Wanda Jackson

Wanda Jackson is celebrated as the Queen of Rockabilly, one of the first women to break into the boys club of rock and roll. Discovered at the age of 14, she wasn’t afraid to step outside of the lines musically, and her original sound mixes up rhythm & blues with country & western. Wanda is Maggie’s guest on this week’s episode, and she tells Maggie about the early days of her career, what it was like to be one of the first women in rock and roll, and shares some of the invaluable lessons she’s learned along the way. 

Wanda Jackson enjoyed a long and successful career singing country and gospel material, but her most ardent fans celebrate her as the Queen of Rockabilly, one of the first and finest female voices rock & roll ever produced. Jackson sang with a passion, fire, and spirit that set her apart from her peers, and tunes like "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad," "Fujiyama Mama," and "Let's Have a Party" sounded as powerful as anything delivered by her male contemporaries. She enjoyed lasting success when she shifted to country sounds in the 1960s, and her C&W sides would reveal the warmth and thoughtfulness of a major talent. 1960's Rockin' with Wanda! is a superb set of rockabilly performances, 2006's The Very Best of the Country Years is a well-curated sampling of her C&W work, and 2021's Encore found her full of fire at the age of 83.

Salute the Songbird is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted by Maggie Rose. Produced by Austin Marshall, Maggie Rose, and Kirsten Cluthe with production assistance from Grace Roemer and Kip Baggett. Edited by Matt Dwyer. Music by Maggie Rose. Graphics by Mark Dowd.

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