Published: May 15, 2008 05:19 pm            

Brenda Lee

A recording legend will bring her music to life Friday, May 16, at The Rosebud Theatre in Effingham when Brenda Lee performs at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $28 to $60 and are available at the theater box office, 1325 Outer Belt West; online at www.

therosebudtheatre.com; or by calling 217-540-2787.

With songs like “One Step at a Time,” “Sweet Nothings,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “I’m Sorry,” Lee garnered critical acclaim and rose up the charts with her own special brand of music.

Lee’s first single, “Jambalaya,” went gold after its release in 1956, but it was her recording of “I’m Sorry” that hit No. 1 on the charts in 1960. “I’m Sorry” has had sales of over 15 million worldwide. Her second most popular song of all time was the holiday hit, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” which has sold over 7 million and is listed as No. 4 on the Top 10 All-Time Christmas Songs.

Lee was born in Atlanta, Ga., and made her first public appearance at the age of five on stage in the annual talent contest at the local grade school. She took first prize in the talent competition singing “Slow Poke” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

Her first “paid” performance was singing on the Bordon’s Ice Cream-sponsored radio show “Starmakers Revue” where she earned no money but could eat all the ice cream she wanted.

She continued to perform on radio and local television shows until 1956 when her first big break came in the form of an offer to perform as guest with Red Foley’s Ozark Jubilee. The show was broadcast nationwide and audience reaction led to bookings on the Perry Como Show and other national programs. Lee was 11 years old.

Her star continued to rise as she turned in hit after hit throughout the late 1950s and 1960s. Lee has had 29 songs on the charts that have earned gold, five gold and platinum albums and she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997.