Brenda Lee

Artist Image: Brenda Lee
Attribution
Image Credit: MCA Records/Billy Smith-management ( photo front photo back), Public domain

Biography

Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis. She is best known for her 1960 hit "I'm Sorry", and 1958's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", a US holiday standard for more than 50 years. At 4 ft 9 inches tall (approximately 145 cm), she received the nickname Little Miss Dynamite in 1957 after recording the song "Dynamite"; and was one of the earliest pop stars to have a major contemporary international following. Lee's popularity faded in the late 1960s as her voice matured, but she continued a successful recording career by returning to her roots as a country singer with a string of hits through the 1970s and 1980s. She is a member of the Rock and Roll, Country Music and Rockabilly Halls of Fame. Lee currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1955
Number of Albums 0
Record Label
Website www.brendalee.com
Wikipedia Brenda Lee on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

When was Brenda Mae Tarpley born?

Atlanta, Georgia

...enda Mae Tarpley in the charity ward of Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia . She weighed 4 pounds 11 ounces at birth. She attended grade schoo...
What is Brenda Lee's real name?

Brenda Mae Tarpley

...Biography Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer and the topcharting female vocalist of the 1960s....
How many US chart hits did Brenda Lee have during the 1960s?

47

...ocalist of the 1960s. She sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 47 US chart hits during the 1960s, and is ranked fourth in that decade surpa...
What was the US holiday standard for more than 50 years?

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

.... She is best known for her 1960 hit I'm Sorry, and 1958's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree , a US holiday standard for more than 50 years. At 4 ft 9 ...
What nickname did Lee receive in 1957?

Little Miss Dynamite

... 9 inches tall (approximately 145 cm), she received the nickname Little Miss Dynamite in 1957 after recording the song Dynamite; and was one of the ea...
What song did Lee record?

Dynamite

...ved the nickname Little Miss Dynamite in 1957 after recording the song Dynamite ; and was one of the earliest pop stars to have a major contemporary in...
How tall was Lee?

4 ft 9 inches

...the Christmas Tree, a US holiday standard for more than 50 years. At 4 ft 9 inches tall (approximately 145 cm), she received the nickname Little Miss ...
What did Lee continue a successful recording career by returning to as a country singer?

her roots

...tured, but she continued a successful recording career by returning to her roots as a country singer with a string of hits through the 1970s and 1980s...
How much did Brenda weigh at birth?

4 pounds 11 ounces

... ward of Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. She weighed 4 pounds 11 ounces at birth. She attended grade schools wherever her father found wo...
What church did she sing every Sunday?

Baptist Church

...es without running water. Life centered on her parents finding work, their extended family, and the Baptist Church , where she sang solos every Sunday....
Who wrote that Brenda's melody is as natural as breath?

Mary Bufwack and Robert Oermann

...to record in Nashville and a prodigy so gifted, biographers Mary Bufwack and Robert Oermann write, that melody is as natural as breath. Brenda was bor...
Where was Brenda born?

Atlantas Emory University Hospital

...natural as breath. Brenda was born in the charity ward of Atlantas Emory University Hospital . She was singing really singing by the time she could tal...
At what age could Brendas hear a song once and then whistle it and sing the lyrics perfectly?

two

...spital. She was singing really singing by the time she could talk. At age two she could hear a song once, then whistle the tune and sing the lyrics pe...
When did Brendas father die unexpectedly?

1953

...ear a song once, then whistle the tune and sing the lyrics perfectly. In 1953 , when her father died unexpectedly, Brendas singing became a necessity f...
How much more than a week did Lee earn?

35

...t was around that time that she had her first serious paying gig, earning 35 more than a weeks wages in rural Georgia at the time. Lee belted out Hank...
Lee belted out Hank Williams songs in a voice that belied her age and what else?

tiny stature

...ee belted out Hank Williams songs in a voice that belied her age and tiny stature , working so many late nights her thirdgrade teacher sometimes let Br...
What year did Brenda land a television appearance on ABC's Ozark Jubilee?

