Brenda Lee

Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda Lee, is an American singer. Primarily performing rockabilly, pop, country, and Christmas music, she achieved her first Billboard hit at age 12 in 1957, and was given the nickname "Little Miss Dynamite". Some of Lee's most successful songs include "Sweet Nothin's", "I'm Sorry", "I Want to Be Wanted", "Speak to Me Pretty", "All Alone Am I", and "Losing You". Her festive song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", recorded in 1958, topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, making Lee the oldest artist ever to top the chart and breaking several chart records.

Having sold over 100 million records globally, Lee is one of the most successful American artists of the 20th century. Lee was the second woman ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 (after Connie Francis) when her song “I'm Sorry” reached number one in 1960. Her U.S. success in the 1960s earned her recognition as Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade and one of the four artists who charted the most singles, behind Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Ray Charles. Her accolades include a Grammy Award, four NARM Awards, three NME Awards, and five Edison Awards. In 2023, she was named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest singers of all time.

Birth and Death Data: Born Grady Memorial Hospital (hospital in Georgia, United States)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1956 - 1972

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, flute, piano, bells, trumpet

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 394 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 101242 1/3/1957 Fairytale land-2 Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 101243 1/3/1957 One step at a time-1 Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 111412 11/30/1961 Geh' am gluck nicht vorbei (Fool number one) (German) Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 111413 11/30/1961 La premiere fois (Fool number one) (French) Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 111414 11/30/1961 Sono sciocca (Fool number one) (Italian) Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 111415 11/30/1961 Darling bye bye (Anybody but me) (German) Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 111416 1/1/1961 Pourquoi jamais moi (Anybody but me) (French) Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 111417 1/1/1961 Nulla di me (Anybody but me) (Italian) Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 113267 2/25/1963 or 2/26/1963 Am strand von Hawaii Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 113268 2/25/1963 or 2/26/1963 Ein meinen träumen Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 113269 2/25/1963 or 2/26/1963 Wo und wann, fängt die liebe an Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 113270 2/25/1963 or 2/26/1963 Darling, was ist lost mir dir Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 114462 6/22/1967 Champagne and tears Pete Fountain ; Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 114689 3/26/1964* Ich will immer auf Dich warten Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 114690 3/26/1964* Drei rote rosen blüh'n Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 114691 3/26/1964* No my boy Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 114692 3/26/1964* Ohne dich Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 114693 3/26/1964* Wiedersehn ist wunderschön Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 114694 3/26/1964* Kansas City Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 115718 2/17/1965 Willow weep for me Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 115719 2/17/1965 Almost there Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 115720 2/17/1965 Yesterday's gone Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 115721 2/17/1965 The birds and the bees Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 117811 8/15/1966 Endless love Brenda Lee vocalist  
Decca 117812 8/15/1966 Anasaka after dark Brenda Lee vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 394 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lee, Brenda," accessed January 4, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205729.

Lee, Brenda. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 4, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205729.

"Lee, Brenda." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 4 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205729

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