Wanda Jackson

Wanda Jackson with the Lustre Kings

Wanda Jackson, the "Queen of Rockabilly" and the "First Lady of Rock," toured with rock n roll pioneers such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, she had several hits, including "Hard Headed Woman," "Mean Mean Man," and "Let's Have a Party." Photos were taken at Fitzgerald's on June 27, 2008, and August 27, 2010.


Wanda Jackson (1957)
From 1956 to 1961, Wanda Jackson produced some awesome rock & roll. However, in the early 1960s events conspired to end her career in rock, and she turned to country music. But her rock & roll records remain as evidence that for a few years a young Oklahoma girl rocked as hard as anyone. She achieved a wildness and energy that was every bit as intense as her male counterparts, and today she ranks as one of the best rockabilly singers ever, male or female. Wanda Jackson was born in 1937 in Maud, Oklahoma, a small town about fifty miles southeast of Oklahoma City. Her father played piano in bar bands and worked whatever odd jobs he could find, which weren't many in the Dust Bowl during the Depression. So in 1941 he loaded up the family and headed for California and a better way of life. The family settled in Bakersfield. Wanda first learned to sing in a church gospel choir. She learned to play the guitar after her father bought her one in 1943. The Jackson family moved back to Oklahoma City in 1949 when Wanda was 12-years-old. While attending high school, Wanda won a talent show at a local radio station. Her prize was a daily fifteen-minute radio program. She and Elvis were an item for a time, and he told her that rock & roll was going to be the next big thing and encouraged her to try it. She didn't think she had the voice for it, but he disagreed. He even recommended some songs for her. At first she was reluctant, but she signed a recording contract with Capitol at about that time and decided to give it a try. Wanda produced numerous examples of raw, prototypical rock & roll. The most distinctive aspect was her voice. She developed a wild, growling sound that at times sounds possessed or strangely alien.

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