Brenda Lee’s name may not be as recognizable as some of the other music stars from the 1960s but when you think of Christmas, you’ll know her song, and start humming her catchy tune, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
When Lee, now 78, first hit the stage, she wasn’t old enough to drive but her powerful vocals steered her “unprecedented international popularity” as the most successful female artist of the 1960s.
Lee, whose voice defied her diminutive stature at only 4 foot 9, became a fan favorite when she was only 12.
Brenda May Tarpley, born in 1944, got her start in the late 1940s, became huge in the 1950s, and over her career–that started before she left elementary school–she topped the charts 55 times, earning the title as the most successful female recording artist of the 1960s.
When Lee was only eight (according to Rolling Stone), her father, a construction worker, was killed at work and little Brenda–who then changed her last name to Lee–became the family’s primary provider.
Taking care of her younger brother, big sister, and mother–a cotton mill worker–was not a duty, but something she wanted to do. She said that she was thrilled when she made her first $20, so she could help her family: “Even at that young age, I saw that helped our life,” Lee said, adding “It put some food on the table. It helped, and I loved it.”
The Atlanta-born chanteuse, called a “pioneer of early rock and roll,” by the Georgia Encyclopedia, achieved “unprecedented international popularity in the 1960s.”
But, an incredibly humble human, Lee credits those who helped her achieve her dreams. When Christianity Today asked what she thinks about being a legend, Lee said “I don’t think of myself that way!” She continued, “I’m just a girl who’s been blessed to be doing what I’m doing, and there’s a lot of people who’ve sweated a lot of tears and put a lot of life’s work into me to be able to have my dream. So, if I’m a legend, then they’re legends, too.”
In 1956, the young girl joined country star Red Foley for a show at the Bell Auditorium near her home in Augusta, and she belted out “Jambalaya,” by Hank Williams.
She was then signed to appear on Foley’s Ozark Jubilee, a country music show, where millions of viewers fell in love with the sassy 12-year-old whose talent was developed well beyond her age.
In the same year, Lee signed with Decca Records, and the next year, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and fusing country with rhythm and blues–highlighted by her hiccupping vocals–she recorded early rockabilly classics like “BIGELOW 6-200,” “Little Jonah,” and “Let’s Jump the Broomstick.”
When asked if–when as a young girl–she was nervous performing in front of large crowds, she answered: “No, not really. Nobody ever told me to be nervous. The stage always felt like a hometown to me because I had been in front of people ever since I was 3 years old, singing to people. So it was a very comfortable spot for me.”
In 1957, Lee earned the nickname “Little Miss Dynamite” for her pint-sized powerhouse recording of the song “Dynamite,” and in 1958, fans heard “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree,” a genre and generation-crossing holiday standard, released when she was only 13.
“I knew it was magical,” she told Rolling Stone.
Over the next couple of years, she charted with hits like “Sweet Nuthin’s,” “All Alone Am I,” and “Fool #1.”
Most of her songs, however, contradicted her experience as a young girl. Her mother didn’t let her date and she graduated high school not understanding the heartbreak of young love.
She was only 16 when she said “Love could be so cruel” in the song “I’m Sorry” and only 16 when she said “I want his lips to kiss me” in the song “I Want to be Wanted,” both back-to-back hits when she was still in school.
And when she turned 18, she met Ronnie Shacklett, whom she’s now been happily married to for 60 years.
Life on the road for Lee as a youngster had its difficulties. She celebrated her 12th birthday in Las Vegas and speaking with the Las Vegas Journal, Lee explained her loneliness.
“Of course, I wasn’t even allowed to walk through a casino, I was so young. So I didn’t even know what a casino looked like. They took me into the kitchen, then into the showroom. And then when my show was over, I was brought back out through the kitchen and back up to my room. Children weren’t allowed … in the casino area.” She continued, “There wasn’t anything to do in Vegas for a kid. The most fun I had was on the stage.”
Speaking on what she missed out on as a child, the award-winning Lee said, “Many times, I yearned to be with my friends rather than be out there on the road.”
Turns out she made new friends on the road, like with the music group that opened for her at a 1962 show in Germany. “I hung out with John,” she says effortlessly, speaking of John Lennon. “He was extremely intelligent, very acerbic with his jokes, just a gentle person. When I found out that they later said they were fans of my music, I was just floored.”
A TV presenter with a Māori face tattoo fires back at cruel trolls.
Reiterating her pride in her cultural heritage and identity, a TV hostess with a customary Māori face tattoo gracefully responded to trolling remarks.
These pictures often start online debates about facial tattoos. Some people accept the cultural significance of these motifs, while others think tattoos should only be placed to the body.
Oriini Kaipara, 41, is a trailblazing TV presenter who made history at Newshub in New Zealand when she began her career as a newsreader. She was the first to present a primetime TV news report while donning the traditional Māori women’s marking, the moko kauae.
Moko kauae are vitally significant symbols of Māori history and identity, as they are considered by the native Polynesian population of the mainland of New Zealand. These facial tattoos, which are typically applied to the lips and chins, honor a woman’s heritage, status, and skills while also denoting her leadership in her community and within her family.
However, in the midst of all the appreciation, Newshub received an email from a viewer named David who was unhappy with Kaipara’s moko kauae.
He responded, “We continue to object strongly to you using a Māori newsreader with a moku [moko], which is offensive and aggressive looking,” as reported by the Daily Mail.A nasty look. She also speaks incoherently in our non-English tongue, Māori. Now put an end to it.
Kaipara boldly addressed the issue head-on in spite of David’s disparaging remarks, sharing images of the messages on her Instagram story and responding in a refined and polite way.
“Today, I’d had enough.” I responded. I never behave like that. She posted a picture of David’s message to Instagram with the remark, “I hit the send button and broke my own code.”
Furthermore, Kaipara made public the email discussion she had with David in which she said she couldn’t take David’s complaint seriously “given there is no breach of broadcast standards.”
She also made an effort to correct his spelling of “moko,” as David had referred to hers as “moku.”
Kaipara stated in her email, “I understand your complaints originate from a place of preference on how one must look on-screen.” This kind of intolerance, harassment, or prejudice is not warranted for Moko and others around her; they are not dangerous.
“We don’t intend to cause harm or have any bad intentions, and neither do we/I deserve to be treated with such disregard,” she continued. “Please stop complaining and wait until a later time, preferably the 1800s, to express your cultural ignorance and bias.”
Kaipara swiftly stressed that most of her comments are pleasant and that ugly trolls are uncommon, even in the wake of David’s negative remarks.
Shortly after responding to David’s complaint, Kaipara spoke with the New Zealand Herald about the need for more Māori activists. “The fact that some people find my existence upsetting is evidence of the need for more Māori advocates in important positions throughout every sector,” she stated.
All things considered, Kaipara’s cool response serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural pride and resilience in the face of adversity. She is also inspiring people to embrace their identities with courage and speak out against discrimination.
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