
Brenda Lee
Born
December 11, 1944 (80 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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.
Known For

Ringo & Friends at the Ryman
Self
2025

Brenda Lee: Rockin' Around
2024

Christmas at the Opry
Self
2023

My Music: A Classic Christmas
Self (archive footage)
2019

Country: Portraits of an American Sound
Self
2015

Legends in Concert - Brenda Lee: Coming On Strong
Self
2010
Brenda Lee: In Concert
Self
2007

Christmas at Belmont
Self - Host
2003

Ladies Night - Most Famous Hits
2003

Welcome to the Club: The Women of Rockabilly
Self
2001

The Women of Country
Self
1993

American Masters
Self · (1 episode)
1986

Disneyland's Summer Vacation Party
Self
1986

Women in Rock
Self
1986

Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
Self · (1 episode)
1980

Smokey and the Bandit II
Nice Lady
1980

Dick Clark's Good Old Days Part II
1978

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Self · (1 episode)
1975

The Johnny Cash Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1969

Hullabaloo
Self · (5 episodes)
1965

The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1961

The Two Little Bears
Tina Davis
1961

Discorama
Self · (1 episode)
1959

The Dick Clark Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1958

The Steve Allen Show
Self - Singer · (4 episodes)
1956
Navy Log
Korean Girl · (1 episode)
1955

The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1948