Oklahoma Music Legends
Exploring Oklahoma's Rich Music History and those Oklahoma Artists whose Music has Transcended the States Boundaries.
Oklahoma Music Legends
# 22 Wanda Jackson Oklahoma Artist and Trailblazer for all Female Artists who follow her
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Wanda Jackson was a Trailblazer for all Female Artists who followed her thru the Glass Ceiling into the Music Industry
Welcome to Oklahoma Music Legends Podcast. I'm your host, Tommy Henshaw, Wanda Jackson, born on October the 20th, 1937, in Maud, Oklahoma was destined to forever change the music world, for women and blaze, a path that many have followed into stardom. She was among the very first to infuse raw sex appeal into both country and rock and roll and did it her own way. Standby for the story.
Wanda Jackson was born, the only child of poor, but hardworking parents, Nellie and Tom Jackson, who would later become her inspiration and mentors as she entered into music. As a young man, her father had a very tough time growing up like many others did during those tough times in Oklahoma. Also like many Okies, he had a love for music, playing the guitar and fiddle around in local dance bands to pick up a little extra money. In fact, he met, Wanda's mothers at a dance at Maud, Oklahoma where he was playing with his little band.
Speaker 1Her parents worked at any jobs they could find. Finally, like many Okies before them, they decided to load up the families, two door Pontiac Coupe and head west on highway 66 hoping to find a better life for their family in California. Arriving in Los Angeles. They secured a small apartment in a large house called Gramercy Place, near downtown, Los Angeles where they shared a bath with other tenants. Even though this was a decade after the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, the size and bustle of Los Angeles caused her mother to be very watchful over Wanda. Wanda would bathe in the early evening while her mother was fixing supper. Her mother would tell Wanda to sing while she was bathing, if she couldn't hear her, mother, Jackson would pop her head in into the bathroom telling wanted to sing louder. Later, the family was able to move into a small apartment.
\The move to California didn't dampen her parents love of dancing. Her parents went to dances nearly every weekend. During that time, by the way, parents didn't get babysitters for their children. They brought them along to the dance. That's where Wanda was first introduced to Bob Wills and his Texas playboys and Oklahoma bandleader Spade Cooley, who she would later say was her very favorite. While her dad did not play publicly like he had done in Oklahoma, he continued to play his guitar and fiddle at home. He purchased a little Kay guitar from Sears and began teaching her chords on her guitar, practicing with her, nearly every evening after supper. The family decided to move about 100 miles north to Bakersfield to be near family and for what they thought was better work opportunity. Every Saturday night they would go to Aunt Electa's and Uncle Albert's home and sit around the radio to listen to the Grand Ole Opry.
Speaker 1Here's a side note. Years later at her first invitation to sing on the Opry. Ernest Tubb told her, honey, you can't wear that dress which shown her bare shoulders onto the Opery's stage. Reluctantly, she went back and covered up with a sweater. She gets on the stage and during her song she noticed that some people in the audience were laughing. She looks behind her to see Minnie pearl and a couple of others clowning around on stage behind her. She was infuriated! After multiple invitations. It would be 56 years later before she would accept the Opery's invitation to once again perform on their stage.
At this time, it's important to note Wanda came along at a time when it was very difficult for a woman to succeed in the Country Music Industry. Wanda did it her own way, and she broke through the glass ceiling, which many female artists continue to follow her through today. There's just no doubt that Wanda Jackson was a trailblazer for female artists in all genres of music. Now back to our story, like many Oklahomans before them, and for as many reasons as there were Oklahoma Wanderers, the family loaded back up and moved back home to Oklahoma. Wanda was nine years old. She started fifth grade at Crooked Oak Elementary in Oklahoma City. Her Dad began driving a cab and her mother took a job as a key punch operator at Tinker Air Force Base. The parents earned enough money to build their first little home that was located at 721 Southeast, 35th street in Oklahoma City where they joined the South Lindsay Baptist Church. This is where Wanda would first meet and become lifelong friends with Beverly Wright. Wanda would carry her guitar down to Beverly's house where she would play and sing. They held parties there and played records.
