Wanda Jackson Announces NZ Shows

The original queen of rockabilly, an icon of the 50s/60s and former belle of Elvis Presley – Wanda Jackson – is heading to NZ next month to play two shows:

Wellington @ San Francisco Bath House – Monday 21st June 2010
Tickets from www.undertheradar.co.nz, Slowboat Records, & Real Groovy
Doors @ 7pm and Wanda on stage at 8-45pm - R18, General Admission

Auckland @ The Kings Arms – Tuesday 22nd June 2010
With Tina Turntables & Heart Attack Alley
Tickets from www.undertheradar.co.nz, Real Groovy Records, and Fast & Loose Doors @ 7pm and Wanda on stage at 8-45pm – R18, General admission

Click HERE to buy tickets now.

Press Release:

WATCH OUT!! – the original Queen of Rockabilly is coming!

WANDA JACKSON

Wellington @ San Francisco Bath House – Monday 21st June 2010
Tickets from www.undertheradar.co.nz, Slowboat Records, & Real Groovy
Doors @ 7pm and Wanda on stage at 8-45pm - R18 General Admission

Auckland @ The Kings Arms – Tuesday 22nd June 2010
With Tina Turntables & Heart Attack Alley
Tickets from www.undertheradar.co.nz, Real Groovy Records, and Fast & Loose Doors @ 7pm and Wanda on stage at 8-45pm – R18 General admission

Wanda Jackson, pioneering rock ‘n’ roller and original female rockabilly singer, will visit New Zealand – for the first time since 1972 - at the height of a major career renaissance.

Born in Oklahoma in 1937 and raised on country music, Jackson was turned on to rockabilly in the 50s by Elvis Presley, whom she toured with and briefly dated. She went on to make some of the classic recordings of rock ’n’ roll, including ‘Lets Have A Party’ - an American Top 40 hit in 1960 – and ‘Fujiyama Mama’ – a number one record and evergreen favourite in Japan.

Her songs have been covered by everyone from The Go-Go’s & The Cramps to The 5678’s. An influence on generations of rock ‘n’ rollers from Bob Dylan to The White Stripes, she is currently enjoying an impressive resurgence.

In 2008 she headlined alongside Jerry Lee Lewis at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Forum in London. Last year she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, and British cult figures The Fall covered her classic ‘Funnel Of Love’ on their latest album.

Just this year she completed a new album, produced by Jack White (of The White Stripes, Raconteurs, The Dead Weather). In preparation for the project, White phoned Bob Dylan. “I just asked him what songs we should do on this Wanda Jackson album, and he said a couple that were interesting. One of them was his song, ‘Thunder on the Mountain’. We tried it, and it was explosive!” White’s Third Man label have released a 7inch single of Wanda covering Amy Winehouse’s ‘You Know I’m No Good’ b/w a horn laden version of ‘Shaking All Over’ featuring Mr White on bass. The album is due for release later this year in the US fall.

Jackson has been married since 1961 to former IBM programmer Wendell Goodman, who has served as her manager ever since.

While her initial recordings for Capitol emphasised her rockabilly side, she would sometimes combine the two styles on one disc. 1963’s Two Sides Of Wanda featured a side of each.

By the mid-60s, with rockabilly in decline, Jackson had shifted into country music, where she enjoyed a string of Top 40 hits such as ‘Right Or Wrong’ and ‘In The Middle of A Heartache’. In the 70s she also began recording gospel music. But her rockabilly fan base has always remained strong, especially in Scandinavia.

For more information – please go to www.wandajackson.com & www.thirdmanrecords.com