Brenda Lee talked about her life growing up in rural Georgia, and how she never knew just how poor her family was.
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The "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree" singer visited Southern Living's podcast, Biscuits & Jam, where she spoke about a wide variety of topics. Early in the conversation, the host Sid Evans asked Lee about her parents and the early passing of her father.
"She handled it really well," Brenda Lee said of her mother, "and I think that she did that because of us. She had three children. We never knew that we were poor."
"And I always say 'poo-o-o-or,' with three o's," she labored.
She then goes onto explain how her parents disguised their financial situation to their children. "We never knew that, because back then in the south, if you didn't have anything to eat or times were a little hard, you just went to your aunt's house, or your uncle's house. Or your friend down the street's house."
Times were hard and the community seemed to help each other out.
"So we never realized that we were poor because everybody was in the same boat, so to say," she finished.
Brenda Lee Reflects On Positive Memories With Her Parents
Brenda Lee spoke about how times were tough, but she also reflected on the positive things her parents would do.
Her father was a carpenter, and he saw greatness in Brenda Lee from a young age. After explaining that he would affectionately call her 'Booty,' Lee said, "he would say 'Booty I won't live to see it but one day you're going to be a big star.'" What encouraging words from her late father.
"I have no idea where that came from, 'cause I was just, I wasn't even 10 years old," Lee explained.
The singer also talked about how her parents encouraged her passion for singing. To listen to their favorite football teams play, they made sure they would "keep enough battery" to listen to the game.
However, they also kept a "special battery" for Brenda Lee so she could "listen to the Grand Old Opry and hear the singers."
Even though they were 'pooor,' they did everything they could facilitate their children and keep them from worrying.
