Wanda LaVonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter who has retired from performing. Since the 1950s, she has created music in the genres of rock, country, and gospel. She was one of the first women to have a career in rock and roll. She recorded several songs in the 1950s that earned her the nickname "The Queen of Rockabilly." She is also considered one of the first female stars in country music.
Jackson began singing as a child and later hosted her own radio show in Oklahoma City. Country singer Hank Thompson discovered her and helped her get a recording contract with Decca Records in 1954. At Decca, her first hit was the country song "You Can't Have My Love." She began touring with Elvis Presley the next year. Presley encouraged her to record rockabilly music. In 1956, Jackson signed with Capitol Records, where she was allowed to record both country and rockabilly songs. The label released several of her rock songs, including "Fujiyama Mama," "Mean Mean Man," and the top 40 hit "Let's Have a Party."
In the 1960s, Jackson returned to country music and had several songs that charted on music lists. These included "Right or Wrong," "In the Middle of a Heartache," "Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine," and "A Woman Lives for Love." She also recorded songs for the German market. In 1965, the German single "Santo Domingo" reached number one on the Austrian pop chart. In 1971, Jackson rediscovered her faith in Christianity and focused more on gospel music. She left Capitol Records in 1973 and signed with Word Records to work in the gospel music industry. Over the next two decades, she released many gospel records.
In 1984, European promoters invited Jackson to tour overseas. That same year, she released her first rock album in two decades, starting a new career in rock music. In the 1990s, her rock music gained attention in the United States again. She toured with fellow rockabilly artist Rosie Flores. During this time, she released several successful rock albums, including Heart Trouble (2003) and I Remember Elvis (2006). In 2009, Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She later worked with musician Jack White to record the successful album The Party Ain't Over. For many years, she performed regularly until she ended her performing career in 2019. In 2021, she released her 32nd and final studio album, Encore.
Early life
Jackson was the only child of Tom and Nellie Jackson in Maud, Oklahoma. Her father worked several jobs, such as a gas station attendant and a delivery truck driver. He also played music in a local band with his brother. Because there were few job opportunities in Maud, the family moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1941. At home, Jackson often sang with her parents. Her mother sometimes had Jackson sing while she was out of sight to make sure her daughter was safe. In Los Angeles, Jackson was introduced to western swing music. She enjoyed listening to music by popular western performers like Bob Wills and Rose Maddox. When she was six years old, her father taught her how to play the guitar. She also took guitar lessons and quickly became skilled enough to play with her father.
In the mid-1940s, the family moved to Bakersfield, California, where Tom Jackson found work as a barber. Jackson took piano lessons and continued playing the guitar. During this time, she struggled with schoolwork. Jackson wrote in her autobiography: "All I wanted to do was sing and play music, and it was impossible for me to sit still." When Jackson was nine years old, the family returned to Oklahoma, this time living in Oklahoma City. Her father worked as a taxi driver, and her mother found employment at an air force base.
In Oklahoma City, Jackson sang at the local Baptist church and had more performance opportunities. She auditioned for the local radio station, KLPR, after being encouraged by friends. She was featured on one program, which impressed the station’s disc jockey. He encouraged her to audition for a second KLPR contest. Jackson won the second contest, which gave her a 15-minute radio segment. On the show, Jackson performed country songs and admitted she had little experience hosting a radio program. "I was flying by the seat of my pants, but it didn’t scare me to try something new. I liked it," she wrote in her biography.
As a teenager, Jackson attended Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City and continued her radio show. She also dated a classmate named Leonard Sipes, who later became known as Tommy Collins. In 1952, Jackson was heard on the radio by country singer Hank Thompson, a local resident. Thompson invited Jackson to perform with him at the Trianon Ballroom in Oklahoma City. On Thompson’s show, Jackson sang "Blue Yodel No. 6" with his band, the Brazos Valley Boys. The performance led to regular opportunities to sing with Merl Lindsay’s country band. Jackson was constantly performing and sometimes neglected her social life. "Wanda never had time for dates or anything like that. Just that guitar – that’s all she thought about," a high school friend recalled.
