Nashville Music Blog

Yesterday I was given the opportunity to interview the incredibly gracious and enthusiastic Wanda Jackson. While it seemed as if she would've been happy to keep talking for hours, the 20 minutes that I kept her on the phone was the maximum amount of her time that I could justify taking for a web-only interview. In that time we touched on her new generation of fans, her memories of Nashville, her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, her thoughts on Britney and Miley and of course her time under the stewardship of Elvis Presley.

As you might recall, I posted yesterday asking if any of you out in cyberspace had questions for Miss Jackson. I was for real, and I ended up fitting in Heather's question about being forced to cover up her spaghetti straps at the Grand Ole Opry and Glenn's question about her appearance in a New York Times crossword puzzle. I thank both Heather and Glenn for their participation. Take a look after the jump!

Nashville Cream: Are you excited about coming to Nashville?

Wanda Jackson: Sure, yeah, I like to go to Nashville. I don't get there as often as I'd like to, but it's always fun.

NC: Of what I'm sure are many experiences you've had in Nashville throughout your career what has been your most memorable experience here?

WJ: It's a place we love to eat. [Laughs.] Well, I think when Nashville comes to my mind I always think of the recording studio at Columbia. I never did live there, of course, and I think of the Spence Hotel. There used to be a kind of small specialty hotel called Spence, and it was across the street from the old [Country Music] Hall of Fame, and it was very elegant, a very unique place. I think of that and just the guys in the studio, you know, Grady Martin, Floyd Kramer, the Jordanaires, Charlie McCoy and all those guys. The sessions were just such fun because they were creative and worked with so many nice people, and they were so professional it just knocked me out to watch them work and see the ideas they came up with. It was fascinating to me.

NC: Are you playing with any Nashville musicians currently?

WJ: Well, when I come into Nashville, um, isn't it Wednesday night I think?

NC: Tuesday.

WJ: Tuesday, yeah. I'm doing Marty Stuart's television show on Monday, and then Tuesday night at The 5 Spot. That's a new place for me; I'm not familiar with the room.

NC: It's actually a really great place. It's small and intimate, very hip.

WJ: Really? I prefer the small rooms. They don't make as much money but they sure are fun to play. I'm working with Steve Haggard and his band, and I've never worked with them before so I'm sure they're great. They were recommended highly. We'll have a rehearsal that afternoon and do our show that night.

NC: I heard you've played Chris Scruggs.

WJ: He was in a band that I toured with, or he was on part of the tour, I think with Rosie Flores and I. Might not [want to] quote me on that, because I'm not sure, but I think he was on a few of those dates. We did a very extended tour; we did five weeks across America, Rosie Flores and I, and she had Nashville musicians. I believe he worked with us on some of those dates.

NC: At 71 do you still get a lot of enjoyment out of touring? What is it that makes you go out there and keep doing it?

WJ: Well, it's just the love of singing and entertaining, and of course the people. I have a whole new generation of [fans] now, and these aren't people my age; these are people more your age.

NC: Yeah, that's why it makes sense to play at the 5 spot. That's where me and my friends hang out.

WJ: The 20- and 30-somethings are really into rockabilly and the '50s rock music. They're so much fun because they know all these songs, and it really is strange to see all these young faces and they're all singing along. They know all the words to the songs of mine that I did back in the '50s. It really just throws you for a minute, you're like "How do they know these songs?" But they're such great fans. A lot of times they know more about the music that I recorded than I do. They know who played on them and what year it was released and all these particulars that I've kind of forgotten. Plus it keeps me feeling like a teenager, let's face it, singing my songs I sang when I was a teenager and having all these kids holler and clap and sing with me. There's nothing not to love about that, and travel, of course I've always loved to travel. Of course it's a little more difficult these days.

NC: How come?

WJ: Well, airplane service and things isn't what it used to be, and there are so many more people and just a lot of hassle. I don't have to take care of reservations and things, but you know, my husband does my booking and takes care of all of that: arrangements for bookings and hotels and rent-a-cars and airplanes. All I really have to do is pack and leave, but it's still not as enjoyable as it used to be. It's rush, rush, and the places are so large. As you get older, you slow down a little bit, so it's a little harder for me to do but I still love to go. I'll keep doing it as long as I can.

NC: I want to congratulate you on your induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. Were you surprised when you found out about that?

WJ: It was like shock and awe, after all these years. I was beginning to think, well they've forgotten me totally. So that was nice.

NC: Do you feel you should have been inducted sooner?

WJ: Yeah, well, in all probability there's a bunch that should be in there already, not just me. They had a lot of influence on the pop music of the day, but you know it's better late than never. What made it, I feel like, really happen for me this year...I was on the final ballot once before...but since then Elvis Costello has written a letter to the people at the hall and explained that if they're going to have credibility in their museum and hall of fame then I need to be in there. Then Bruce Springsteen stepped up and said basically the same thing, and I have a wonderful documentary that has just been released recently being shown on television, a lot of talk and gotten a lot of press on that, about my whole life and contribution to the music. I believe that all must have worked together to help, and my fans have been wonderful to write in and ask for me to be inducted. I guess that's what it takes is people reminding them of who all's out there that should be in the hall. But anyway, regardless of that, I never thought too much about it one way or the other. It only makes sense, that if you're going to have a rock and roll hall of fame, you should have the people that started that music. They have the big ones in there, but you know along with me, this year Bill Black is just now being recognized, and also DJ Fontana, drummer and bass player with Elvis in the beginning. And you know, that just doesn't make sense to me. And the Crickets, they still aren't in there.

