Sincerely, Brenda Lee
Encyclopedia
Sincerely, Brenda Lee is the sixth studio album by American pop
and country
artist Brenda Lee
. The album was released February 12, 1962 on Decca Records
and was produced by Owen Bradley
. It was the first of two studio albums released by Brenda Lee in 1962 and did not spawn any singles.
, United States
under the direction of Owen Bradley
. The first session began on January 8, 1961 and the last session took place on October 28, 1961. The album consisted of twelve tracks of material of previously-recorded Pop music
standards. It includes covers of "Lazy River" and "Fools Rush In". It also includes a cover of "Hold Me", which would later become a major Pop hit in 1964 for P.J. Proby. Unlike any of Lee's previous releases for the Decca label, the album did not contain any uptempo numbers that resembled that of Rock and Roll
of Rockabilly
music. Richie Unterberger of Allmusic found that the album did not "add much versatility" because of this missing element. Unterberger reviewed the album and gave it three out of five stars, calling it, "one of the more forgettable albums from her prime, of value only to big fans and completists." Unterberger also stated, "It wasn't unknown for rock singers to make albums dominated by adult-oriented material in an attempt to broaden their appeal, and Lee could sing this kind of stuff well. The problem was that the record featured almost nothing but these kind of songs, most of them taken at a slow tempo, and none of them rock & rollers (or hit singles, for that matter)." The album did not receive any other reviews.
, containing six songs on the record's "A-side" and six songs on the record's "B-side" as well. The album has since be reissued in the United Kingdom on a compact disc. Sincerely, Brenda Lee was officially released on February 12, 1962 on Decca Records
and it peaked at #29 on the Billboard 200
albums chart. The album did not spawn any singles mainly because all of the album's tracks were cove versions.
Side two
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee
Brenda Mae Tarpley , known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis...
. The album was released February 12, 1962 on Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and was produced by Owen Bradley
Owen Bradley
Owen Bradley was an American record producer who, along with Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson, was one of the chief architects of the 1950s and 1960s Nashville sound in country music and rockabilly.-Before the fame:...
. It was the first of two studio albums released by Brenda Lee in 1962 and did not spawn any singles.
Background and content
Sincerely, Brenda Lee was recorded in five separate sessions at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
under the direction of Owen Bradley
Owen Bradley
Owen Bradley was an American record producer who, along with Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson, was one of the chief architects of the 1950s and 1960s Nashville sound in country music and rockabilly.-Before the fame:...
. The first session began on January 8, 1961 and the last session took place on October 28, 1961. The album consisted of twelve tracks of material of previously-recorded Pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
standards. It includes covers of "Lazy River" and "Fools Rush In". It also includes a cover of "Hold Me", which would later become a major Pop hit in 1964 for P.J. Proby. Unlike any of Lee's previous releases for the Decca label, the album did not contain any uptempo numbers that resembled that of Rock and Roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
of Rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
music. Richie Unterberger of Allmusic found that the album did not "add much versatility" because of this missing element. Unterberger reviewed the album and gave it three out of five stars, calling it, "one of the more forgettable albums from her prime, of value only to big fans and completists." Unterberger also stated, "It wasn't unknown for rock singers to make albums dominated by adult-oriented material in an attempt to broaden their appeal, and Lee could sing this kind of stuff well. The problem was that the record featured almost nothing but these kind of songs, most of them taken at a slow tempo, and none of them rock & rollers (or hit singles, for that matter)." The album did not receive any other reviews.
Release
Sincerely, Brenda Lee was originally released as an LP recordLP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, containing six songs on the record's "A-side" and six songs on the record's "B-side" as well. The album has since be reissued in the United Kingdom on a compact disc. Sincerely, Brenda Lee was officially released on February 12, 1962 on Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and it peaked at #29 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
albums chart. The album did not spawn any singles mainly because all of the album's tracks were cove versions.