Career
Jackson continued working with Hank Thompson. In 1953, she appeared with him regularly on his local television program and on a similar program for 30 minutes hosted by KLPR. Thompson recorded Jackson on several demonstration tapes in hopes they would be heard by major record labels. Thompson also tried to get his band member Billy Gray a recording contract and had the pair sing several duets. Jackson was supposed to be signed by Thompson's label, Capitol Records, but was rejected by producer Ken Nelson. "Girls don't sell records!" he told Thompson. In her book, Jackson recalled hearing Nelson's statement: "I recognize that Ken wasn't being sexist, so much as he was thinking about business. But it still gave me a little nudge to prove him wrong!"
Instead, Thompson contacted Paul Cohen of Decca Records, who was interested in signing Jackson and Billy Gray. In 1954, while still in high school, Jackson signed with the label. In March 1954, the Jackson family traveled to Hollywood, California, where she recorded her first Decca sessions backed by Thompson's band. She cut several solo sides, along with the Billy Gray duet, "You Can't Have My Love." Jackson disliked the song, but Thompson convinced her to record it. It was soon released as Jackson's debut single on Decca and became a major hit, climbing to the number-eight spot on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart. Upon Decca's encouragement, Jackson and Gray recorded a second duet, titled "If You Don't Somebody Else Will." Released as a single, the song was a commercial failure due to a competing version by Jimmy & Johnny that reached the charts.
Instead of touring, Jackson started her senior year in fall 1954 and finished high school. She was part of the school band and acted in the musical Anything Goes. In March 1955, she returned to the recording studio, this time working with Paul Cohen at the Decca studio in Nashville, Tennessee. Jackson also did her first performance on the Grand Ole Opry while in town. For the performance, her mother made a dress fitted with spaghetti straps and a sweetheart neckline. Host Ernest Tubb told her it was unacceptable, so she covered it with a fringe jacket. She later recalled hearing fellow Opry members making negative comments about her while she was onstage. "I decided that night that the Grand Ole Opry scene was not for me," she recounted.
In 1955, Jackson graduated from Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City and began touring. Jackson's father quit his job to become her full-time manager, and he hired Bob Neal to book her engagements. Jackson's first concert dates included up-and-coming performer Elvis Presley. Together, the pair worked multiple shows alongside several other country performers in the United States that year. Jackson's father chaperoned her during the shows and drove her from one date to the next. Presley encouraged her to perform rock and roll music. He played her several rhythm and blues records and informed her of rock's growing popularity. Jackson also joined the cast of the Ozark Jubilee in 1955.
In 1956, Decca Records released Jackson from her contract. With Hank Thompson's help, she secured a new contract with Capitol Records the same year. At her first Capitol recording session, Jackson cut two country songs and one rock and roll selection. One song, "I Gotta Know," incorporated elements of both country and rock. According to Jackson, the song's mixture of rock allowed her to get acquainted with the genre. Released as a single in 1956, "I Gotta Know" became Jackson's second commercially successful release, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard country and western sides chart. Jackson continued recording rock and roll music under her Capitol contract and was given full permission to do so by producer Ken Nelson. Jackson also composed several of her Capitol recordings, including "Baby Loves Him," "Cool Love," and "Mean Mean Man." She continued recording country music as well, often putting each style on either side of a single release.
Writers and critics have remarked positively about Jackson's recordings from the 1950s and noted their take on women's sexuality. Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann described songs like "Baby Loves Him" as "rockabilly classics." In addition, they commented that Jackson's rock records were "sexually aggressive" and demonstrated "almost frightening savagery." Bruce Eder added that Jackson's material was at times "astonishingly raucous and even raunchy." Meanwhile, Kurt Wolff found that Jackson's rock material was also mixed with traditional country elements, which added to her musical individuality: "Jackson mixed straight country material and hot-to-the-core rockabilly numbers almost right from the beginning… Songs like 'Fujiyama Mama' and 'Mean Mean Man' were hard and fast, giving her plenty of reason to shimmy around in her glamorous fringe dresses."
In 1957, Jackson began working under a new booking agent, who arranged several tours in 1957 and 1958. Fellow performers included Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. With her new management, Jackson was making more money, sometimes as much as $500 per gig. Meanwhile, her follow-up singles proved unsuccessful in the United States. According to Jackson, Capitol was unsure how to market her. "Capitol was still trying to figure out what to do with me, but they maintained faith that I could have strong potential in the teen market," she recalled in 2017. To promote her material, the label chose to release Jackson's eponymous debut album in 1958. The record mixed both rock and country selections. Included were her covers of the rock songs "Money Honey" and "Long Tall Sally." Also included were the country songs "Heartbreak Ahead" and "Making Believe." Produced by Ken Nelson, it was released on Capitol in July 1958 with six tracks on either side of the record.
