Jackie De Shannon
| Jackie DeShannon | |
|---|---|
DeShannon at the ASCAP Foundation's concert at the Library of Congress, 2011
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sharon Lee Myers |
| Born | August 21, 1941 |
| Origin | Hazel, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, recording artist, lyricist, broadcasting |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | c. 1950–present |
| Labels | Liberty, Imperial, Atlantic |
| Associated acts | Hal David, Burt Bacharach, Ry Cooder, Jimmy Page |
Jackie DeShannon (born August 21, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards, as both singer and composer. She was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period. She is best known as the singer of "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and "Put a Little Love in Your Heart", and as the composer of "When You Walk in the Room" and "Bette Davis Eyes", which were hits for The Searchers and Kim Carnes, respectively. DeShannon is currently an entertainment broadcast correspondent reporting Beatles band members' news for the radio program Breakfast with the Beatles.
DeShannon was born Sharon Lee Myers in Hazel, Kentucky, the daughter of musically inclined farming parents, Sandra Jean and James Erwin Myers. By age six, she was singing country tunes on a local radio show. By age 11, she was hosting her own radio program. When life on the farm became too difficult, the family moved to her mother's hometown, Aurora, Illinois, where her father resumed his other career as a barber.
After a year, they moved to nearby Batavia, Illinois, where she attended high school. In Batavia, the Myers family lived at 713 East Wilson Street. In May 1955, while in 8th grade, Sharon Lee Myers, then 13 years old, was featured in the local newspaper for her vocal talents and personal appearances at community gatherings, the local hospitals, and for assorted organizations. According to the Batavia Herald, she had her own Saturday morning radio show Breakfast Melodies on radio station WMRO. Further:
Though only 13, the youngster can boast almost 11 years of voice training and experience and in the past she has toured most of the south making personal appearances. Also she has sung on radio with a rhythm band for 2 years and has appeared on television 3 times.
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