I once asked Steve Wynn if he was bothered that bands like R.E.M. had cited his Dream Syndicate as an influence, given their relative success and his relative obscurity. His response was both mature and profound, insisting he would much rather be remembered as an influence, since it continued to ripple through the universe, in his own work and in the work of those he has affected.
Essentially, it’s the same thing for Wanda Jackson, one of the most influential Rockabilly stars to never benefit from her immeasurable impact, primarily due to the backward ’50s notion that audiences wouldn’t accept a female Rock & Roll artist. Although she scored respectable hits, “Let’s Have a Party,” “Fujiyama Mama” and “Mean, Mean Man” among them, and even dated Elvis Presley for a time before his ascendance to the Rock throne, Jackson was never promoted properly and therefore never gained the respect and fame that was rightfully hers.
Wanda Jackson plays Southgate House Sautrday with the Dex Romweber Trio. Go here to read Brian Baker’s full Sound Advice.
This article appears in Mar 16-22, 2011.
