Jackie DeShannon was born on Sharon Lee Myers, August 21,1941 and is an American singer-songwriter and radio broadcaster with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards, as both singer and composer.
26 Facts About Jackie DeShannon
2.
Jackie DeShannon was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock and roll period.
3.
Since 2009 DeShannon has been an entertainment broadcast correspondent reporting Beatles band members' news for the radio program Breakfast with the Beatles.
4.
Jackie DeShannon was born in Hazel, Kentucky, the daughter of parents who were farmers and musically inclined, James Erwin Myers and Sandra Jeanne.
5.
Jackie DeShannon had made appearances with the Pee Wee King Show at Ottawa, Rockford and LaSalle in recent weeks.
6.
Jackie DeShannon attended Batavia High School for two years, leaving school after her second year.
7.
Jackie DeShannon began to record under various names such as Sherry Lee, Jackie Dee, and Jackie Shannon, with mixed success.
8.
In 1960, DeShannon signed with Liberty Records, adopting the name Jackie DeShannon, believed to be the name of an Irish ancestor, after executives at Liberty thought the name Sharon Myers would not help sell records.
9.
When she found that "Jackie DeShannon Dee" was too similar to Brenda Lee, Sandra Dee, et al.
10.
Jackie DeShannon fared better with the Sonny Bono-Jack Nitzsche song "Needles and Pins" and the self-penned "When You Walk in the Room" later in 1963.
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Jackie DeShannon recorded many other singles that encompassed teen pop, country ballads, rockabilly, gospel, and Ray Charles-style soul that didn't fare as well on the charts.
12.
Jackie DeShannon dated Elvis Presley and formed friendships with The Everly Brothers and Ricky Nelson.
13.
Jackie DeShannon co-starred and sang with Bobby Vinton in the 1964 teen surf movie Surf Party.
14.
Jackie DeShannon co-wrote "Breakaway" with Sharon Sheeley, which was recorded by Irma Thomas in 1964, and by Tracey Ullman in 1983.
15.
Jackie DeShannon wrote "Don't Doubt Yourself Babe" for Mr Tambourine Man, the 1965 debut album of The Byrds.
16.
Jackie DeShannon wrote material for singer Marianne Faithfull, including her Top Ten UK and US hit "Come and Stay With Me", which became Faithfull's biggest UK hit, peaking at No 4 in 1965.
17.
In March 1965, Jackie DeShannon recorded Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "What the World Needs Now Is Love", which led to club tours and regular appearances on television and went to No 7 on the US charts and No 1 in Canada.
18.
Jackie DeShannon appeared in the 1967 film C'mon, Let's Live a Little, with Bobby Vee, as a folk singer.
19.
Jackie DeShannon continued writing and recording, but it was not until 1969 that she scored her next smash single and album, both entitled "Put a Little Love in Your Heart".
20.
Jackie DeShannon co-wrote four songs on the album with Donna Weiss, including "Queen of the Rodeo" and "Bette Davis Eyes".
21.
Jackie DeShannon released You're the Only Dancer in 1977, and a single from that album, "Don't Let The Flame Burn Out", was a minor hit, reaching No 65 in the Billboard Hot 100.
22.
Jackie DeShannon released You Know Me, an album of original songs, for Varese Sarabande in 2000, and When You Walk in the Room, a new recording of her best-known songs, in 2011.
23.
Jackie DeShannon was portrayed by singer Liz Phair in an episode of American Dreams.
24.
On June 17,2010, Jackie DeShannon was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
25.
Jackie DeShannon has a brother, Randy James Myers and sometimes has written songs with him.
26.
Jackie DeShannon has been married to singer-songwriter and film composer Randy Edelman since 1976.