Jackie DeShannon to Discuss Her Career and Country Music Roots at the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum

Celebrated singer-songwriter, and visionary Jackie DeShannon will make a rare appearance in Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum in the CMA Theater (224 Rep. John Lewis Way S Nashville, TN) on Saturday April 6, 2024 at 2:30 PM. The iconic songstress will be discussing her trailblazing songwriting career and her country music roots.

Now based in California, DeShannon was born in the small town of Hazel, Kentucky. She became a child Radio performer in Kentucky and Illinois and later in her teens she began a long recording career that would embrace, country, rockabilly, folk, pop, gospel, and R&B. Her song "Buddy" a Buddy Holly tribute which she wrote and recorded in Nashville in 1958 became a regional rockabilly hit. DeShannon moved to LA in 1960 and debuted on the national charts with her cover of the Bob Wills country standard "Faded Love" in 1963. She scored her first major pop hit in 1965 with a soulful rendition of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "What the World Needs Now is Love". Her version of the song was inducted into the Library of Congress last year.

One of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock & Roll era, DeShannon was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame for penning hits for herself and for others. She provided six chart singles for Brenda Lee alone, including 1961's "Dum Dum." "When You Walk in the Room" was a huge success for The Searchers during the British Invasion, and decades later Pam Tillis's version reached the Top Five of the country charts. Bruce Springsteen's version is still heard during his concerts. In 1969 Jackie and her brother wrote the anthemic song, recorded by her and a thousand others "Put a Little Love in Your Heart." "Bette Davis Eyes" a timeless hit for Kim Carnes earned Jackie the 1982 Grammy for Song of the Year. DeShannon's other credits include: "Breakaway" (Irma Thomas), "Come Stay with Me" (Marianne Faithfull), "(He's) The Great Imposter" (the Fleetwoods). Her songs have also been performed by the Byrds, Ella Fitzgerald, Al Green, Annie Lennox, Van Morrison, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen and dozens of other artists.

The program will also include video clips of Jackie performing with Country Hall of Fame members Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, the Everly, Brothers, and Willie Nelson. She will also sign commemorative Hatch Show Print Posters following the program in addition to copies of the newly-released historical collection, "The Sherry Lee Show," of Jackie's early country performances on the radio. Presented in partnership with Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival. Program ticket included with Museum admission. Free to Museum members.