NC: Really? I actually didn't know that.

WJ: I just found that out. I worked the big Buddy Holly festival in commemoration...
This one was at Clear Lake, Iowa...the last place that he played.

NC: Right, for the anniversary of the crash?

WJ: Anniversary, that's right, that's the word.

NC: You are being inducted to the hall as an "early influence". In light of that, what do you feel is your greatest legacy?

WJ: I think being the first woman to do it is a pretty good legacy to leave. I know I've had girls tell me that they love this kind of music and they wanted to sing it but until they heard me or saw me doing it they thought it was just men that could do this kind of music. I know at the beginning that's the way it was, and it's kind of like I gave girls permission to get in there and write your own songs and get out there and do it just like the guys. I changed the way of dressing for girls, at least in country music that crossed over into the rock and pop fields. By going to the more glamorous and sexy style of dressing.

NC: Do you think fashion is a big part of music?

WJ: Oh absolutely, don't you?

NC: I would say so; I think the visual aspect is a big part of entertainment.

WJ: Yeah, you can just mention one item of clothing and you can almost say what artist, you know: holes in the worn out jeans, you know, Dwight Yoakam, and a bandanna around the head, Willie Nelson.

NC: I asked some of our readers if they might have any questions, and one of the things someone asked whether or not the story about you playing at the Grand Ole Opry and being forced to wear a jacket over spaghetti straps is true.

WJ: Oh yeah, that's a true story. And you know I don't fault the Grand Ole Opry for that. I really don't. I want that to be mentioned, and they don't always mention this. They had invited me to come sing; this was the way I was dressing, course I'm a Midwesterner, and so a little more adventurous maybe. I had a special dress, and I designed it, and my mother made it, and it was spaghetti strap and sweetheart neck and silk fringes. When I got there, Earnest Tubb told me I'd have to cover up my shoulders cause women couldn't show their shoulders on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. I said, well, it's the only dress I brought with me, you know, so I don't know what to do. He said, well you'll have to put a coat or something on. So I wore a jacket that evening that I put on. It was a nice looking jacket; it was a leather one with the long fringe. I'm sure it looked all right, but it just broke my heart. So that was my experience with the Grand Ole Opry.

NC: You cut your first single at 16; what would you say is the difference between what you were doing at the time and what someone like Miley Cyrus or Britney Spears or younger female singers like that are doing now? Do you feel like there is connection to what you did then and what they do now?

WJ: I've never been asked that question, Adam. I do relate to them, I can say that much. And how...just by being a free spirit and doing it their way. You know, sometimes that doesn't work for artists; sometimes you're too far out or too different. It worked for me, and it works for them, so I understand that spirit of "let's be different, let's change this up a little bit, you know, it's time we do something else."

NC: Did you get a chance to watch the Grammys this weekend?

WJ: You know, I didn't even realize they were on. I don't know where I was; I think I was home. Sometimes I'm out on tour and then get home and I don't realize what's coming on TV, and I miss it. I did hear that my friend Brenda Lee got the lifetime achievement award which I'm so very proud for her, a gracious little lady and so talented. No, I didn't see the show.

NC: I will be at your show on Tuesday. What should I expect to see?

WJ: Well, you'll probably see Wanda Jackson in still her silk fringe, but probably not spaghetti straps and tights skirts anymore, if you know what I mean. [Laughs.] I try to have a reminiscence, a look of the Wanda Jackson that they hear on their records, and I still play guitar on some of the songs. I'll be doing all the songs that are most requested anyway, the "Mean Mean Man," "Fujiyama Mama," "I Gotta Know," "Let's Have a Party" and all those, and I'll probably throw in a couple of country songs too, maybe a yodel and a Jimmie Rodgers because those are the types of songs that influenced me in the beginning.

NC: Will you be playing any Elvis songs?

WJ: Yeah, I will because I have my album out now, my I Remember Elvis CD. It's my latest one, so yeah, I'll probably do maybe three songs from that album and talk about having worked with him. I kind of, a lot of the people that write, you know, my words aren't coming real good today, when they critique a show, they'll say you get a bit of a history lesson along with Wanda's concert. Most of the kids, you know, they like that, mention people that I work with and little stories here and there.

NC: It seems impossible to read anything about you that doesn't mention Elvis. How does it feel to be so closely associated with the King?

WJ: Well, he did so much for me, just by encouraging me and making me believe in myself and wanting me to stretch my talent. Don't say you can't do something; jump in there and try it. He said, "I know you can do this kind of music," and I sure didn't know I could. So he's just been very important in my career and as a person in my life just because he was wonderful, and I have sweet sweet memories of Elvis. I have that ring that he gave me of course, that I wore around my neck. We were just, we liked each other a whole lot. We were very good friends. I love talking about him.

NC: Another one of our readers would like to know if you were honored by the use of your name is a New York Times crossword puzzle last week?

WJ: I certainly was. In fact, of course being in Oklahoma I didn't see the paper, but I have a lot of fans in the New York area, and that was sent to me. So I thought well, now I think I've really arrived. [Laughs.] Yeah, I'd forgotten about that little thing; that was nice.

Wanda Jackson appears at The 5 Spot on Tuesday night (Feb. 17). Tickets are $15.