Brenda Lee was only 13 when she recorded her biggest hit, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” in 1958. She recalls how producer Owen Bradly decorated the studio with holiday ornaments and put on the AC high to counter the summery warmth in Nashville at the time.
Brenda turns 80 on December 11 and still hears her music from nearly seven decades ago take over the airwaves during the holidays. She admitted that she never envisioned her life’s legacy being a Christmas song but is glad to have made such an evergreen bop.
What does Brenda Lee do now?
“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” has been constant on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2015 and even overtook the all-time holiday theme song, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey last year. Brenda made history as the first woman to top the charts at 78, especially because the song got its video featuring Trisha Yearwood and Tanya Tucker last year.
Though living a more private life in recent years, Brenda has received multiple and well-deserved recognition for her work, including a Lifetime Achievement Grammy award and acknowledgment from Rolling Stone last year as one of the 200 Greatest Singers of all time.
Brenda Lee’s recording company is throwing her a party
Universal Music is throwing Brenda an 80th birthday bash in Nashville to celebrate her age and legacy. The company’s chairwoman and CEO, Cindy Mabe, commended Brenda’s energy, which seems to remain as intense as her teenage years.
Brenda has been busy performing her hit, especially since last year’s music video release; however, the details of how much she has made so far remain undisclosed. The 80-year-old said her work is beyond the money, which she is happy about, as she would sing just as passionately for pennies in a corner because she loves her job.
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