| BRENDA
LEE (ARTIST BIOGRAPHY) Brenda Mae Lee
(nee Tarpley) (born December 11, in Atlanta, Georgia 1944) is an
American country-pop singer, who was popular during the 1950s and
1960s. In the 1960s she had more charted hits than any other woman,
and only three male singers/groups (Elvis Presley, Ray Charles and
The Beatles) outpaced her. She was one of the earliest pop stars to
have a major contemporary international following.
She was given the nickname Little Miss Dynamite after recording
Dynamite in 1957; the explosive strength of the sound pouring out of
her small frame amazed audiences and promoters. Her general
popularity faded as her voice suffered damage and matured in the
late 1960s, but she successfully continued her recording career by
returning to her roots as a country singer. She was able to chart in
Billboard’s country-western top-ten twice in 1980.
She enjoys one distinction unique among successful American singers;
her opening act on a UK tour in the early 1960s was a little-known
beat group from Liverpool, England: The Beatles.[1][2]
[edit] Early Years
Lee’s father, Ruben Tarpley, was born roughly halfway between
Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia. He was the son of a hardscrabble
farmer in Georgia’s red-clay belt, which was devastated by soil
depletion and the boll weevil. Although he stood only 170 cm (5 feet
7 inches), he was an excellent left-handed pitcher, and spent 11
years in the Army playing baseball. Her mother, Annie Grayce
Yarbrough, had a similar background of an honest, uneducated working
class family in Greene County, Georgia, although she had the
distinction of a Cherokee great-grandparent.
Brenda was born Brenda Mae Tarpley in the charity ward of Grady
Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 11, 1944. She weighed 2126
g (4 pounds 11 ounces) at birth. She attended grade schools wherever
her father found work, primarily in the corridor between Atlanta and
Augusta. Her family was poor, living hand-to-mouth; she shared a bed
with her two siblings in a series of three-room houses without
running water. Life centered around her parents’ finding work, their
extended family, and the Baptist Church (where she sang solos every
Sunday).[3]
She was a musical prodigy. Although her family did not have indoor
plumbing until after her father’s death, they had a battery-powered
table radio that fascinated Brenda as a baby. By the time she was
two, she would hear songs on the radio once and be able to whistle
the complete tune.[4] Both her mother and sister remember taking her
repeatedly to a local candy store before she turned three; one of
them would stand her on the counter and she would earn free candy or
small coins for singing.
Her voice, pretty face, and complete absence of stage fright won her
wider attention from the time she was five years old. At age 6, she
won a local singing contest sponsored by the elementary schools. The
reward was a live appearance on an Atlanta radio show, “Starmakers
Revue”.
Her father died in 1953. By the time she turned ten, she had become
the primary breadwinner of her family by singing at events and on
local radio and television shows.
Her break into big-time show business came when she turned down paid
employment — $30 to sing on a local television station in Atlanta —
in order to hear Red Foley and the Ozark Jubilee in Augusta. An
Augusta DJ convinced Foley to hear her sing before the show. Foley
was as transfixed as everyone else who heard the huge voice coming
from the tiny girl and immediately agreed to let her to perform the
Hank Williams standard Jambalaya on stage that night, unrehearsed.
Foley later recounted the moments following her introduction:
I still get cold chills thinking about the first time I heard that
voice. One foot started patting rhythm as though she was stomping
out a prairie fire but not another muscle in that little body even
as much as twitched. And when she did that trick of breaking her
voice, it jarred me out of my trance enough to realize I’d forgotten
to get off the stage. There I stood, after 26 years of supposedly
learning how to conduct myself in front of an audience, with my
mouth open two miles wide and a glassy stare in my eyes.
The audience erupted in applause and refused to let her leave the
stage until she had sung three more songs. She was eleven years old
and well under five feet tall. (As an adult, she was variously
reported to stand between 140 and 145 cm tall: 4’ 7” and 4’ 9”.)
Less than two months later — on July 30, 1956 — Decca Records
offered her a recording contract. She began her recording career at
age 11 with rockabilly songs like “BIGELOW 6-200” (a telephone
number with the numerals pronounced six two oh oh) and “Little
Jonah.” The song “Dynamite”, coming out of a 145-cm frame (4 foot 9
inch), led to her lifelong nickname, “Little Miss Dynamite.”