1956

...r sometimes let Brenda put her head on her desk and nap during class. In 1956 , she landed a national television appearance on ABCs Ozark Jubilee, host...
Who hosted the Ozark Jubilee show?

Red Foley

...nded a national television appearance on ABCs Ozark Jubilee, hosted by Red Foley . That catapulted me into the homes of millions of people. I can go on...
What was the name of the show that took me into the homes of millions of people?

ABCs Ozark Jubilee

...ng class. In 1956, she landed a national television appearance on ABCs Ozark Jubilee , hosted by Red Foley. That catapulted me into the homes of millio...
What is the name of the 1960 hit that she is known for?

I'm Sorry

...is Presley, the Beatles and Ray Charles. She is known for her 1960 hit I'm Sorry and 1958's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, which has become a Chri...
In what year was I'm Sorry released?

1960

...only by Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Ray Charles. She is known for her 1960 hit I'm Sorry and 1958's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, which has be...
When was the song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" released?

1958

...the Beatles and Ray Charles. She is known for her 1960 hit I'm Sorry and 1958 's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, which has become a Christmas standa...
When did Lee return to the charts with her recording Johnny One Time?

1969

...liest pop stars to have a major contemporary international following. In 1969 , Lee returned to the charts with her recording Johnny One Time penned by...
What was Lee's second Grammy nomination for?

Best Pop Female Vocal

...y A.L. The song also earned Lee her second Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal . Later success came with a return to her roots as a country sin...
How many records has Lee sold worldwide?

100 million

... a string of hits through the 1970s and 1980s. Lee has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Lee is the first woman to be inducted into both t...
When was Lee able to sing songs after only hearing them twice?

by age three

...she grew up in the Atlanta area. Her musical talent blossomed early: by age three , she was able to sing songs after only hearing them twice. When Lee ...
When did Lee meet Red Foley?

February 1956

... With the help of a local DJ, Lee was introduced to Red Foley during February 1956 . Foley was so impressed with Lees talent, that shortly thereafter, ...
What was the name of the show that Lee performed on?

Ozark Jubilee

...Missouri, so Lee could become a regular performer on Foleys TV show, Ozark Jubilee , which was carried nationally on ABC. This led to appearances on ne...
Who supervised Lee's first recording session?

Paul Cohen

...s and two months later had her first recording session, supervised by Paul Cohen with the assistance of Owen Bradley. Her third single, the footstompi...
What was the name of her third single?

One Step at a Time

...of Owen Bradley. Her third single, the footstomping, handclapping One Step at a Time , produced in New York by Milt Gabler, became her first chart reco...
Who produced One Step at a Time?

Milt Gabler

...ootstomping, handclapping One Step at a Time, produced in New York by Milt Gabler , became her first chart record (15 country, 43 pop, 1957). This mark...
What year was Brenda Lee born?

1944

...Previous (Breccia) Brenda Lee (born December 11, 1944 ) is an American country pop singer, who was immensely popular during the 1950s and 60s. In the 6...
How many male acts outpaced Brenda Lee?

three

...0s. In the 60s, she had more charted hits than any other woman, and only three male acts (Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and The Beatles) outpaced her. S...
In what decade did Adele's popularity begin to fade?

1960s

... followed. Her general popularity faded as her voice matured in the late 1960s , but she successfully continued her recording career by returning to he...
What was Lee's father's occupation?

farmer

...untry singer. Early years Lee's father, Ruben Tarpley, was the son of a farmer in Georgia's redclay belt who spent 11 years in the U.S. Army playing b...
Where did Annie Grayce Yarbrough come from?

Greene County, Georgia

...ther, Annie Grayce Yarbrough came from a workingclass family in Greene County, Georgia , and had a Cherokee greatgrandparent. Brenda was born in the ch...
When did she attend grade school?

wherever her father found work

...ing four pounds, 11 ounces at birth. She attended grade schools wherever her father found work , primarily in the corridor between Atlanta and Augusta....
Who was Brenda Lee compared to when she was 15?

