Brenda Lee, the renowned singer who broke into fame at a young age, was born Brenda Mae Tarpley in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 11, 1944.
Brenda Lee photographed in 1950 | Source: Getty Images
Lee started singing when she was a baby. Her family noticed her remarkable voice early on, and at three years old, her sister entered her into a talent show, which she won. The singer continued to perform at baseball games and local halls, but at eight, finding singing gigs became a way to survive.
The singer’s father died tragically in a construction accident. The death left Lee and her mother working hard to find gigs for them to make ends meet. Around this time, the singer met a local DJ who advised her to change her name to Brenda Lee to make it more memorable.