Along with Connie Francis, she was one of the first female idols,
achieving huge popularity with a long string of hits. At Christmas
1958, she released “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” which sold
only 5,000 copies during its initial release. However, it would
eventually sell over five million copies. Disc jockeys also dubbed
her “Little Miss Razz Matazz” after her husky, pounding voice belted
out her first U.S. Top 10 hit, “Sweet Nothin’s,” in late 1959.
[edit] The Height of Her Career
Brenda Lee first attracted attention performing in country music
venues, and her first single, 1957’s “One Step at a Time”, was a
country hit. However, her label and management felt it best to
market her exclusively as a pop artist, the result being that none
of her best-known recordings from the 1960s were released to country
radio, and despite her obvious country sound, she would not have
another country hit until 1969.
Brenda Lee came to her biggest success on the Pop charts in the late
1950s through the mid 1960s with rockabilly and rock and roll styled
songs. Her biggest hits during this time include a rockabilly
version of the country classic “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” “Sweet
Nothin’s” (written by the country musician Ronnie Self), “I Want to
Be Wanted,” “All Alone Am I,” and “Fool #1”.
The overall biggest selling track of Lee’s career is, oddly enough,
a Christmas song. In 1958, when she was 13, Owen Bradley asked her
to record a new song written by Johnny Marks, who had had success
writing Christmas tunes for country singers, most notably “Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (Gene Autry) and “A Holly, Jolly Christmas”
(Burl Ives). Lee recorded the song, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas
Tree” in July with a prominent twanging guitar part by Hank Garland.
Decca released it as a single that November, but it sold only 5,000
copies, and did not do much better when it was released again in
1959.
In 1960, she recorded her signature song, “I’m Sorry”, which hit
number one on the Billboard pop chart and was her first gold single.
Even though it was not released as a country song, it was the first
big hit to use what was to become the new “Nashville Sound” — a
string orchestra and legato harmonized background vocals. (Ray
Charles used the same sound that year on the huge pop hit, Georgia
on My Mind.) “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” got noticed in its
third release a few months later, and sales snowballed; the song
remains a perennial radio favorite each December and is probably the
record with which she is most identified by contemporary audiences.
Lee was popular in the UK very early in her career. She toured the
UK in 1959, before she had achieved much pop recognition in the US.
Her 1961 rockabilly release “Let’s Jump the Broomstick” did not
chart in the US, but went to #12 in the UK. She then had two top 10
hits in the UK that were not released as singles in her native
country: “Speak To Me Pretty” peaked at number three in early 1962,
followed by “Here Comes That Feeling.”
Her last top-10 single on the pop charts was 1963’s “Losing You,”
while she continued to have other chart songs such as her 1966 song
“Coming On Strong” and “Is It True?” in 1964. The latter was her
only hit single recorded in London, England, and was produced by
Mickie Most, who at the time was producing hits for The Animals and
Herman’s Hermits.
During the early 1970s, Lee re-established herself as a country
music artist, and earned a string of Top 10 hits on the country
charts. Th first of these was 1973’s “Nobody Wins,” which reached
the Top 5 that spring and also became her last Top 100 pop hit,
peaking at number 70. The follow-up, the Mark James composition
“Sunday Sunrise,” reached number six on Billboard magazine’s Hot
Country Singles chart that October. Other major hits included “Wrong
Ideas” and “Big Four Poster Bed” (1974); and “Rock On Baby” and
“He’s My Rock” (both 1975). After a few years of lesser hits, Lee
began another run at the Top 10 with 1979’s “Tell Me What It’s Like.”
Two follow-ups also reached the Top 10 in 1980: “The Cowboy and the
Dandy” and “Broken Trust” (the latter featuring vocal backing by The
Oak Ridge Boys). A 1982 album, The Winning Hand, featuring reissues
of a number of Lee’s 1960s Monument hits, as well as that of Dolly
Parton, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson, was a surprise hit,
reaching the top-ten on the U.S. country albums chart. Her last well-known
hit was 1985’s “Hallelujah, I Love Her So,” a duet with George
Jones. Today, she continues to perform and tour as a country singer.
[edit] Life Today
Over the ensuing years, Lee has continued to record and perform all
around the world, previously cutting records in four different
languages. She is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the
Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and the Hit
Parade Hall of Fame.
