Most recently, her signature song “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” sits at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, which is a new peak position for her classic holiday tune. “I predicted that. I said that I was going to be No. 2 this year and Mariah Carey was going to be No. 1, so I am right,” Lee said.
“That song has been magical,” Lee admitted. “It has been my signature song. I always thought that ‘I’m Sorry’ was going to be my signature song, but now I guess it’s ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.’ Thank you to everybody that has kept that record out there. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. You are like my family. Some of you I will never meet, but I feel like I know you and I thank you.”
“I sing ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ at every show. I couldn’t get through a song unless I sing it,” she said. “That song is amazing and it was written by Johnny Marks, who was a Jewish songwriter. He was precious. He also wrote ‘Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas.’ Johnny wanted to write regular songs but the only thing that came out of him was Christmas music. I thank all of the DJs for all of their years of loyalty to playing this song. I so appreciate it.”
This year was also special for Lee since the collection Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree: The Decca Christmas Recordings was released on vinyl for the first time ever. “Isn’t that great? The vinyl is green and it’s beautiful,” she said. “I heard the other day that ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ had 300 million streams, and the only person that had more was Ed Sheeran, so that was pretty good.”
In 2019, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” was recognized with an induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame. “I was so excited, I’ve got two songs now in the Grammy Hall of Fame. ‘I’m Sorry’ was inducted in 1999,” she said.
Lee was thrilled to appear in Martina McBride’s “Vocal Point” podcast. “That was great, and Martina does really good. I told her ‘Martina, I never knew you had this in you’. Martina is precious and I am glad that she id doing this podcast. We are lucky to have her in this industry,” Lee said.
On her New Year’s resolutions for 2020, she said, “Try to be good and kind. Remember the people that are struggling with illnesses and pray for them every night. I pray for the people that love me and the people that have loved me for years and years. I am so proud of that. They are like my family and they know that. I pray for our world, that we have a good world.”
Regarding the title of the current chapter of her life, Lee said, “Windy, and partly cloudy, but sunshine always wins out.”
For her dedicated fans and supporters, Lee reiterated her gratitude. “They are not fans, they are family to me. I never ever forget them. I am so grateful,” she said.
