Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), better known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music with equal conviction and power; and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis.[1] She is best known for her 1960 hit "I'm Sorry," and 1957's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," a perennial US holiday standard for 50 years.
At 4 ft 9 inches tall, 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 80s. She is a member of the Rock and Roll, Country Music and Rockabilly halls of fame, and currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
| Brenda Lee | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Brenda Mae Tarpley |
| Also known as | Little Miss Dynamite |
| Born | December 11, 1944 (1944-12-11) |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | pop, rockabilly, country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1955–present |
| Label(s) | Decca, MCA Nashville |
| Associated acts | Connie Francis, Skeeter Davis, Ricky Nelson, Lesley Gore, Red Foley |
| Website | Brenda Lee.com |