In 1992, Lee recorded a duet (“You’ll Never Know”) with Willy
DeVille, on his album Loup Garou.
Chuck Berry wrote a song about Brenda Lee on the album St. Louis to
Liverpool. She was also immortalized in the hit Golden Earring song
“Radar Love”: “Radio’s playing some forgotten song / Brenda Lee’s
‘Coming on Strong’.” She was also remembered as a heroine to Burton
Cummings on his self-titled 70’s album in the song “Dream of a
Child,” including the closing line, “I love Brenda Lee / Brenda Lee
loves me / yeah…”
Although her songs have often centered on lost loves, and although
she did lose her father at a young age, her marriage to Ronnie
Shacklett in 1963 was a success. He was able to deal with the
notoriously rapacious music industry, which had exploited her badly,
and is credited with ensuring her long-term financial success. They
have two daughters, Jolie and Julie (who was named for Patsy Cline’s
daughter) and three grandchildren, Taylor, Jordan and Charley.
Celebrating over 50 years as a recording artist, Brenda Lee was
given the Jo Meador-Walker Lifetime Achievement award by Source
Nashville in September 2006. She is the second recipient of the
award, Jo Meador-Walker being the first.
[edit] Brenda Lee Discography
[edit] Singles
[edit] Top Twenty Hits
The following Brenda Lee singles made the Top 20 on the Billboard
Hot 100, Country or AC chart in the U.S., U.K., or Canada.
One Step At a Time (1957) US Pop #43, US C&W #15
Sweet Nothin’s (1960) US Pop #4 / UK #4
I’m Sorry (1960) US Pop #1 / UK #12
That’s All You Gotta Do (1960) US Pop #6
I Want to Be Wanted (1960) US Pop #1 / UK #31
*Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (1960) US Pop #14 / (1962) UK #6.
Emotions (1961) US Pop #7 / UK #45
You Can Depend On Me (1961) US Pop #6
Dum Dum (1961) US Pop #4 / UK #22
Fool #1 (1961) US Pop #3 / UK #38
Let’s Jump the Broomstick (1961) UK #12
Break It to Me Gently (1962) US Pop #2 / UK #46
Everybody Loves Me But You (1962) US Pop #6, US AC #2
All Alone Am I (1962) US Pop #3, US AC #1 / UK #7
Heart In Hand (1962) US Pop #15, US AC #4
It Started All Over Again (1962) US Pop #29 / UK #15
Here Comes That Feelin’ (1962) US Pop #89 / UK #5
Speak to Me Pretty (1962) UK #3
Your Used to Be (1963) US Pop #28, US AC #12
I Wonder (1963) US Pop #25, US AC #9
Losing You (1963) US Pop #6, US AC #2 / UK #10
My Whole World Is Falling Down (1963) US Pop #24, US AC #8
The Grass Is Greener (1963) US Pop #17, US AC #7
Alone With You (1964) US Pop #48, US AC #8
As Usual (1964) US Pop #12, US AC #5 / UK #5
Is It True? (1964) US Pop #17 / UK #17 / Can #8
Think (1964) US Pop #25, US AC #4 / UK #26
When You Loved Me (1964) US Pop #47, US AC #8
Rusty Bells (1965) US Pop #33, US AC #8
Thanks A Lot (1965) Can #14
Too Many Rivers (1965) US Pop #13, US AC #2 / UK #22
Truly, Truly True (1965) US Pop #54, US AC #9
Coming On Strong (1966) US Pop #11 / Can #9
Johnny One Time (1969) US Pop #41, US C&W #50, US AC #3 / Can #38
Nobody Wins (1973) US Pop #70, US C&W #5
Sunday Sunrise (1973) US C&W #6
Wrong Ideas (1974) US C & W #6
Big Four Poster Bed (1974) US C&W #4
Rock On Baby (1975) US C&W #6
He’s My Rock (1975) US C&W #8
Tell Me What It’s Like (1979) US C&W #8
The Cowgirl And The Dandy (1980) US C&W #10
Broken Trust (w/Oak Ridge Boys, 1980) US C&W #9
Hallelujah, I Love You So (w/George Jones, 1985) US C&W #15
Notes:
*”Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” spent a total of 25 weeks on
Billboard’s Christmas singles chart, charting every year from 1963
to 1969 and again in 1973, 1983, and 1984. In 1997, it charted #16
on the Adult Contemporary chart. Its highest position of #3 on the
Christmas chart was reached during the 1965 Christmas season.
