Brenda Lee

Also known as Brenda Mae Tarpley, Brenda Lee Shacklett, Brenda Tarpley, Brenda Mae Shacklett, Brenda Shacklett

American singer and recording artist (born 1944)

Film & TV

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Brenda Lee (born Brenda Mae Tarpley; December 11, 1944) is an American performer and the top-charting solo female vocalist 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 surpassed only by Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Ray Charles. She is known for her 1960 hit "I'm…

Known for

Ringo & Friends at the Ryman — Self2025
Brenda Lee: Rockin' Around2024
Christmas at the Opry — Self2023
My Music: A Classic Christmas — Self (archive footage)2019
Country: Portraits of an American Sound — Self2015
Legends in Concert - Brenda Lee: Coming On Strong — Self2010
Brenda Lee: In Concert — Self2007
Ladies Night - Most Famous Hits — Self (archive footage)2003
Christmas at Belmont — Self - Host2003
Welcome to the Club: The Women of Rockabilly — Self2001

via TMDB

Key facts

Born: Brenda Mae Tarpley , ( 1944-12-11 ) December 11, 1944 (age 81) , Atlanta, Georgia , US
Occupation: Singer
Years active: 1951–present
Works: Albums singles
Spouse: Ronnie Shacklett ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1963 )
Origin: Nashville, Tennessee , US
Genres: Rock and roll pop country
Instruments: Vocals
Labels: Decca MCA Elektra Monument Warner Bros. Brenda Lee Productions Provident
Website: brendaleeofficial .com

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Instance of: human
Given name: Mae
Gender: female
Citizenship: United States
Place of birth: Grady Memorial Hospital
Occupation: songwriter
Languages spoken: English language
Award: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Genre: pop music
Instrument: voice
Record label: MCA Records
Military branch: United States Army
Official website: www.brendalee.com
Image: Brenda Lee 1977.JPG

Show 7 more facts

Commons category: Brenda Lee
date of birth: 1944-12-11
pseudonym: Little Miss Dynamite
start of work period: 1951-00-00
birth name: Brenda Mae Tarpley
married name: Brenda Mae Shacklett
social media followers: 208000

Sources (6)

via Wikidata · CC0

~28 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda Lee, is an American singer. Primarily performing rockabilly, pop, country, and Christmas music, she achieved her first Billboard hit at age 12 in 1957, and was given the nickname "Little Miss Dynamite". Some of Lee's most successful songs include "Sweet Nothin's", "I'm Sorry", "I Want to Be Wanted", "Speak to Me Pretty", "All Alone Am I", and "Losing You". Her festive song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", recorded in 1958, topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, making Lee the oldest artist ever to top the chart and breaking several chart records.

Having sold over 100 million records globally, Lee is one of the most successful American artists of the 20th century. Lee was the second woman ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 (after Connie Francis) when her song “I'm Sorry” reached number one in 1960. Her U.S. success in the 1960s earned her recognition as Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade and one of the four artists who charted the most singles, behind Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Ray Charles. Her accolades include a Grammy Award, four NARM Awards, three NME Awards, and five Edison Awards. In 2023, she was named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest singers of all time.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Brenda Lee” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.