Also in 1958, Jackson saw success overseas with the rock and roll single, "Fujiyama Mama." Ken Nelson was reluctant to release the song, with its references to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. Yet, the disc found commercial appeal with Japanese fans, reaching number one on the nation's music chart. The song's success led Jackson to a Japanese tour in 1959. She played venues in major cities including Tokyo and Okinawa. Upon her return to America, Jackson played in Las Vegas with Bob Wills and did additional concerts with her newly formed touring band. At different points, the band lineup included Roy Clark and black pianist Big Al Downing. She recalled touring alongside Downing, who was sometimes denied entrance into venues because of his race. In response, Jackson would refuse to work a show unless Downing performed with her. "Look, he's part of our band. If he's not welcome, then none of us are," she once told a club owner.
In 1960, Jackson's album cover of "Let's Have a Party" was discovered by an Iowa disc jockey, which
Artistry
Wanda Jackson's musical style includes rockabilly, country, and gospel music. Early in her career, she released country and rock records at the same time. Music writers and critics have discussed why she made this choice. Critic Bruce Eder explained that "she spent years balancing traditional country and rock & roll, trying to find a place for herself and earn a living." Author Kurt Wolff wrote that Jackson released both genres together because she "never [felt] the need to hide one type of music from fans of the other." Critic William Ruhlmann suggested that Jackson "was encouraged to mix musical styles" because her record label worried that rock music might lose popularity.
Jackson's unique vocal style, known as a growl, has also been studied by writers and historians. Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann said that Jackson's growl "captured the raw energy of rock and roll better than any female of her time." Maria Sherman of NPR noted that Jackson's growl changed how audiences saw female singers. Stephen L. Betts of Rolling Stone described her voice as "a one-of-a-kind sound like powerful energy wrapped in rough texture." One journalist once called her "a really sweet lady – with a nasty voice." In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Jackson at number 149 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Jackson is also known for yodeling. Many of her songs include yodeling, such as "Cowboy Yodel" (1969) and "Jesus Put a Yodel in My Soul" (1975). She told the BBC, "I always yodelled. People just loved yodelling."
Jackson's stage outfits and performances have also been discussed. Unlike other female country performers, Jackson wore gold lamé outfits and sequined dresses, many designed by her mother. She told the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, "I was the first one to add some glamour to country music." Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann noted that her outfits showed "energy and boldness that surprised some people." Her high-energy stage movements also stood out. Bobby Moore said her shows included "upbeat songs" and "high-energy" performances that made audiences "want to party like they don’t have to work the next day." Jackson explained that she wanted to make sure people "have a good time when they come to a concert."
Jackson is called "The Queen of Rockabilly" because she was one of the first female performers in the rock genre. She is also considered one of the first women to have a long career in country music. Her work has influenced many artists in both country and rock music. Country artist Pam Tillis honored Jackson by including her in a 1995 concert series at the Ryman Auditorium. Rosie Flores said Jackson inspired her career, explaining in a 2012 interview that "the older you get, the music you do and the way you present it don’t have to change." Jann Browne included Jackson on her 1990 album Tell Me Why. Miranda Lambert said Jackson helped change how audiences and record labels viewed female artists, adding, "She helped pave the way for me to do what I love."
In rock music, several artists have named Jackson an influence. Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello honored her in a 2008 documentary about her life. Cyndi Lauper said Jackson was one of her earliest influences, recording "Funnel of Love" for her 2016 album Detour. Adele said Jackson’s "greatest hits" package influenced her 2008 album 19. Elle King also named Jackson as an influence in 2016.
Recognition and legacy
Wanda Jackson was nominated for a Grammy Award twice. In 1964, her album Two Sides of Wanda was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. In 1970, her song "A Woman Lives for Love" was also nominated for the same category. Her recording of "Let's Have a Party" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2024.
Years later, Jackson received the Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. She was the first woman to win this honor in the country and rock music genres.
