‘Little Miss Dynamite’ blew up the charts when she was only 12: The story of Brenda Lee

If you don’t recognize the name Brenda Lee, you might be a little more familiar with “Little Miss Dynamite.” This dynamic artist and her powerful voice carried her through musical fame in the fifties. She saw the rise of the Beatles and many more talents. But, her own remained underappreciated across the globe. This article will delve into her world to learn more about the woman whose songs decorate our Christmas Eve even to this day.

Brenda Lee’s Early Life

Brenda Lee was born on December 11, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia. Raised in a modest family, she discovered her passion for music at a young age. According to reports from the family, she was learning to sing before she could talk. By the time she uttered her first few sentences, she was already confidently singing songs. Lee’s remarkable vocal talent soon became evident, and by the age of ten, she was already captivating audiences with her powerful voice and emotional performances.

In 1953, Lee’s father died unexpectedly. This was a massive bow to the family, who now turned to Lee for financial support. Her voice became the breadwinner and their means to survive. Her first gig paid her $35, which was a considerable amount during that time in rural Georgia, USA. In other words, it was more than one would get paid for a week of work. These gigs would make Lee stay up till all hours of the night. She struggled with school, and her teacher even allowed her to sleep in class. “Even at that young age, I saw that helped our life,” Lee said, adding, “It put some food on the table. It helped, and I loved it.”

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Start of Lee’s Career

In 1956, Brenda Lee was 12 years old. This was when she got her first leg up into stardom. The television show, ABC’s Ozark Jubilee, hosted by Red Foley, wanted her to make an appearance. This resulted in the music label, Decca, singing her on; thus, Owen Bradley became her producer. “I was only 12, and I had not had a lot of success in records,” Said Brenda. “But for some reason, he heard me and wanted me to do it. And I did.”

From then onward, her fame grew. Her first single was “Jumbalaya,” by Williams. However, in 1957, she released her first hit, “Dynamite.“This gained her that endearing nickname, “Little Miss Dynamite.” Her next big hit was the song “Rock Around the Christmas Tree.” The only thing is, her producers released it three times before it made it into the charts. “It was magic, and I think we all knew it,” Lee said. “It took a few years to take off, but once it did, it really did.”

Brenda Lee says that it is thanks to her son “Rock Around the Christmas Tree” that her career lasted as long as it has. The now 79-year-old once said: Unfortunately, this song never managed to break to number one on the charts, as “All I ant for Cristmas is You was always in its way. However, Brenda is grateful to be doing what she does, none the less. “You get to a certain age in this industry and you’re not as hot as you once were. It’s meant to be that way…that’s why there are numbers under one. We can’t always be No. 1. I think when you have that mindset, you’re just thankful that you’re a part of something you love to do.”

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She and Elvis Shared a Bond

It is a wonder why Brenda Lee’s talents were always so underappreciated. She has had some remarkable experiences throughout her career, including touring with Elvis Presley, the King of Rock’n Roll himself. Brenda first met Mr. Presley in 1957 when she made her debut at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. She was 13-years-old at the time. “I was an Elvis fan, of course. We all were. He was part of the fabric of our lives,” she once said.

When her career took off, Brenda Lee described how having Elvis ask her for her autograph shocked her. “One afternoon, my record label got a call saying Elvis Presley wanted an autographed photo and could I sign one for him? They thought it was a prank until Elvis sent a car to pick it up! I still can’t believe it happened, but it did,” Lee said to Atlanta Magazine. “We had done the Opry together and just became fast friends,” Lee added. “When I met Priscilla [Presley], she said the first time she had gone to visit Elvis in his apartment in Germany, he was playing [Lee’s 1959 song] ‘Sweet Nothins’ on the stereo.” 

Not only did she dance with Elvis, but Brenda Lee also received massive compliments from the likes of Elton John. He said he was mesmerised after hearing her sing on stage for the first time. “I was just stunned,” said Elton. “I don’t think I had ever heard anything like it.”

Moreover, in 1962, the legendary band, The Beatles, opened for Brenda Lee. She had been touring through Germany and had a performance at the Star Club in Hamburg. This was before they became as famous as we know them today.

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