Brenda Lee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brenda Lee
Lee in 2006
Born	Brenda Mae Tarpley (1944-12-11) December 11, 1944 (age 80) Atlanta, Georgia, US
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1951–present
Works	Albums singles
Musical career
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee, US
Genres	Rock and roll pop country
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Decca MCA Monument Warner Bros. Brenda Lee Productions Provident

Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known as Brenda Lee, is a famous American singer. She is known for her rockabilly, pop, country, and Christmas music. Brenda got her first hit song on the Billboard charts when she was just 12 years old in 1957. This earned her the nickname "Little Miss Dynamite" because of her powerful voice and energetic performances.

Some of Brenda Lee's most popular songs include "Sweet Nothin's", "I'm Sorry", and "I Want to Be Wanted". Her Christmas song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", recorded in 1958, became a huge hit. In 2023, it reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. This made Brenda Lee the oldest artist ever to have a number one song!

Brenda Lee has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the most successful American singers of the 20th century. She was the second woman ever to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with her song "I'm Sorry" in 1960. In the 1960s, Billboard named her the Top Female Artist of the Decade. She has won many awards, including a Grammy Award. Brenda Lee is also the first woman to be in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine called her one of the greatest singers of all time.

Early Life and Discovering Her Voice

Brenda Mae Tarpley was born on December 11, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia. She was the second of four children. Her father worked many jobs, and her mother worked in cotton mills. Brenda was born a month early and was very small. Her father nicknamed her "Bootie Mae."

The family often moved because of her father's work. Brenda started singing very early, even at eight months old! She won her first talent contest at age five, singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". She kept entering talent shows, singing songs by famous artists like Hank Williams. In 1952, she appeared on local television in Atlanta, singing "Hey, Good Lookin'".

In 1953, Brenda's father passed away. This left the family with very little money. Brenda started singing more often to help her family. They traveled by bus for her performances. A TV producer suggested she use a stage name that was easier to remember, so she became "Brenda Lee." Her mother remarried, and the family moved a few times. Her stepfather became her manager in 1955, helping her get more shows.

Becoming "Little Miss Dynamite"

Early Success and Nickname

Brenda Lee's big break came in February 1955. She was just 11 years old when she got to sing on stage with Red Foley at his show, Ozark Jubilee. Foley was so impressed that he signed her as a regular performer on his TV show in 1956. Brenda and her mother traveled to Springfield, Missouri, for her TV debut.

At first, record companies were unsure about signing a child singer. But Red Foley convinced his record label, Decca Records, to listen to Brenda. She signed with Decca in May 1956. Her first songs were released under the name "Little Brenda Lee (9 Years Old)."

Brenda's performances on Ozark Jubilee caught the eye of a New York writer, which led to her appearing on big TV shows like The Perry Como Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. After one performance, Steve Allen called her "Little Miss Dynamite" on the air in 1956, and the nickname stuck! Her song "Dynamite" in 1957 helped make the nickname even more popular.

Rising to Pop Stardom

In 1957, Brenda had her first song, "One Step at a Time", appear on the US charts. Even though she was popular with rock and roll fans, her manager thought pop music would be a better long-term path.

In 1959, Brenda went to France, where her records were already popular. She recorded the rock and roll song "Sweet Nothin's" which became her first top-10 hit in both the US and the UK.

In 1960, Brenda recorded the pop ballad "I'm Sorry". At first, Decca Records thought it was too grown-up for her. But it was released as the "B-side" of another song and quickly became Brenda's first number one hit in the US! It stayed at the top for three weeks. Her next song, "I Want to Be Wanted", also reached number one in the US.

Between 1961 and 1963, many of Brenda's songs became top-10 hits in the US, UK, or Australia. These included "Dum Dum", "Fool No. 1", "Break It to Me Gently", and "All Alone Am I". She became one of the best-selling pop artists of the early 1960s.

Brenda also performed in nightclubs with full orchestras. In 1962, she even performed in Hamburg, Germany, where a new group called The Beatles was also playing! She continued her education with a tutor while on tour.

