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Brenda Lee talks about her ‘Greatest Hits’ album, and the key to longevity in music

Brenda Lee — Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Country Music Hall of Famer —chatted about her “Greatest Hits” album, which was released via UMG Nashville/UMe.

Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee. Photo Courtesy of UMG Nashville/UMe.
Brenda Lee. Photo Courtesy of UMG Nashville/UMe.

Brenda Lee — Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Country Music Hall of Famer —chatted about her “Greatest Hits” album, which was released via UMG Nashville/UMe.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once said: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” A woman that embodies this wise quote is Brenda Lee.

Background on Brenda Lee

Lee is an international singing icon. The petite singer known for her big voice and even bigger heart rose from poverty to become a child star and then continued to achieve success over the next six decades across multiple genres of music.

Lee holds the distinction of being the only person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame as well.

Lee is also a recipient of the coveted Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as well as countless other accolades during her respected career.

Lee signed with the iconic Decca Records label before her 12th birthday and went on to record such landmark hits as “Sweet Nothin’s,” “All Alone Am I,” “Break it to Me Gently,” “I’m Sorry” and of course, the perennial holiday favorite “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

Brenda Lee on her ‘Greatest Hits’ album

The album features 15 tracks remastered from original production tapes and is now available digitally as well as on vinyl in an exclusive blue marble color.

Her Greatest Hits features top songs including “I’m Sorry,” Lee’s first No. 1 single (1960), “Sweet Nothin’s” and the No. 1 track “I Want To Be Wanted” (1960). 11 of the tracks featured on the album were in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

“My label has been so good to me,” Lee exclaimed about this new collection. “Thank you to the fans for the support. It is doing so good. I am so proud!”

“We are here because of the fans, who go out and buy those records, so ‘thank you and thank you’. Without the fans, we’d be out in the desert somewhere whining big time,” she noted.

Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee. Photo Credit: Alexa King Stone

Brenda Lee on achieving 1 billion Spotify streams with her holiday classic

Her best-loved hit, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” celebrated its 65th anniversary last year, and it continues to top the charts year after year (or at least be in the Top 2). 

“They are going to have to show me that in writing,” she jokingly laughed. “That is unbelievable. A billion! Oh my Lord! I’ll take it. That is wonderful.”

“I had my first-ever music video for that song last year. It was good, wasn’t it? Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood were so sweet to be a part of it,” Lee said. “They are two of my best buds, so we had a good time. Tanya, the ‘wild child,’ is now a Country Music Hall of Famer.”

Brenda Lee on beating Cher’s record to become the oldest person to have a No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts

When the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, Lee became the oldest person to have a No. 1 on those charts, thus beating Cher’s record for “Believe” at 53.

“Really! Wow,” she exclaimed. “That is something to write down. I plead guilty, I wasn’t sure about that, but I’ll take it.”

Brenda Lee on receiving a special bouquet from Mariah Carey

For this special milestone, fellow “Christmas Queen” Mariah Carey sent her a bouquet of flowers.

“I could not believe that one,” Lee admitted.. That is precious. It really is. Mariah has done so good. She is the only person that has ever knocked ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ off the No. 1 spot, so she did good.”

Brenda Lee on her future plans

Regarding her future plans, Lee shared, “I would like to continue to keep my fans informed about what I am doing because they still write me and they still want to know, and that makes me happy. I want to continue to enjoy life a little bit.”

Brenda Lee reveals the key to longevity in music over the decades

Lee revealed the key to longevity in the music industry all of these decades. “The fans are the key to everything,” she underscored.

“If they don’t buy the records, if people and DJs don’t play it or if the media doesn’t write about it, then it’s not going to do anything. The fans are all responsible for my longevity,” she acknowledged.

Advice for young and aspiring artists

For young and emerging artists, Lee said, “Don’t give up. If that’s what you love, nobody can promise you that you are going to be a success at it, but if it’s what you love, that’s all the success you need. So, don’t give up.”

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, Lee responded, “It’s crazy. I feel old with these new things coming in. I’m like ‘what the heck is happening?’ I never dreamed in my life that ‘Rockin’’ would be my signature song. Never! I always thought ‘I’m Sorry’ would be my signature tune.”

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Link Wray
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Link Wray. Photo Courtesy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Lee was thrilled to find out that Link Wray was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an “Early Musical Influence.”

“See… the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will get to you,” Lee said. “It might take a minute, but once you are on the ballot, eventually, you will get in. You can’t hide talent; you can’t keep it down. They might make you wait a minute but it’s going to come. It will come to the surface, and everyone will shout ‘Hallelujah.’ Both ‘Rumble’ and ‘Rockin’’ were released around the same time in 1958.”

Lee is a firm believer that if a band exists for 50 years, they should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “Lord, how many bands can you say that about,” she acknowledged.

Stage of her life

On the title of the current chapter of her life, Lee said, “Keep on keeping on.”

“I am still out there doing things,” she admitted.

Favorite motto to live by

Her favorite motto to live by is the following: “Be kind, and everything will come your way, eventually.”

Success

Regarding her definition of the word success, Lee said, “Success means being happy, grateful and satisfied with who you are. Also, family and friends.”

Dream duet choice: Judy Garland

Her dream duet choice in music would have been the late but great Judy Garland.

“I would have loved to have sung with Judy Garland. I adored her,” Lee said. “A lot of people that I would have liked to have worked with have passed on… they are not here anymore. These include Fats Domino, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Darin and Chuck Berry.”

“I can just keep on naming… there were so many great ones out there,” she noted. “I would have loved to have sung with Lynn Anderson too. That would have been so good.”

Lynn Anderson
Lynn Anderson. Photo Credit: Kathleen Brennan

‘Uncloudy Day’

Lee also had great words about “Uncloudy Day,” her duet with country songstress Martina McBride. “Also, isn’t Uncloudy Day a great song? Martina McBride is a great singer. Martina is so good. People can’t tell where she picked up and where I left off.”

“I also enjoyed doing the things I did with Kitty Wells and Loretta Lynn. Loretta was a funny lady,” she recalled.

Her “Greatest Hits” album is available on digital and vinyl by clicking here.

To learn more about Brenda Lee, check out her official website and her Linktree page.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 22,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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