The Queen of Rock' a 'Billy explained

The Queen of Rock' a 'Billy
Type:studio
Artist:Wanda Jackson
Cover:Wanda Jackson--The Queen of Rock a Billy.jpg
Studio:Pek Farm Studio
Genre:Rockabilly[1]
Label:Elap
Producer:Morten Kjeldsen
Prev Title:Let's Have a Party
Prev Year:1995
Next Year:2003

The Queen of Rock' a 'Billy is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1997 via Elap Music and contained eleven tracks of material. The album was a collection of Rockabilly recordings, most of which were new to Jackson's catalog. The disc was the second Jackson recorded with rock group The Alligators. It was released exclusively for the European market.

Background, content and release

With a series of songs beginning in the 1950s, Wanda Jackson became among the first women to have commercial success in Country and Rockabilly music. Her most popular singles included "Let's Have a Party", "Right or Wrong" and "The Box It Came In". She left secular music in the 1970s and recorded a series of gospel albums before returning to rock in the 1980s. She was sought out by European fans and promoters and continued a steady fan base overseas.[2] [3] In 1994, she met Danish rock band The Alligators and released an album with them in 1995.[4] The Queen of Rock' a 'Billy would be her second collaboration with The Alligators. On the album's release, the band was not given dual credit.[1]

Jackson recorded the project alongside Alligators member Morten Kjeldsen serving as producer. The group served as her backing band on the album, similar to her previous release with the group.[1] [4] The album was recorded at the Pek Farm Studio located in Ormslev, Denmark. A total of 11 Rockabilly numbers were chosen for the album, which included a re-recording of Jackson's 1958 single "Fujiyama Mama".[5] She also re-recorded "Rip It Up", which originally appeared on her 1964 studio album Two Sides of Wanda.[6] Jackson also cut "Rockabilly Fever" again, which first appeared on her 1984 album of the same name.[7] Remaining songs were new to Jackson's catalog, including a cover of Tanya Tucker's "Walking Shoes" and Jann Browne's "You Ain't Down Home". The album was released in 1997 on the Elap Music label. It was issued as a compact disc only for the European market.[1]

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Queen of Rock' a 'Billy.[1]

Musical personnel
The Alligators (see below)

Technical personnel

Notes and References

  1. Jackson . Wanda . The Queen of Rock' a 'Billy (CD Liner Notes and Album Information) . Elap Music . 1997 . 41645-CD.
  2. Web site: Wolff . Kurt . Wanda Jackson: Biography & History . . 14 July 2021.
  3. Book: Bomar . Scott . Jackson . Wanda . Every night is Saturday night : a country girl's journey to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame . 2017 . BMG . . 9781947026070 . 281–283.
  4. Jackson . Wanda . Let's Have a Party (CD Liner Notes and Album Information) . Elap Music/Success Records . 1995 . 16239-CD.
  5. Jackson . Wanda . "Fujiyama Mama"/"No Wedding Bells for Me" (7" vinyl single) . . December 1957 . F3843.
  6. Jackson . Wanda . Two Sides of Wanda (LP Liner Notes and Album Information) . . March 1964 . T-2030.
  7. Jackson . Wanda . Rockabilly Fever (LP Liner Notes and Album Information) . Tab Records . 1984 . TAB-LP-8404.