On this day (October 20) in 1937, Wanda Jackson was born in Maud, Oklahoma. After being discovered by a country legend and signing with a major label in her teens, she became the first woman to have a successful career in rock and roll. She released multiple hits, toured with Elvis Presley, and wrote multiple hits.
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Jackson found an early passion for performing. When she was only 12 years old, she began performing on the Oklahoma-based radio station KLPR. That’s where Hank Thompson discovered her. He invited her to prform with him. The concert led to a recording session in Thompson’s studio. There, Jackson cut a demo that landed her a deal with Decca Records. She was only 17 years old at the time.
[RELATED: Wanda Jackson: A Queen Of Rock From The Age Of Innocence]
Jackson didn’t begin her career as a trailblazing rock and roller. Instead, her debut single was “You Can’t Have My Love,” a country duet with Billy Gray. It was a top 10 hit, peaking at No. 8 on the country chart in 1954. Not long after that, she met Elvis Presley. According to Oklahoma History, he convinced her to switch from country to rock and roll.
Wanda Jackson Goes to Vegas and Beyond
Wanda Jackson recorded “Fujiyama Mama” in 1958, after signing a new deal iwth Capitol Records. It wasn’t a hit in the United States. However, it was incredibly popular in Japan. As a result, she went there to tour. As the 1950s came to a close, rock and roll started to wane in popularity. So, Jackson went back to recording country music with a bit of an edge.
At the time, Las Vegas was primed and ready for her blend of rockabilly and country music. Hank Thompson and Bob Wills had been performing there for quite some time. So, in 1960, she began receiving invites to perform in various clubs in Sin City. The same year, a DJ in Iowa began using her 1958 track “Let’s Have a Party” as his theme song. When Capitol released it as a single, it became a hit for Jackson.
For the next decade, Jackson was a mainstay in the Vegas nightclub scene.
Unexpected Revivals
In the 1980s, rockabilly once again became popular in Europe. As a result, her records began selling among a new generation of fans. Then, she started getting calls from promoters, inviting her to tour Europe. She accepted and took her show across the pond several times throughout the decade.
In the 1990s, rockabilly had a resurgence in the United States. As a result, Wanda Jackson teamed with Rosie Flores to record new music. Additionally, the pair embarked on a North American tour.
Jackson continued to tour and record throughout the early 2000s. Then, in 2019, she announced her retirement.
Featured Image by Gilles Petard/Redferns
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