In 1954 at a Capitol Records convention, Dick Linke (manager of Andy Griffith and Jim Nabors) heard Peterson singing and was so impressed with her, he encouraged her to come to New York.

The group traveled for several years and had stints in resort areas such as Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and Reno, where Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack were often seen in the audience while Peterson performed.

While she was on tour, Maggie was discovered by The Andy Griffith Show director Bob Sweeny and producer Aaron Ruben.

The only daughter of Briscoe Darling, she had a crush on Sheriff Taylor ("Pa, can't I even just look at the pretty man?").

Peterson later returned to The Andy Griffith Show in its final season, in "A Girl for Goober," as Doris, who was the dating interest of Ken Berry's character.

[3] The Darlings, including Briscoe's four boys (played by The Dillards bluegrass band), lived in the mountains and came to town on many occasions.

The ones that made her cry were "Slimy River Bottom", "Boil that Cabbage Down", and "Keep Your Money in Your Shoes and it Won't Get Wet".

Ernest T. Bass had his eyes on Charlene and believed he had courting rights because her marriage to Dud Wash had been performed by Sheriff Andy Taylor acting as a justice of the peace, not by a preacher.

[6] In 1969, she starred on the big screen as “Rose Ellen”, girlfriend to Don Knotts in the comedy movie The Love God?.