
Brenda Lee
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brenda Lee (born Brenda Mae Tarpley; December 11, 1944) is an American performer and the top-charting solo female vocalist of the 1960s. She sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 47 US chart hits during the 1960s, and is ranked fourth in that decade surpassed only by Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Ray Charles. She is known for her 1960 hit "I'm Sorry", and 1958's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", which has become a Christmas standard.
At 4 feet 9 inches tall (approximately 145 cm), she received the nickname "Little Miss Dynamite" in 1957, after recording the song "Dynamite" when she was 12, and was one of the earliest pop stars to have a major contemporary international following.
In 1969, Lee returned to the charts with her recording "Johnny One Time". The song reached #3 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart and #41 on Billboard's Hot 100. The song also earned Lee her second Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal. Later success came with a return to her roots as a country singer, with a string of hits through the 1970s and 1980s.
She is a member of the Rock and Roll, Country Music and Rockabilly Halls of Fame. She is also a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Lee is the only woman to be inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Halls of Fame.
Gallery

Known For
Acting History
2025
Ringo & Friends at the Ryman as Self
2024Brenda Lee: Rockin' Around
2023Christmas at the Opry as Self
2019My Music: A Classic Christmas as Self (archive footage)
2015Country: Portraits of an American Sound as Self
2010Legends in Concert - Brenda Lee: Coming On Strong as Self
2007Brenda Lee: In Concert as Self
2003Christmas at Belmont as Self - Host
2003Ladies Night - Most Famous Hits as Self (archive footage)
2001Welcome to the Club: The Women of Rockabilly as Self
1993The Women of Country as Self
1986American Masters as Self
1986Disneyland's Summer Vacation Party as Self
1986Women in Rock as Self
1980Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters as Self
1980Smokey and the Bandit II as Nice Lady
1978Dick Clark's Good Old Days Part II
1975Les Rendez-vous du dimanche as Self
1969The Johnny Cash Show as Self
1965Hullabaloo as Self
1963Musik für Sie as Self
1961The Mike Douglas Show as Self
1961The Two Little Bears as Tina Davis
1959Discorama as Self
1958The Dick Clark Show as Self
1956The Steve Allen Show as Self - Singer
1955Navy Log as Korean Girl
1948The Ed Sullivan Show as Self