Speaker 1She was also encouraged to play her guitar and sing at Church and at school parties. Radio Station KLPR in Oklahoma City, broadcast all kinds of programming at the time, but they devoted an hour every afternoon to country music. Host, Cousin Jay Davis would play country music for 45 minutes, leaving a 15 minute time slot where local performers could come into the studio and play live. Wanda's friends, kept urging her to take her guitar into the station and audition for the show. She was reluctant no matter how hard her friends insisted until the day her Friends, threw down the gauntlet and dared and then double dog dared her to audition With all of her friends in tow. They all marched down to the station waiting for the show to be over. It was then her best friend Beverly Wright, marched up to Jay Davis and ask him to let Wanda audition for the show. Saying she's the best singer in the country. Davis said, okay, young lady. Let's see what you've got. Halfway through the song, Davis stopped her. Then told her to be at the station tomorrow afternoon, and don't forget your guitar.
Later, Wanda won the talent contest on KLPR where the prize was, a 15 minutes show of her own. Of course, she would have to find her own sponsors. Her Dad found her a used Martin D-18 guitar in an Oklahoma City, Pawn shop. She used it for many years. Today, It hangs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Country Star and Oklahoma City resident Hank Thompson heard her singing on her KPLR radio show. He called her up at the station asking if she would like to join him and his band at a show they were doing at the Trianon Ballroom in Oklahoma City on Saturday night. She said yes, but she would have to ask her mother. Hank Thompson, cleared his throat saying good grief, girl, How old are you? To which she replied. 14. She saying a couple of songs on Hank's show and was a hit with the audience. This began a long friendship between her and Hank Thompson. He helped her secure her first record deal with DECA records while she was still in high school and later with Capital records. After High School graduation, Wanda began to tour with her father, acting as her manager, her chaperone, and also her driver. She often shared the show bill with Elvis Presley. Elvis encouraged her to stretch out her performance style and move from country and to add a little rock and roll and rock and roll style to her stage performance. Her early stage outfits were designed by her and her mother. Unlike the traditional clothing female artists of the day wore, she wore friends, dresses, high heels, and long earrings. Wanda has claimed that she was the first woman to bring glamour into Country Music. In the early sixties, she had a top 40 hit with an Elvis song that he had done three years earlier. Called, Let's have a party. She was headlining concerts, with her band she named the party timers which featured on piano, big Al downing. Fronting her band, was a pretty good guitar player,from Virginia that considers himself a Oklahoman. Roy Clark. In 1963, Wand to record an album named, Two Sides of Wanda, which featured songs from both country and rock and roll, earning, her first grammy nomination. From 1965 through 1979. She focused her music more on traditional country. She also recorded songs in German for German distribution beginning in the seventies at her children's assistance. She moved into performing Gospel Songs and doing Gospel albums In all Wanda, has recorded some 31 albums, has toured all over the world, thrilling crowds, wherever she takes the stage. She was nominated twice for a Grammy once in 64 and the other 1970. She's a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame as well as the International Gospel and the German music Halls of Fame. Two streets been named after her, one in Oklahoma City and the other in her hometown of Maud, Oklahoma. In 2009, she was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 2018, the queen of rockabilly at the age of 81, still continuing to tour, perform, and wow crowds. Her book every night is Saturday night by her and Scott Bowmar was a joy for me to read.
Speaker 2You've been listening to Oklahoma music legends. Hey spread the word. We can be found on I-Tunes, Buzzsprout, Stitcher, Google play, and Spotify. Find us on our website www.oklahomamusiclegends.com Click on the podcast link, where you'll find all of our podcasts. While you're there. check out our picture galleries, join our Oklahoma Music Legends, facebook page. For Oklahoma Music Legends, I'm Tommy Henshaw. Thanks for listening.