Other Brenda Lee singles which made the Billboard Christmas chart
include: “Jingle Bell Rock” (#10 in 1964 and #8 in 1967), “This Time
of the Year” (#12 in 1964), and “Christmas Will Be Just Another
Lonely Day” (#24 in 1964).
[edit] International Hits
These singles did well in non-US markets, although they did not
chart well (or were not even released) in the US.
Let’s Jump the Broomstick (1961) UK #12
Speak to Me Pretty (1962) UK #3
Ich will immer auf dich warten (1964) Germany #13, Holland #33
Jingle Bell Rock (1964) Germany #1
Is It True/What’d I Say (1964) UK #17 (A-track released separately
in US)
One Rainy Night in Tokyo (in Japanese)(1965) #1 Japan
If You Love Me (1965) #1 Japan
I’m Sorry (1978) #1 France
[edit] Selected albums
Year Album US Pop Albums
1959 Grandma, What Great Songs You Sang! -
1960 Brenda Lee 5
1960 This Is… Brenda 4
1961 Emotions 24
1961 All the Way (#20 UK) 17
1962 Sincerely 29
1962 Brenda, That’s All (#13 UK) 20
1963 All Alone, Am I (#8 UK) 25
1963 Let Me Sing 39
1964 By Request 90
1964 Merry Christmas From Brenda Lee 7
1965 Top Teen Hits -
1965 The Versatile Brenda Lee -
1965 Too Many Rivers 36
1966 Bye Bye Blues (#21 UK) 94
1966 10 Golden Years 70
1966 Coming On Strong 94
1967 For the First Time, Brenda and Pete (with Pete Fountain) 187
1968 Good Life -
1969 Reflections In Blue -
1969 The Show For Christmas Seals (with Tennessee Ernie Ford) -
1969 Johnny One Time 98
1970 Memphis Portrait -
1973 A Whole Lotta Love -
1973 The Brenda Lee Story: Her Greatest Hits -
1974 Brenda (Warner Bros.) -
1974 New Sunrise -
1975 Brenda Lee Now -
1975 Sincerely, Brenda Lee -
1976 L.A. Sessions -
1980 Even Better -
1980 Take Me Back -
1980 Little Miss Dynamite (#15 UK; Britain-only compilation) -
1981 Only When I Laugh -
1982 Greatest Country Hits -
1983 Kris, Willie, Dolly & Brenda…the Winning Hand (with Kris
Kristofferson, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson) -
1983 25th Anniversary (#65 UK) -
1984 The Very Best of Brenda Lee (#16 UK) -
1985 Feels So Right -
1991 Brenda Lee (Warner Bros.) -
1991 A Brenda Lee Christmas -
1992 Greatest Hits Live -
1994 The Very Best of Brenda Lee (#20 UK) -
1995 Coming On Strong -
2007 Gospel Duets with Treasured Friends (with Vince Gill, Huey
Lewis, Dolly Parton, Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn,
Martina McBride, George Jones, Alison Krauss, Pam Tillis, Emmylou
Harris and Charlie Daniels) -
[edit] See also
Best selling music artists — World’s top-selling music artists chart.
Always on My Mind
[edit] External links
Brenda Lee Official Website
[edit] References
^ Argyrakis, Andy (2007-07-05). “Reluctant Legend”. Christianity
Today. Retrieved on 2008-04-02. “I also have a poster of The Beatles
signed by each one of them because they used to open for me in
England before they were a success.”
^ Wooding, Dan. “‘Little Miss Dynamite’ returns to her Gospel roots
with a little help from some of her best friends”. Good News Daily.
Retrieved on 2008-04-02. “While in England, I had met this group of
young men and they toured with me throughout Germany and parts of
England. They were then called The Silver Beatles and they later
became known as The Beatles.”
^ Lee remembers the church as not being truly “Primitive Baptist”,
but the congregation did engage in foot-washing and performed
baptisms in a river.
^ Oral remembrance of Grayce Rainwater, recounted in Little Miss
Dynamite.
Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Lee"
Categories: 1944 births | Living people | American country singers |
American female singers | American rock singers | Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame inductees | American pop singers | People from Georgia (U.S.
state) |
