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Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around

Season 38 Episode 6 | 2m 56s

Discover the story behind singer Brenda Lee’s iconic songs and explore how her early fame and life of poverty shaped her artistry across pop, rock ‘n’ roll and country. Known for her Christmas classic and Billboard hit “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” she is still a force in music today. The film features interviews with Keith Urban, Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo and many others.

Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Lillian Goldman Programming Endowment, Seton J. Melvin, Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Anita and Jay Kaufman, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The Ambrose Monell Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, The Charina Endowment Fund, The Marc Haas Foundation and public television viewers.
Extras
Celebrate the life and career of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver.
Explore the life and legacy of notable Black scholar and civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois.
Du Bois’ death at the 1963 March on Washington marked a passing of the torch in civil rights.
At the 1900 Paris Expo, Du Bois used data to present a visually captivating case against racism.
Reconstruction saw Black progress, then backlash erased gains after brief equality.
How Du Bois used "The Crisis" and NAACP efforts to expose racism and celebrate Black achievement.
Born in 1868, W.E.B. Du Bois rose from hardship to academic excellence.
Poet Cindy Tran found her voice on Yelp and writes about family, identity and belonging.
Trumpeter Lani B. Supreme carries forward a musical legacy that transcends generations.
Musician Hannah Mayree organizes workshops and performances celebrating the banjo's Black history.