New York in the 1950s meant high heels and high rises.

During the day, the city was loud and lively as cars made their way up and down Times Square.

At night, the New York skyline shone over the city while people crowded into clubs and bars like the Peppermint Lounge doing the twist.

The music reflected the city, and small-town girl Debbie McDade wanted a piece of the action.

At 17, she packed up and left her Lincolnville home on Bravo Street to head to the Big Apple in pursuit of a career as a jazz singer.

“You would have never heard of me if I had stayed in St. Augustine,” she said.

Throughout the span of her career, she traveled the world, made a number of hits and received quite a few accolades.

Today, McDade celebrates 90 years of life, but she hasn’t forgotten her days as what newspapers called a sensational singer in the City that Never Sleeps