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Brenda Lee
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Brenda Lee was born Brenda Mae Tarpley in 1944 in Lithonia, Georgia. In 1949 she began as a child prodigy on the radio in Conyers, Georgia and has been singing professionally since age six. She began a three-year stint on the TV program Ozark Jubilee [later called Jubilee USA] in 1955 and signed with Decca Records the following year. She appeared on television shows in the 50's such as Perry Como, Steve Allen, and Jack Good's Oh Boy in the United Kingdom. She had some minor hits on the Country & Western charts in the 50's including One Step at a Time and Dynamite. She soon picked up the name of Little Miss Dynamite.
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Brenda Lee was born Brenda Mae Tarpley on Dec. 11, 1944, in Atlanta. She was the second daughter of Rubin and Grace Tarpley. The youngster showed distinctive vocal talent at age 3, won her first singing contest when she was 5 and was performing regularly on an Atlanta radio station when she was 7. It was at about that time that a TV producer in Augusta, Ga., changed her name to Brenda Lee. In 1953, when she was 9, her father died in a construction accident.
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Oswego – Brenda Lee (Broadwell) Slavenski, 64, a resident of Sumerlawn Park in Fulton, passed away Wednesday, at the Oswego Hospital, after a 15 year battle with cancer. She was born in Fulton, and was a life resident of the Oswego-Fulton area. She was a member of numerous cancer support groups and attended the Bible Baptist Church in Scriba. She was a lover of flowers, birds, and all kinds of animals. She is survived by her parents, Henry and Betty (Graves) Broadwell of Oswego; a brother, Duane (Sandra) Broadwell, pastor of the Bible Baptist Church in Friendship, NY; 2 sisters, Shelly (Kirt Earhart) Broadwell in Maitland, Florida, and Jolene (William) Zeigler of Orchard Park, NY; and several nieces and nephews, including Officer Kenneth Zeigler, who serves as a police officer in Virginia Beach, VA. Funeral services will be held at 8:30pm Tuesday, at the Dain-Cullinan Funeral Home. Burial will be in Fairdale Cemetery.
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B[R]enda Lee sang her way out of an impoverished childhood and into the hearts of the world. From the beginning it was obvious that here was a rare talent with a distinctive throaty style and rich vocal presence. By six she was astounding listeners with a mature sound and lyric interpretation reserved for women who had gathered both thru time and experience. By the 60's, Brenda was the darling of her peers - a generation of teenagers who cut their rock 'n roll teeth on the young singer who music critics and audiences alike had fallen in love with. Before turning twenty, Brenda had recorded a phenomenal 256 sides - a musical odyssey that even at this early stage included classic million sellers like "I'm Sorry," "Fool Number 1," "Emotions," "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," and "That's All You Gotta Do." - to mention only the tip of Brenda's career signature songs.
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Brenda Lee has been singing almost her entire life. With a strong voice and commanding stage presence, "Little Miss Dynamite" has become a legend the world over. Brenda has won every pop award except the Grammy Award. She’s even won awards in Great Britain, Mexico, and Holland. Brenda has sold more records -- 100 million -- than any other woman in the history of recorded music. With hits such as "I’m Sorry," "Jambalaya," "Sweet Nothings," "Fool #1," "Break It To Me Gently" and the Christmas favorites,"Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree" and "Jingle Bell Rock," it’s easy to see that Brenda Lee will remain a music legend for years to come.
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Brenda Mae Tarpley, later known as Brenda Lee, was born in Atlanta's Emory University Hospital charity ward on December 11, 1944. By the age of three she was already showing a remarkable ability to memorize and sing songs she had heard only once or twice. At age five the future musical star won first prize in a Conyers, Georgia, singing contest.
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Brenda Lee