b. Sharon Lee Myers, 21 August 1944, Hazel, Kentucky, USA. This highly talented singer and songwriter was introduced to gospel, country and blues styles whilst still a child. She was actively performing by the age of 15 and, having travelled to Los Angeles, commenced a recording career in 1960 with a series of releases on minor labels. DeShannon's collaborations with Sharon Sheeley resulted in several superior pop songs including "Dum Dum" and "Heart In Hand" for Brenda Lee and "Trouble" for the Kalin Twins. DeShannon then forged equally fruitful partnerships with Jack Nitzsche and Randy Newman, the former of which spawned "When You Walk In The Room", a 1964 smash for the Searchers. Resultant interest in the UK inspired several television appearances and DeShannon's London sojourn was also marked by songwriting collaborations with Jimmy Page.
Despite a succession of excellent singles, DeShannon's own recording career failed to achieve similar heights, although her work continued to be covered by Helen Shapiro, Marianne Faithfull, the Byrds and the Critters. DeShannon enjoyed a US Top 10 single with the Burt Bacharach/Hal David-penned "What The World Needs Now Is Love" (1965), but her biggest hit came four years later when "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" reached number 4 in the same chart. Although she continued to write and record superior pop, as evinced on Jackie and Your Baby Is A Lady, DeShannon was unable to sustain the same profile during the 70s and 80s. Her songs, however, continued to provide hits for others, notably "Bette Davis Eyes" (Kim Carnes in 1981), "Breakaway" (Tracey Ullman in 1983) and "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" (Annie Lennox and Al Green in 1988). In September 2000 DeShannon released the anodyne You Know Me, her first new recording in over 20 years. Her position as one of the 60s leading pop composers remains undiminished, however.
DISCOGRAPHY: Jackie De Shannon (Liberty 1963)**, Breakin' It Up On The Beatles Tour! (Liberty 1964)**, This Is Jackie De Shannon (Imperial 1965)***, In The Wind (Imperial 1965)***, Are You Ready For This? (Imperial 1966)***, New Image (Imperial 1967)**, For You (Imperial 1967)**, Me About You (Imperial 1968)**, What The World Needs Now Is Love (Imperial 1968)***, Laurel Canyon (Imperial 1968)***, Put A Little Love In Your Heart (Imperial 1969)**, To Be Free (Imperial 1970)**, Songs (Capitol 1971)***, Jackie (Atlantic 1972)**, Your Baby Is A Lady (Atlantic 1974)***, New Arrangement (Columbia 1975)**, You're The Only Dancer (Amherst 1977)**, Quick Touches (Amherst 1978)**, You Know Me (Varèse Sarabande 2000)**.
COMPILATIONS: You Won't Forget Me (Imperial 1965)***, Lonely Girl (Sunset 1968)**, The Very Best Of Jackie DeShannon (United Artists 1975)***, Good As Gold! (Pair 1990)***, The Best Of Jackie DeShannon (Rhino 1991)****, What The World Needs Now Is Jackie De Shannon: The Definitive Collection (EMI 1993)****, The Early Years (Missing 1998)**, Best Of ... 1958-1980: Come And Get Me (Raven 2000)****, High Coinage: The Songwriter's Collection (Raven 2007)****.
FILMOGRAPHY: Surf Party (1964), Intimacy aka The Deceivers (1966), C'mon, Let's Live A Little (1967).
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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