Still rockin': As a singer turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Still rockin': As a singer turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Rockin'” eclipsed Mariah Carey's perennial favorite “All I Want for Christmas is You” last December to top the Billboard music chart and make Lee, at age 78, the oldest woman to achieve that feat. “It's kind of an ear worm on steroids,” said Gleason, whose 2017 book “Woman Walk the Line: How the Women in Country Music Changed Our Lives” featured Lee, among others. Composer Johnny Marks already had some seasonal hits to his credit, including “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” He specifically sought out Lee for his new song in 1958 and it's easy to see why: Who better to convey its innocence and spirit than a 13-year-old girl at the forefront of the Baby Boom? “She's full of spunk in the same way that 13-year-old girl was.” “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” made the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019.

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Singer Brenda Lee, 80, gets candid about growing up 'poor' after holiday hit reaches 1 billion streams
3 months ago

Singer Brenda Lee, 80, gets candid about growing up 'poor' after holiday hit reaches 1 billion streams

Daily Mail  

Brenda Lee revealed that she 'never realized' just how poor she was growing up. As her hit song, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, dominates radio waves over the holiday season, the Christmas legend, 80, opened up about about growing up with a single mother after her father was killed in a construction accident when she was just eight-years-old. On Wednesday, …

Fans left in disbelief after finding out Brenda Lee's real age when recording Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
3 months ago

Fans left in disbelief after finding out Brenda Lee's real age when recording Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Daily Mail  

It's that time of the year again when it's socially acceptable to play Christmas music on the radio - and Brenda Lee's Rockin' Around the Christmas tree will undoubtedly be on repeat. Fans have been left mindblown after finding out Brenda Lee's real age when she sang Christmas hit Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Speaking of the song that has …

The holiday ear worm that is still ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ 66 years later
3 months ago

The holiday ear worm that is still ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ 66 years later

LA Times  

This combination of images shows singer Brenda Lee at the 57th CMA Awards in 2023 in Nashville and Lee at 14 in London in 1959. “Rockin’” eclipsed Mariah Carey’s perennial favorite “All I Want for Christmas is You” last December to top the Billboard music chart and make Lee, at age 78, the oldest woman to achieve that feat. “It’s …

Still rockin': As a singer turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Still rockin': As a singer turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Her memories of recording “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” are a little hazy. “Rockin’” eclipsed Mariah Carey’s perennial favorite “All I Want for Christmas is You” last December to top the Billboard music chart and make Lee, at age 78, the oldest woman to achieve that feat. AP AUDIO: Still rockin': As a singer turns 80, the …

Brenda Lee talks about her new Billboard Hot 100 hit — which came out 65 years ago
1 year, 3 months ago

Brenda Lee talks about her new Billboard Hot 100 hit — which came out 65 years ago

NPR  

Brenda Lee talks about her new Billboard Hot 100 hit — which came out 65 years ago Earlier this month, Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, 65 years after its release. This month, with a promotional push from Brenda Lee's label, it finally topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. DETROW: You know, there's …

Brenda Lee is much bigger than her 1958 Christmas song that just hit No.1
1 year, 3 months ago

Brenda Lee is much bigger than her 1958 Christmas song that just hit No.1

NPR  

Brenda Lee is much bigger than her 1958 Christmas song that just hit No.1 65 years after it was released, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree has topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time. DETROW: Brenda Lee's 1958 hit, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." DETROW: You know, there's always a moment to me every November where I'm in the …

Brenda Lee: Why “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is finally Billboard’s No. 1 song.
1 year, 3 months ago

Brenda Lee: Why “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is finally Billboard’s No. 1 song.

Slate  

This installment of “Why Is This Song No. 1 song—in late 1960, as a teen idol, she topped the chart with “I Want to Be Wanted.” And therein lies another record: The 63 years between “Wanted” and “Rockin’ ” give Lee the longest gap between career chart-toppers, again beating Cher, who went 25 years between “Dark Lady” and “Believe.” Here’s …

'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' goes to No. 1 — after 65 years
1 year, 3 months ago

'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' goes to No. 1 — after 65 years

NPR  

'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' goes to No. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"— sung by Brenda Lee, and first released 65 years ago, during the Eisenhower administration — has gone to No. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was written by Johnny Marks — who, as part of a long, great tradition of American Christmas songwriters, was himself actually Jewish. This …

Brenda Lee debuted ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ in 1958. It just hit No. 1
1 year, 3 months ago

Brenda Lee debuted ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ in 1958. It just hit No. 1

LA Times  

Brenda Lee’s holiday classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” tops the music charts after 65 years: “You can’t keep a good song down,” she says. Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” just topped the charts 65 years after its initial release. For the record: An earlier version of this article said that “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” spent nine …

Brenda Lee makes music history as her holiday hit Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree hits number 1 for the first time - 65 YEARS after it was first released
1 year, 3 months ago

Brenda Lee makes music history as her holiday hit Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree hits number 1 for the first time - 65 YEARS after it was first released

Daily Mail  

Brenda Lee made music history on Monday. Rockin' Around the Christmas tree, which the singer, 78, first released in 1958, reached number one on the Billboard charts for the very first time. Rockin' Around the Christmas tree has gone platinum five times and flirted with number one several times, but never got higher than number two in 2019 and again …

Brenda Lee's 'Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree' Hits No. 1
1 year, 3 months ago

Brenda Lee's 'Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree' Hits No. 1

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Sixty-five years after its release, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee has officially become the No. Though many assume her raspy, rockabilly voice to be that of a more mature performer, Lee was just 13 years old when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in 1958. ― “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” …

Darlene Love, Brenda Lee, Mariah Carey: Are these artists only remembered for their holiday hits?
55 years, 2 months ago

Darlene Love, Brenda Lee, Mariah Carey: Are these artists only remembered for their holiday hits?

Slate  

Musicians so famous, with so many classic hits, you don’t even need their last names. In this holiday episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy dives deep into radio, streaming and Billboard chart data to compare these acts’ long hitmaking histories to the majority-merry ways they are consumed today. And none has been more condensed by Christmas than another artist who …

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