Wanda Jackson & The Derailers*
JMT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Presents: Wanda Jackson & The Derailers
Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 1960s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock-and-roll artist. She is known to many as the “Queen of Rockabilly” or the “First Lady of Rockabilly”.
Jackson mixed country music with fast-moving rockabilly, often recording them on opposite sides of a record. As rockabilly declined in popularity in the mid-1960s, she moved to a successful career in mainstream country music with a string of hits between 1966 and 1973, including “Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine”, “A Woman Lives for Love” and “Fancy Satin Pillows”.
She had a resurgence in popularity in the 1980s among rockabilly revivalists in Europe and younger Americana fans. In 2009 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence.
In a career that has given rise to more than a decade’s worth of fine-tuned, highly anticipated and wonderfully received music, the Derailers continue to build the relationship between song, listener and dance floor.
Each album has been a mix of well-crafted original songs and cover songs so thoughtfully chosen and so representative of the band, fans think they are as original as the band themselves. Challenged by their fans to create a sound that mirrors the shuffle of happy boots on a hardwood floor, the Derailers have fed the hungry dancehall crowds with their classic country beats and a 60s pop sensibility. Fans continue to show their appreciation and admiration with requests for encores long after the last drink has been served.
In terms of sound, the Derailers have gotten smoother with age. As Hofeldt puts it, “I think we have retained the path we are going for. But we have certainly grown as players and allowed other influences to come in.” Their music celebrates the legacies of Buck Owens, George Jones, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich and the Beatles, while still being on the edge of today’s country music. Hofeldt describes his view of country music as, “finding out what love really is, versus what you thought it was when you were a kid.” For all the fans of the Derailers, love is all you need.