Little Miss Dynamite!
Born in 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, Brenda Lee is a legendary American singer known for her dynamic stage presence and for recording one of the most popular Christmas tunes of all time.
She rose to prominence during the late ’50s, earning the nickname Little Miss Dynamite due to her powerful vocal delivery and petite stature.
Not just a one-hit Christmas wonder, Lee recorded rockabilly, pop, and country, making her one of the most versatile performers of her time.
Brenda Lee’s career took off when she was just a teenager. Early hits include Sweet Nothin’s (1959), a playful rockabilly tune, and I’m Sorry (1960), a ballad that became a chart-topping hit and remains one of her signature songs.
Strangely, her timeless holiday classic Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree came before these hits, in 1958.
Initially, the song had modest success, but it gained popularity over the decades, becoming a Christmas favorite. Today, it is one of the best-selling holiday songs of all time and a staple on holiday playlists.
As late as 2023, it topped the charts, making Brenda the oldest artist ever to score a #1 hit at 79.
In addition to her most famous tracks, Brenda Lee enjoyed a string of other hits throughout the 1960s, including:
• Fool #1 and Dum Dum (1961)
• Break It to Me Gently and All Alone Am I (1962)
She also recorded classics such as Blueberry Hill (1960), When I Fall in Love (1961), Pennies from Heaven (1959), and Etta James’s classic At Last (1963).
During her prime, she charted 47 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1960 and 1969, a feat surpassed only by Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and The Beatles during that era.
She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997, recognizing her contributions to both genres.
Her influence extends to numerous artists who cite her as an inspiration, including Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift.
Brenda Lee’s music continues to resonate with audiences of all ages, ensuring her legacy endures as one of the most iconic voices in American music history.
Brenda Lee Tunes | Related Pages
At Last
You can learn how to play At Last by Etta James using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, and the original recording.
| F | Dm7 | Gm7 | C7 | F | Dm7 |
At last, my love has come along…
Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
Learn Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Ab | Ab | Eb7 | Eb7 |
Rockin’ around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop…
Brenda Lee on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was an article about Brenda Lee tunes, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not by practising scales or studying theory in isolation.