During this time, many rock musicians supported Jackson’s inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2005, Elvis Costello wrote a letter to the organization explaining why she should be inducted. Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen also supported her. In 2005, she was nominated for the Hall of Fame. In 2009, she was officially inducted under the "Early Influence" category. Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash presented her with the induction.
Jackson was also inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame. Internationally, she was inducted into the International Gospel Hall of Fame and the German Country Music Hall of Fame.
In 2009, Oklahoma City named an alley in the Bricktown entertainment district after Jackson. Her hometown of Maud also named a street after her. In 2010, she and John Mellencamp received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Honors. In 2016, she was honored with the "Founder of the Sound" award at the Ameripolitan Music Awards.
In 2002, Jackson was featured on CMT’s TV special 40 Great Women in Country Music. In 2006, Alfred Publishing released a songbook titled The Best of Wanda Jackson: Let's Have a Party, which includes music and lyrics from 13 of her songs. In 2008, the Smithsonian Channel produced a documentary about her career titled The Sweet Lady with the Nasty Voice. In 2019, Ken Burns included her in his TV documentary Country Music.
Personal life
After spending time touring with Elvis Presley, Jackson and Presley began a romantic relationship in 1955. Presley asked her to make the relationship official by giving Jackson a small diamond ring that she wore on a necklace. In her autobiography, she explained that Presley "won my heart as I was learning what it meant to embrace my femininity and express myself as a young woman." According to Jackson, the relationship ended in 1956 when Presley began appearing in films and Colonel Tom Parker took control of his career.
During her teenage years, Jackson became friends with aspiring country performer Norma Jean. The two often appeared on the Ozark Jubilee television show and spent time together frequently. Norma Jean began dating local resident Wendell Goodman, and Jackson sometimes joined them on dates. In 1961, Norma Jean accepted an offer to become a cast member of The Porter Wagoner Show in Nashville and ended her relationship with Goodman. Jackson and Goodman began dating shortly after their breakup. In her 2017 book, Jackson recalled that she fell in love with him before they started dating: "When they [Norma Jean and Goodman] first came into the house and I saw Wendell, that was it. It was love at first sight." The couple married in 1961. Goodman had started a career in computers with IBM but left the job to become his wife’s full-time business manager. He later managed her company, Wanda Jackson Enterprises. In 2017, Goodman died at the age of 81.
The couple had two children: their daughter, Gina, was born in 1962, and their son, Greg, was born in 1964. Because Jackson’s husband traveled with her, the children stayed home and were raised by nannies. Jackson’s parents also cared for the children on weekends. "I knew their childhood wasn’t normal, and I’ve always felt a little guilty about that," she recalled in 2017.
"I had a lot to learn, but God was teaching me. We were surrounded by people who helped us grow in our faith. I felt like, at the age of thirty-three, I was just learning what it meant to live life fully. He saved our marriage, too, as Wendell and I came together in pursuit of spiritual morality. Our priorities changed, and we both felt a deep sense of peace."
By 1971, Jackson became unhappy with her professional and personal life. "I had everything a person could need or want, but I still couldn’t shake a dull, persistent sense of emptiness inside," she later explained. She and her husband also struggled with alcohol. Their drinking problems led Goodman to become physically and verbally abusive toward Jackson. After returning from a show, Jackson recalled going to church with her family and having a life-changing experience. "After we got up off our knees, everything was different," she stated in her autobiography. The couple found comfort in Christianity and dedicated their lives to spirituality in 1971. They were later baptized and said that faith saved their marriage.
The couple’s belief in their faith led them to work with Evangelists in Dallas, Texas, during the late 1970s. Her husband set up an office building in Dallas that provided resources to local ministries. As Jackson’s rockabilly music revived in the 1980s, the couple chose to spend less time on Christian work. "It was hard to feel right about singing in bars again, but God confirmed in my spirit that this was where He wanted me to be most effective," she explained in her autobiography.
In the 2010s, Jackson developed pneumonia and was hospitalized for a week. A knee replacement became infected with MRSA, and she fell several times in her Oklahoma home, damaging her shoulder. In 2017, her internal bleeding was treated at a hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, that specialized in nutritional and medical therapy. A 2018 stroke led her to retire. She said it would have harmed her more if her daughter had not brought her to the hospital earlier. "I was so fortunate," she told The Independent in 2021.
Books
Every Night Is Saturday: The Story of a Country Girl's Path to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (with Scott Bomar) (2017)