Lee, Brenda (1944—)

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Lee, Brenda (1944—)

American pop and country-music singer . Born Brenda Mae Tarpley on December 11, 1944, in Lithonia, Georgia; daughter of Reuben Lindsey Tarpley and Grayce (Yarbrough) Tarpley; graduated from Hollywood Professional School, 1963; married Charles R. (Ronnie) Shacklett, on April 24, 1963; children: two daughters, Julie Leann Shacklett and Jolie Shacklett.

Albums include:

Brenda Lee (1960); This Is Brenda (1961); Emotions (1961); Brenda Lee, All the Way (1961); Sincerely, Brenda Lee (1962); That's All, Brenda (1962); All Alone Am I (1963); Let Me Sing (1964); By Request (1964); Top Teen Hits (1965); Versatile (1965); Too Many Rivers (1965); Bye Bye Blues (1966); Ten Golden Years (1966); Merry Christmas, From Brenda Lee (1967); Thanks a Lot (1967); Coming On Strong (1967); Here's Brenda Lee (1967); Reflections in Blue (1967); For the First Time (1968); Johnny One Time (1969); Brenda Lee Now (1975); LA Sessions (1976); Take Me Back (1980); Even Better (1980); Anthology 1956–1980 (1991).

Brenda Lee, who began singing on the radio in Conyers, Georgia, at age six, established an international career before the age of 20. She was born Brenda Mae Tarpley in Lithonia, Georgia, the daughter of Reuben Lindsey Tarpley and Grayce Yarbrough Tarpley . While still a child, she appeared on the radio show "Jubilee USA" with Red Foley and on television with Steve Allen and Perry Como. In 1955, she signed a

recording contract with Decca and was put under the wing of Owen Bradley, who produced for Patsy Cline and later Loretta Lynn . Lee had minor hits with "One Step at a Time" and "Dynamite," then hit the pop and R&B charts with "Sweet Nothin's," which reached #4 in 1960. That same year, "I'm Sorry," a ballad at first thought too adult for the 15-year-old, was the #1 record for three weeks and sold over 10 million copies. She reached #1 again two months later with "I Want to Be Wanted," and in 1961 had four singles in the top ten: "You Can Depend On Me," "Emotions," "Fool Number One," and "Dum Dum." By the time she was 21, "Little Miss Dynamite," as the tiny singer came to be known, had cut 256 sides for Decca and had made several successful appearances in Europe.

As the early rock 'n' roll era faded, Lee made a successful crossover to country music, scoring with "If This Is Our Last Time" (1971), "Nobody Wins" (1974), and "Broken Trust" (1980), which she recorded with the Oak Ridge Boys. She continues to record and make club appearances and in 1988, along with Kitty Wells and Loretta Lynn, was a guest on k.d. lang 's Shadowland album. In 1991, MCA released a 40-song, double CD album, Anthology 1956–1980, which contains all of Lee's rock 'n' roll and country hits, and also includes some obscure cuts like the rockabilly "Let's Jump the Broomstick," a cover of Edith Piaf 's "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)," and "Is It True?," a 1964 tune featuring guitarist Jimmy Page.

Lee, who married her high school sweetheart Ronnie Shacklett in 1964, has two daughters, Julie and Jolie. Among her numerous honors is the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' Governors Award, which she received in 1984.