to advance her career, she chose to stay in the Twin Cities and raise her children, even turning down a job offer from the leader of a
big band. ==Personal life==