Wanda Jackson - Rock Your Baby

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Wanda Jackson was only halfway through high school when, in 1954, country singer Hank Thompson heard her on an Oklahoma City radio show and asked her to record with his band, the Brazos Valley Boys. By the end of the decade, Jackson had become one of America's first major female country and rockabilly singers.

Jackson was born in Oklahoma, but her father Tom -- himself a country singer who quit because of the Depression -- moved the family to California in 1941. He bought Wanda her first guitar two years later, gave her lessons, and encouraged her to play piano as well. In addition, he took her to see such acts as Tex Williams, Spade Cooley, and Bob Wills, which left a lasting impression on her young mind. Tom moved the family back to Oklahoma City when his daughter was 12 years old. In 1952, she won a local talent contest and was given a 15-minute daily show on KLPR. The program, soon upped to 30 minutes, lasted throughout Jackson's high school years. It's here that Thompson heard her sing. Jackson recorded several songs with the Brazos Valley Boys, including "You Can't Have My Love," a duet with Thompson's bandleader, Billy Gray. The song, on the Decca label, became a national hit, and Jackson's career was off and running. She had wanted to sign with Capitol, Thompson's label, but was turned down, so she signed with Decca instead.

Jackson insisted on finishing high school before hitting the road. When she did, her father came with her. Her mother made and helped design Wanda's stage outfits. "I was the first one to put some glamour in the country music -- fringe dresses, high heels, long earrings," Jackson said of these outfits. When Jackson first toured in 1955 and 1956, she was placed on a bill with none other than Elvis Presley. The two hit it off almost immediately. Jackson said it was Presley, along with her father, who encouraged her to sing rockabilly.

In 1956, Jackson finally signed with Capitol, a relationship that lasted until the early '70s. Her recording career bounced back and forth between country and rockabilly; she did this by often putting one song in each style on either side of a single. Jackson cut the rockabilly hit "Fujiyama Mama" in 1958, which became a major success in Japan. Her version of "Let's Have a Party," which Elvis had cut earlier, was a U.S. Top 40 pop hit for her in 1960, after which she began calling her band the Party Timers. A year later, she was back in the country Top Ten with "Right or Wrong" and "In the Middle of a Heartache." In 1965, she topped the German charts with "Santa Domingo," sung in German. In 1966, she hit the U.S. Top 20 with "The Box It Came In" and "Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine." Jackson's popularity continued through the end of the decade.

Jackson toured regularly, was twice nominated for a Grammy, and was a big attraction in Las Vegas from the mid-'50s into the '70s. She married IBM programmer Wendell Goodman in 1961, and instead of quitting the business -- as many women singers had done at the time -- Goodman gave up his job in order to manage his wife's career. He also packaged Jackson's syndicated TV show, Music Village. In 1971, Jackson and her husband became Christians, which she says saved their marriage. She released one gospel album on Capitol in 1972, Praise the Lord, before shifting to the Myrrh label for three more gospel albums. In 1977, she switched again, this time to Word Records, and released another two.

~ Kurt Wolff, All Music Guide

Category:

Education

Tags:

• rock
• rockabilly

[MrMedusaLvamp]

Now we know where Wendy O Williams, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar and a few other women in rock got their inspiration to rock a voice with gutts like Miss Wanda did!..I heard that she dated Elvis but she was too much for him to handle! So they stopped going out. Wonder how much of that is rummored and how much true? It may have been the record componys that didnt like it for monetary reasons. They wanted to keep them single in the eyes of the public to sell more records maybe?

[beesajohn]

She,s one cool chick I saw her a few years ago at The Hemsby Weekender and she can rock it up

[sondra768]

@John1948ThirteenA Thanks for info.

[redredshoes]

YOWZA

[dogearable]

@GeorgiaBoy1961 i was here 50 + yrs ago but i missed this earthbound angel, she is absolutely wonderful, truly a top female rockster, do you think she knows she breaking the law stealing us away so.

[desert3347]

Whoooooooo, Wanda.....She Was So Frigging Hot!!

[oopsadaze]

She Was STILL ROCKin' on CONAN O'BRIEN and DAVID LETTERMAN with JACK WHITE from the WHITE STRIPES

[John1948ThirteenA]

@MrJNScott Don't forget Janis Martin. She on Youtube with Let's Elope Baby, Bang Bang, My Boy Elvis and Drug Store Rock and Roll. Also check for The Collins Kids.

[TheStrainers]

dang she's so hot!

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

This is pretty amazing stuff now, I can only imagine what this did to people fifty years ago! Hot stuff!

[realcheyenne1]

Wer zum Teufel ist Rhianna??? Diese Frau hat es 'drauf! Wegweisend!!!

[daveyrudd]

Transcendentally sublime! As you know, or you wouldn't be listening to it. Fabulous!