Jackie DeShannon

A version of "When You Walk in the Room" by Pam Tillis in 1994 topped the country charts. Many of his fans consider him very underrated as a performer, guitarist, and producer. The songs "Breakaway" recorded by Tracey Ullman in 1983 and "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" recorded by Annie Lennox and Al Green in 1988 also became huge hits. The list of artists he has worked with is immense, from legends to footnotes in rock history. It earned DeShannon the 1982 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. in semi-retirement, releasing the occasional album and touring infrequently, mainly due to ill health. In 1975 with Donna Weiss, she composed "Queen of the Rodeo" and "Bette Davis Eyes" for her album New Arrangement. The song "Bette Davis Eyes" later became a worldwide Number 1 single for singer Kim Carnes in 1981. He now lives in L.A.

While DeShannon hasn't produced any further Top Ten singles of her own, her songs have been covered by other artists who have in turn converted them into hits. He even soundtracked a Porkies movie. In 1973 she was invited by Van Morrison to sing on his Hard Nose the Highway album. Edmunds spent the 1980s releasing more music to an ever selective audience, collaborating with and producing an assortment of artists, from Paul McCartney to King Kurt, via The Stray Cats. Switching to Atlantic Records in 1970 and moving to Los Angeles, DeShannon recorded the critically acclaimed albums Jackie and Your Baby Is a Lady but they failed to produce the same commercial successes of previous releases. Bizarrely, after their first LP as Rockpile, Seconds Of Pleasure, the band split. The single "Love Will Find a Way" off the same album was also a moderate hit. Dave Edmunds had more hits during this time, including "Girls Talk", "I Knew The Bride", and "Queen Of Hearts".

DeShannon continued writing and recording but it wasn't until 1968 when she scored her next biggest smash single and album, both entitled Put a Little Love in Your Heart. For contractual reasons they could not record as Rockpile until 1980, and so released albums as solo LP's backed by their band. She appeared in the 1967 film C'mon Let's Live a Little with Bobby Vee, as a folk singer. The Brinsley Schwarz connection brought about a collaboration with Nick Lowe, operating under the name Rockpile, with Billy Bremner and Terry Williams. In late 1965, DeShannon recorded Bacharach and David's "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and it provided her first Number 1 hit and regular appearances on television shows and club tours. His own solo LP from that era, Subtle As A Flying Mallet, was similar in style. Moving to New York, DeShannon co-wrote with Randy Newman producing such songs as "She Don't Understand Him" and "Did He Call Today Mama" as well as writing "You Have No Choice" for Delaney Bramblett. After learning his trade as a producer, culminating in a couple of Phil Spector type singles, "Baby I Love You" and "Born To Be With You", he became enamoured of the concurrent pub rock movement of the early 1970s, producing Brinsley Schwarz, Ducks Deluxe, and also The Flamin' Groovies, using a stripped down, grittier sound.

When Jimmy Page recorded his first solo single for Fontana Records, DeShannon sang vocals on "Keep Moving", the B-side of "She Just Satisfies". After the band split, Edmunds had a huge number one single with "I Hear You Knocking", a cover of a blues classic from Smiley Lewis. DeShannon also appeared on the television show Ready Steady Go!. "Sabre Dance" was typical of this, a top ten hit after much airplay from DJ John Peel. Both Page and DeShannon also wrote material for singer Marianne Faithfull including her Top Ten UK and US hit "Come and Stay with Me". Dave Edmunds (born April 15, 1944) came out of Cardiff, Wales in the late 1960s, fronting a band called Love Sculpture who were playing blues and rocked up classical pieces. Staying briefly in England in 1965, DeShannon formed a songwriting partnership with Jimmy Page, which resulted in hit singles "Dream Boy" and "Don't Turn Your Back on Me".

Her music at this stage was heavily influenced by the American West Coast sounds and folk music. DeShannon also wrote "Don' Doubt Yourself Babe" for The Byrds debut album. DeShannon's biggest break came in February, 1964 when she supported The Beatles on their first US tour, and formed a touring band with guitarist Ry Cooder. She also co-starred and sang with Bobby Vinton in the teen surf movie Surf Party.

DeShannon dated Elvis Presley and formed friendships with The Everly Brothers and Ricky Nelson. During these years it was her songwriting and public profile, rather than her singing, which kept her contracted to Liberty Records. She 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. English group The Searchers later covered both songs in 1963 for success on the UK charts.

In 1962, DeShannon signed with Liberty Records and recorded "Needles and Pins" and "When You Walk in the Room", with both resulting in major American hits. The partnership produced hits such as "Dum Dum" and "He's the Great Imposter" for Brenda Lee and The Fleetwoods respectively. DeShannon was then commissioned to write the soundtrack for the 1961 film Splendor in the Grass. Recording under various names such as Sherry Lee, Jackie Dee, and Jackie Shannon, she had little success however her interpretations of country songs, "Buddy" and "Trouble", gained the attention of Eddie Cochran who arranged for her to travel to California and meet singer songwriter Sharon Sheeley, who formed a writing partnership with DeShannon in 1960. By the age of eleven, DeShannon was already hosting her own radio program.

The daughter of showbusiness parents, Sandra Jean and James Erwin Myers, DeShannon was introduced to singing country tunes on a local radio show at the age of six. Jackie DeShannon was born in Hazel, Kentucky. Record company executives at Liberty Records thought the name Sharon Myers wouldn't sell records. Sharon Myers adopted the name Jackie DeShannon, believed to be an Irish ancestor.

She is one of the first female singer songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period. Jackie DeShannon, real name Sharon Lee Myers, (born August 21, 1944) is an American singer/songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. The Catcher (1972) (television series). C'mon Let's Live a Little (1967).

Intimacy (1966). Surf Party (1964). You Know Me (2000). Come and Get Me: Best of 1958-1980 (2000) (compilation).

The Early Years (1998) (compilation). Trouble with Jackie Dee (1991). The Best of Jackie DeShannon (1991) (compilation). Good as Gold! (1990) (compilation).

What the World Needs Now Is ...: The Definitive Collection (1987) (compilation). Jackie DeShannon (1985) (compilation). Pop Princess (1981) (compilation). Together (1980) (soundtrack).

Quick Touches (1978). You're the Only Dancer (1977). The Very Best of Jackie DeShannon (1975) (compilation). New Arrangement (1975).

Your Baby Is a Lady (1974). Jackie (1972). Songs (1971). To Be Free (1970).

Put a Little Love In Your Heart (1969). Laurel Canyon (1969). Lonely Girl (1968) (compilation). What the World Needs Now Is Love (1968).

Me About You (1968). For You (1967). New Image (1967). Are You Ready for This? (1967).

C'Mon Let's Live a Little (1966) (soundtrack). You Won't Forget Me (1965) (compilation). In the Wind (1965). This Is Jackie DeShannon (1965).

Surf Party (1964) (soundtrack). Don't Turn Your Back On Me (1964). Breakin' It Up On the Beatles Tour (1964). Jackie DeShannon (1963).