Track listing
Side one- "You Always Hurt the One You LoveYou Always Hurt the One You Love"You Always Hurt the One You Love" is a pop standard, words by Allan Roberts and music by Doris Fisher. It has been performed by many artists over the years, such as The Mills Brothers, Connie Francis , Fats Domino, The Impressions,Frankie Laine, Richard Chamberlain , Peggy Lee, Maureen Evans,...
" – (Doris Fisher, Allan Roberts) 2:41 - "Lazy River" – (Sidney ArodinSidney ArodinSidney Arnandan or Arnondrin, better known as Sidney Arodin was an American jazz clarinetist and songwriter, best known for co-writing the pop standard "Lazy River" with Hoagy Carmichael.Arodin began playing clarinet at age 15 and played at local New Orleans gatherings and on riverboats...
, Hoagy CarmichaelHoagy CarmichaelHoward Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.Alec Wilder, in his study of the...
) 2:15 - "You've Got Me Crying Again" – (Isham JonesIsham JonesIsham Jones was a United States bandleader, saxophonist, bassist and songwriter.-Career:Jones was born in Coalton, Ohio, to a musical and mining family, and grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, where he started his first band...
, Charles Newman) 2:36 - "It's the Talk of the TownIt's the Talk of the Town"It's the Talk of the Town" is a popular song.The music was written by Jerry Livingston, the lyrics by Al J. Neiburg and Marty Symes. The song was published in 1933....
" – (Jerry LivingstonJerry LivingstonJerry Livingston was an American songwriter, and dance orchestra pianist.-Biography:...
, Al J. NeiburgAl J. NeiburgAllen J. Neiburg was an American lyricist. He was born on 22 November 1902 in St. Albans, Vermont and received his education at Boston University. He is known for writing lyrics for such songs as "I'm Confessin' " , "It's the Talk of the Town" and "Under a Blanket of Blue"...
, Marty SymesMarty SymesMarty Symes was an American lyricist.Symes was born in Brooklyn New York in 1904. His first significant collaborator was composer Jerry Livingston. In 1932 they wrote "Darkness on the Delta", which became a hit for Mildred Bailey. The next year the Casa Loma Orchestra recorded their "Under the...
) 3:10 - "Send Me Some Lovin'" – (John MarascalcoJohn MarascalcoJohn Marascalco is an American songwriter, who is most noted for his collaborations with Robert Blackwell...
, Leo Price) 2:50 - "How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky)How Deep Is the Ocean?"How Deep Is the Ocean?" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1932, and can be heard in the background of the 1933 film The Life of Jimmy Dolan...
" – (Irving BerlinIrving BerlinIrving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
) 3:04
Side two
- "I'll Always Be in Love with You" – (Bud GreenBud GreenBud Green was an Austrian-born songwriter. Bud Green grew up in Harlem at 108th & Madison Ave. at the turn of the century, the eldest of seven. He dropped out of elementary school to sell newspapers and help the family...
, Herman Ruby, Sam H. SteptSam H. SteptSamuel Howard Stept was an American songwriter who wrote for Broadway, Hollywood and the big bands. He became known simply as Sam Stept or Sam H. Stept — he almost never used his full middle name.-Family:Born in Odessa, Russia, Stept came to the U.S. at the age of three and grew up in...
) 2:30 - "I Miss You So" – (Jimmy HendersonJimmy HendersonJimmy Henderson was an American jazz trombonist and bandleader.Henderson began playing piano at age six and picked up trombone a few years later. By age 13 he had joined a musicians' union and was first chair at the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra...
, Sid Robin, Bertha Scott) 2:51 - "Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)"Fools Rush In" is a popular song. The lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer with music by Rube Bloom. The major hits at the time of introduction were Glenn Miller with Ray Eberle and Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra. It was also recorded by Billy Eckstine...
" – (Rube BloomRube BloomReuben Bloom was a Jewish American multi-faceted entertainer, and in addition to being a songwriter, pianist, arranger, band leader, recording artist, vocalist, and writer .During his career, he worked with many well-known performers, including Bix Beiderbecke, Joe Venuti, Ruth Etting,...
, Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
) 2:35 - "Only You (And You Alone)Only You (And You Alone)"Only You " is a pop song composed by Buck Ram. It was recorded most successfully by The Platters, with lead vocals by Tony Williams, in 1955....
" – (Buck RamBuck RamBuck Ram was an American songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger.-Biography:...
, Andie Rand) 2:53 - "Hold Me" – (Little Jack LittleLittle Jack LittleJack Little , sometimes credited Little Jack Little, was a British-born American composer, singer, pianist , actor and songwriter whose songs were featured in several movies...
, David Oppenheim, Ira Schuster) 2:34 - "I'll Be Seeing YouI'll Be Seeing You (song)"I'll Be Seeing You" is a popular song, with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Irving Kahal. Published in 1938, the song was inserted into the Broadway musical Right This Way, which closed after fifteen performances. The song is a jazz standard, and has been covered by countless musicians.The...
" – (Sammy FainSammy FainSammy Fain was an American composer of popular music.-Biography:Sammy Fain was born in New York City. In 1923, Fain appeared with Artie Dunn in a short film directed by Lee De Forest filmed in DeForest's Phonofilm sound-on-film process. In 1925, Fain left the Fain-Dunn act to devote himself to...
, Irving KahalIrving KahalIrving Kahal was a popular lyricist active in the 1920's and '30's. He is best remembered for his collaborations with composer Sammy Fain which started in 1926 when Kahal was working in vaudeville sketches written by Gus Edwards...
) 2:35
Personnel
- Byron Bach – strings
- Brenton Banks – strings
- George Binkley – strings
- Harold BradleyHarold BradleyHarold Bradley is a pop guitarist and an American country guitarist.Harold played banjo as a child but switched to guitar on the advice of his elder brother, Owen Bradley. Owen arranged for Harold to tour with Ernest Tubb while Harold was still in high school. After graduation, Harold joined the...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Cecil Brower – strings
- Howard Carpenter – strings
- Floyd CramerFloyd CramerFloyd Cramer was an American Hall of Fame pianist who was one of the architects of the "Nashville sound." He popularized the "slip note" piano style where an out-of-tune note slides effortlessly into the correct note...
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Dottie Dillard – background vocals
- Ray Edenton – guitar
- Buddy EmmonsBuddy EmmonsBuddy Emmons , is an American guitarist.Emmons has been called "The World's Foremost Steel Guitarist" and his talent is greatly admired by fellow steel guitarists...
– steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use... - Solie Fott – strings
- Buddy HarmanBuddy HarmanBuddy Harman was an American session musician.-Career:Born in Nashville, Tennessee, he played drums on over 18,000 sessions for artists such as Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison, Connie Francis, Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins, Roger Miller,...
– drums - Lillian Hunt – strings
- Anita KerrAnita KerrAnita Jean Grilli , known profesioanlly as Anita Kerr, is an American singer, arranger, composer, conductor, pianist, and music producer. She recorded and performed successfully with her vocal harmony groups in Nashville, Los Angeles, and Europe.-Nashville:Kerr was born in Memphis, Tennessee...
– background vocals - Douglas Kirkham – drums
- Jack Kline – strings
- Brenda Lee – lead vocals
- Grady MartinGrady MartinThomas Grady Martin was one of the most renowned, inventive and historically significant American session musicians in country music and rockabilly....
– guitar - Mildred Oonk – strings
- Louis Nunley – background vocals
- Suzanne Parker – strings
- Boots RandolphBoots RandolphHomer Louis "Boots" Randolph III was an American musician best known for his 1963 saxophone hit, "Yakety Sax"...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - Vernel Richardson – strings
- Bill Wright – background vocals
- Joe Zinkan – bassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
Sales chart positions
Album| Chart (1962) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
29 |