Wanda Jackson Way to be dedicated today
Wanda Jackson (Photo by Jaconna Aguirre/The Oklahoman)
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett will be joined by city and state leaders to officially dedicate Wanda Jackson Way in Bricktown with a ceremony at 1:30 p.m. today.
The event will be highlighted by a very special live musical performance by the Queen of Rockabilly herself. The event is free and open to the public. Wanda Jackson Way is located north and parallel with East Reno Avenue and extends from South Oklahoma Avenue to South Mickey Mantle Drive.
Oklahoma City Council voted unanimously on July 21 to name a Bricktown alley after Jackson for her lifetime musical achievements.
The internationally acclaimed musician and longtime Oklahoma City resident was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4. Mayor Mick Cornett proclaimed March 24, 2009 Wanda Jackson Day in Oklahoma City.
Jackson was America’s first major female rockabilly singer. When she began touring as a teenager in 1955 she was placed on the bill with rising star Elvis Presley.
A few of Jackson’s hits include, “You Can’t Have my Love,” “Fujiyama Mama” and “Let’s Have a Party.”
Jackson was born in Maud in 1937. Her family moved to California during the depression in 1941 and returned to Oklahoma City when Jackson was about 12 years old. While attending Capitol Hill High School she won a local talent competition and was offered a 15-minute daily show on radio station KLPR. Country singer Hank Thompson heard her perform and encouraged her to record with the Brazos Valley Boys. “You can’t have my Love” became a national hit in 1954, when Jackson was just 17 years old.
Jackson continues to tour world wide, singing country, rockabilly and gospel. She has been nominated for two Grammys, and in 2008 was the subject of a documentary, “The Sweet Lady with the Nasty Voice.”
The dedication is being coordinated in conjunction with the Oklahoma Film & Music Office, the Bricktown Association, Downtown OKC, Inc., the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.
-BAM
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
If you don’t know who Wanda Jackson is, YouTube her. She was a saucy little rock n roller. Very good.