Ep. 45 - WANDA JACKSON ("Mean, Mean Man")

Pioneering female artist and celebrated Queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson, landed more than 30 songs on the Billboard charts between 1954 and 1974. These include the self-penned singles "Right or Wrong" and "In the Middle of a Heartache," two Top 10 hits which proved to be Jackson’s most successful records as a solo artist. Beginning her career as a pure country singer, Wanda’s debut single was a duet with Billy Gray called “You Can’t Have My Love.” Released on Decca Records, the song hit #8 on the country chart in 1954. She later switched to the Capitol label where she was encouraged by then-boyfriend and tour mate Elvis Presley to embrace rockabilly. Facing a lack of female-oriented material in the genre, Wanda penned her own songs, including the rockabilly standards "Mean Mean Man," "Rock Your Baby," "Cool Love" and "Baby Loves Him," each of which was released as a single on Capitol Records and later appeared on her classic Rockin' with Wanda LP. Additionally, she penned Top 10 hits for other artists, including Bobby Lord's "Without Your Love" in 1956, Buck Owens's "Kickin' Our Hearts Around" in 1962, and Ronnie Dove's revival of "Right or Wrong" in 1964. Jackson is a BMI Performance Award winner, multiple Grammy nominee, and a member of the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. "I love her, she's so brilliant. I don't think 'Rollin' in the Deep' would exist if it wasn't for Wanda Jackson." - Adele "Wanda Jackson, an atomic fireball of a lady, could have a smash hit with just about anything." - Bob Dylan "Look around today and you can hear lots of rocking girl singers who owe an unconscious debt to the mere idea of a woman like Wanda. She was standing up on stage with a guitar in her hands and making a sound that was as wild and raw as any rocker, man or woman, while other gals were still asking, 'How much is that doggy in the window?'" - Elvis Costello "In his London office, [Paul] McCartney is surrounded by his roots and history - there is Beatles and Wings memorabilia, and a vintage jukebox loaded with 78s by Fats Domino, Wanda Jackson and Elvis Presley." - Rolling Stone magazine "There's an authenticity in her voice that conjures up a world and a very distinct and particular place in time." - Bruce Springsteen