Portrait of country western singer Wanda Jackson from 1971. (Bettmann / Corbis)
In the 1950s, Wanda Jackson was one of the first women to record rock ‘n’ roll.
By Kenneth R. Fletcher
November 2008
This article originally appeared on the Smithsonian Magazine website.
In the 1950s, Wanda Jackson was one of the first women to record rock ‘n’ roll. Now 70, Jackson is the subject of a new Smithsonian Channel documentary, “The Sweet Lady With the Nasty Voice,” in which she’s praised by Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen. She spoke with the magazine’s Kenneth R. Fletcher.
How did you get your start singing rock ‘n’ roll?
When I was in high school in Oklahoma City, I won a contest and got a little radio show of my own. One day after the show Hank Thompson [a singer-songwriter who sold more than 60 million records] called and asked if I would like to sing with his band Saturday night. I signed with Capitol Records when I was 18. After I had a few hits under my belt, I was ready to start touring. My dad acted as manager, chauffer and chaperon. Mother made my clothes. The first person that I worked with happened to be Elvis Presley.
Before he was famous?
Yes, but he was getting more popular every week. I saw the girls screaming and hollering. Our music, which was then called rockabilly was actually the first rock ‘n’ roll. Bill Haley was first, to give credit where credit is due, but when Elvis came along he made it phenomenal. Not every musician was successful with those songs; I was because I romped and roared and stomped through them. And I was the only girl doing it.
You really had a style, inspired by Elvis in some ways, but with very much your own voice.
Most definitely. But finding my voice kind of evolved. [Elvis] encouraged me to try this new kind of music. He said, “We’ve always directed our music, especially recordings, to the adult audience because they’re the ones buying the records.” But Elvis changed that. All of a sudden it was the young people, mostly girls, buying the records. When I thought about that and approached Capitol with the idea, my producer said, “Let’s give it a try.”
