Brenda Lee

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Brenda Lee (born Brenda Mae Tarpley; December 11, 1944) is an American performer and the top-charting solo female vocalist of the 1960s. She sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 47 US chart hits during the 1960s, and is ranked fourth in that decade surpassed only by Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Ray Charles. She is known for her 1960 hit "I'm Sorry", and 1958's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", which has become a Christmas standard.

At 4 feet 9 inches tall (approximately 145 cm), she received the nickname "Little Miss Dynamite" in 1957, after recording the song "Dynamite" when she was 12, and was one of the earliest pop stars to have a major contemporary international following.

In 1969, Lee returned to the charts with her recording "Johnny One Time". The song reached #3 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart and #41 on Billboard's Hot 100. The song also earned Lee her second Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal. Later success came with a return to her roots as a country singer, with a string of hits through the 1970s and 1980s.

She is a member of the Rock and Roll, Country Music and Rockabilly Halls of Fame. She is also a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Lee is the only woman to be inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Halls of Fame.

Brenda Lee is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 24 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes The Mike Douglas Show (1961), American Masters (1986), The Ed Sullivan Show (1948), Les Rendez-vous du dimanche (1975), The Steve Allen Show (1956), Discorama (1959), Navy Log (1955), The Dick Clark Show (1958). The recorded credits span 1948 to 2025, including 12 movies and 12 TV shows.

The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.