Discover the story behind singer Brenda Lee’s iconic songs and explore how her early fame and life of poverty shaped her artistry across pop, rock ‘n’ roll and country. Known for her Christmas classic and Billboard hit “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” she is still a force in music today. The film features interviews with Keith Urban, Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo and many others.
Video Features
The success of Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”
Brenda Lee recorded “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” written by Johnny Marx, when she was 12.
3 classic songs Brenda Lee performed as a teenager
These are 3 of Brenda's Lee most notable performances from Jubilee USA, also known as Ozark Jubilee.
How Brenda Lee's collaboration with producer Owen Bradley changed the course of her career
Owen Bradley, producer at Decca Records, took Brenda Lee under his wing and became a mentor to her.
Brenda Lee had a fully formed career before even signing a contract
Brenda Lee made appearances on television, radio and live shows all before she even signed a deal.
Brenda Lee's career started when she was just 8 years old
Brenda Lee began working as a professional singer at just eight years old to support her family.
When Brenda Lee eloped with her husband
Brenda Lee met her husband Ronnie Shacklett at the age of 17 and eloped with him six months later.
Written Features
TRANSCRIPT
(AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE)
- Friends, here's Little Miss TNT.
(upbeat music) - She walked into the studio with that right relationship at 13, 14, whatever age it was.
When she walked outta that studio, she was 21.
- I thought, Brenda can't be this young.
By the time she got 14 or 15 years old, she had a much lower register, but she was always in control.
- Even at 11 and 12 years old in the recording studio with the A team here in Nashville.
♪ My baby whispers in my ear ♪ ♪ Mm, sweet nothings ♪ - So for me to be able to say, "Mom, you don't have to go to the cotton mill today, it's okay."
That was a great thing.
♪ Things he wouldn't tell nobody else ♪ ♪ Secret baby, I keep them to myself ♪ ♪ Sweet nothings, mm ♪ - When I first heard Brenda Lee, I thought, how can this be coming out of this person?
- I just always think of her going ♪ dynamite ♪ with that little growly thing she does all the time.
Just unbelievable.
- No one says Country artist Brenda Lee, or Rock and Roll Star, it's, she's just Brenda.
- She had a fully formed career by the time she signed a record contract.
- My experience was positive because we were all, especially in the rock movement, that was a whole new thing that we were all novices at.
- She was an anomaly at that time.
So that really, you know, when you're different and unique, that gets you a long way.
- I don't see Brenda Lee in any box.
She'd kick out the sides anyway if she was ever put in one, - She had more double-sided hits than anyone in history, before or since.
She was the largest selling female vocalist of the 1960s.
- They did sit her down at one point and said, "Look, you know, as we move toward different things in your career, you need to understand you're not always going to be America's darling.
You will not always have the number one record in America."
- She just had the number one record at Christmas.
I mean, she's just, come on, who does that?
♪ Rockin' around the Christmas tree ♪ ♪ At the Christmas ♪ - That song didn't go number one over all those decades and finally went number one, crazy.
- It's not Christmas if I don't hear "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Brenda Lee.
People can't really believe it's been that many years.
- The season, our house at every Christmas, you know?
- It's true.
- She's like sitting next to the tree with a present.
- Is she country?
Yes.
Is she pop?
Yes.
Is she rockabilly?
Yes.
And she sings it all effortlessly.
- She has tenacity and perseverance.
- My mother told me, "Don't let anybody tell you who you are, you know who you are.
Now go be it."
♪ Dynamite ♪ ♪ You're dynamite, dynamite ♪
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