International Success and New Sounds

Global Reach

By 1964, Brenda Lee's music was popular all over the world. She started recording her songs in Spanish, German, Italian, and French. Her German songs "Wiedersehn ist Wunderschön" and "Ich Will Immer Auf Dich Warten" became top-40 hits in Germany.

She also had success in Japan. In 1965, her song "One Rainy Night in Tokyo" (mostly sung in Japanese) reached the top ten on the Japanese charts. Brenda then toured Japan, performing for thousands of fans. She continued to record Japanese songs and tour there for many years.

Back in the US, Brenda continued to release popular songs like "The Grass Is Greener" and "As Usual" in 1964. Her Christmas album, Merry Christmas from Brenda Lee, was also very popular. Even as new music like the British Invasion became popular, Brenda still had hits like "Too Many Rivers" (1965) and "Coming on Strong" (1966).

Exploring Different Music Styles

As music trends changed, Brenda and her producer tried new musical styles. In 1967, she recorded a blues-inspired album called Reflections in Blue. In 1968, she explored New Orleans music with Pete Fountain on the album For the First Time.

In 1969, Brenda heard Willie Nelson's song "Johnny One Time" and decided to record it from a woman's point of view. Her version became a top-40 hit in the US. She also recorded a soul-inspired album called Memphis Portrait in 1970.

Country Music Comeback and Later Years

Lee in 1977

In the early 1970s, Brenda Lee became a successful country music artist. Her appearance on the TV show Hee Haw in 1972 helped her make a comeback in country music. She had several top-10 country hits, including "Nobody Wins" (1973) and "Sunday Sunrise" (1973). Other popular country songs included "Wrong Ideas" and "Big Four Poster Bed" (1974).

In 1979, Brenda had another top-10 country hit with "Tell Me What It's Like". She also had two more top-10 hits in 1980: "The Cowgirl and the Dandy" and "Broken Trust". In 1982, she released a successful album called The Winning Hand with other famous artists like Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson. Her last well-known hit was a duet with George Jones called "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" in 1984.

Recent Years and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"

Brenda Lee released her autobiography, Little Miss Dynamite: The Life and Times of Brenda Lee, in 2002. Her most recent album, a gospel collection, came out in 2007. She no longer tours much but is very involved with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. She often announces the new members of the Hall of Fame each year.

Since 2015, Brenda's song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" has returned to the Billboard Hot 100 chart every holiday season. In 2019, it reached number two, and it stayed at number two from 2019 to 2022, just behind Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You".

In November 2023, to celebrate the song's 65th anniversary, Brenda Lee released a new music video for "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." She also joined TikTok to promote the song, sharing videos about its history.

On December 9, 2023, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" finally reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100! This was Brenda Lee's third number one hit and her first since 1960. At 78 years old, she became the oldest artist ever to top the Hot 100 chart. She even broke her own age record the next week when she turned 79 while the song was still number one. The song returned to number one again in January 2024.

In December 2024, Spotify announced that "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is one of the top 10 most-streamed holiday songs of all time, with over a billion streams. The song was also certified 7x Platinum for selling 7 million digital copies in the US. In December 2024, the song was named the Official Holiday Song of Tennessee at the Tennessee State Capitol.

Legacy and Awards

Brenda Lee has received many honors throughout her career. In 1986, she was inducted into the Atlanta Music Hall of Fame. After being nominated several times, she was finally voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

In 1997, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. She is also a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

In 2008, her song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" celebrated 50 years as a holiday favorite. In February 2009, Brenda Lee received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, which is a very special honor for her long and successful career.

In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Brenda Lee among the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Awards and Nominations

Brenda Lee has won three Grammy Awards and been nominated for three others:

Personal Life

Brenda Lee met Charles Ronald "Ronnie" Shacklett in November 1962 at a concert in Nashville. They got married less than six months later on April 24, 1963. Brenda and Ronnie have two daughters and three grandchildren.

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Brenda Lee para niños