Judy Garland

...e was fifteen, singer Brenda Lee was being compared to the legendary Judy Garland and had fans all over the world. Along the way, she has received awa...
Who entered Lee into a talent contest?

her sister

...the Georgia cotton mills. Lee sang from the time she was a baby. When her sister entered her into a talent contest when she was three, Lee won. She co...
Who shortened her name from Brenda Mae to Brenda Lee?

Peanuts Fairclough

...ayce worked tirelessly getting Lee singing jobs. A local DJ named Peanuts Fairclough shortened her name from Brenda Mae Tarpley to Brenda Lee saying t...
Where was she born in 1944?

Lithonia, GA

...Born Brenda Mae Tarpley on December 11, 1944, in Lithonia, GA ; daughter of Ruben Lindsey and Annie Grayce (Yarborough) Tarpley; married Ronald Shackle...
What year did Tarply marry Ronald Shacklett?

1963

...Lindsey and Annie Grayce (Yarborough) Tarpley; married Ronald Shacklett, 1963 ; children: Julie Leann, Jolie. She began as a child star, making musical...
Who was Tarpey's mother?

Annie Grayce (Yarborough) Tarpley

...r 11, 1944, in Lithonia, GA; daughter of Ruben Lindsey and Annie Grayce (Yarborough) Tarpley ; married Ronald Shacklett, 1963; children: Julie Leann, J...
What is Brock Helander's book called?

The Rock Who's Who

...Around the Christmas Tree. As Brock Helander affirmed in his book The Rock Who's Who , Lee has a voice equally adept at mournful ballads and at hardbel...
What was the name of the father who died in a construction accident?

Ruben

...y poor family. The situation was exacerbated by the death of her father, Ruben , in a construction accident. Her mother, Anne, did her best to support ...
What genre of music did I hear growing up?

gospel music

... told Blue Suede News. About the only music I heard growing up was through the churchthe gospel music , and my mom used to sing me Hank Williams songs....
How much was the girl's weight at the time of her birth?

4.4 lbs

... 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia. When the girl was born, her weight was only 4.4 lbs . The girl often had to go to bed hungry. The parents were always looki...
Who was the musician's father?

Reuben Lindsey Tarpley

...arents were always looking for a new job. The musicians father, Reuben Lindsey Tarpley , was a farmers son and lived in Georgia; he served in the Ameri...
Who was Reuben's mother?

Annie Grace Yarbrough

...gia; he served in the American army for a long time. The mother, Annie Grace Yarbrough , came from a workingclass family that lived in Greene County, G...
What class did Annie Grace Yarbrough come from?

workingclass

...army for a long time. The mother, Annie Grace Yarbrough, came from a workingclass family that lived in Greene County, Georgia. Brenda Lee showed her t...
Who has the credit for achieving success with popcountry crossovers usually goes to?

Patsy Cline

...edit for achieving success with popcountry crossovers usually goes to Patsy Cline , although Lee's efforts in this era were arguably of equal importanc...
Bigelow 6200 and Dynamite are examples of what kind of rockabilly performance?

powerful

...ackson. BIGELOW 6200, Dynamite, and Little Jonah are all exceptionally powerful rockabilly performances, with robust vocals and whitehot backing from ...
What song did Lee mix rockabilly with teen idol pop?

Sweet Nothin's

... until 1960, when she tempered the rockabilly with teen idol pop on Sweet Nothin's , which went to the Top Five. The comparison between Lee and Cline i...
Who produced both Lee and Cline?

Owen Bradley

...nd Cline is to be expected, given that both singers were produced by Owen Bradley in the early '60s. Naturally, many of the same session musicians and...
Whos signature did Lee receive shortly before his death?

Fats Domino

...ograph hound, she admits. At the moment, shes particularly proud of a Fats Domino signature she received shortly before his death. Lee turns to anothe...
What was the age at which she began her recording career with a revved up version?

11

...a decade older than her when she began her professional recording career with a revved up version of Hank Williams Jambalaya at the age of 11 in 1956....