History

American Masters

American Masters, committed to producing comprehensive film biographies about the broad cast of characters who comprise our cultural history.

Brenda Lee: Rockin' Around

52m 55s

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.

Episodes

  • Brenda Lee: Rockin' Around: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Brenda Lee: Rockin' Around

    S38 E6 - 52m 55s

    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.

  • Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined

    S38 E5 - 1h 23m

    Explore the story of Dominican-American poet and novelist Julia Alvarez, who burst onto the literary scene and blazed a trail for a generation of Latino authors.

  • Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames

    S38 E4 - 1h 23m

    Explore the story of director, screenwriter and producer Blake Edwards, known for cinema classics such as “Breakfast at Tiffany's,” “Days of Wine and Roses” and the “Pink Panther” series.

  • The Incomparable Mr. Buckley: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Incomparable Mr. Buckley

    S38 E3 - 1h 40m

    Discover the intellectual evolution and political legacy of William F. Buckley, Jr. See how the author and commentator, one of the foremost public intellectuals in American history, galvanized the modern conservative movement.

  • Moynihan: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Moynihan

    S38 E2 - 1h 43m

    Discover the life and legacy of former U.S. Senator and diplomat Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Going beyond the “Moynihan Report,” President Joe Biden, Ta-Nehisi Coates and others reflect on his decades-long fight to end national poverty.

  • HOPPER: An American love story: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    HOPPER: An American love story

    S38 E1 - 53m 3s

    Discover the secrets behind Edward Hopper’s most iconic and enigmatic works. Known for “Nighthawks” and other evocative paintings of American life, Hopper has left a lasting impression on our culture. Meet the man behind the brush, and see how his marriage to fellow artist Josephine Nivison Hopper shaped his art and career.

Extras + Features

  • Brenda Lee's career started when she was just 8 years old: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Brenda Lee's career started when she was just 8 years old

    S38 E6 - 2m 36s

    Brenda Lee began working as a professional singer at just eight years old to support her family. She made waves throughout her career in a variety of genres including pop, country and rock.

    "I loved to sing, and I didn't care if anybody listened," said Brenda. "I would sing all day long if they had let me. I loved it. Still do."

  • When Brenda Lee eloped with her husband: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    When Brenda Lee eloped with her husband

    S38 E6 - 2m 35s

    Brenda Lee met her husband Ronnie Shacklett ​at the age of 17 while watching Jackie Wilson at the Nashville Fairgrounds Coliseum. She kept their engagement to herself for three months before telling anyone in her family. They eloped six months after meeting and have been married since 1963.

  • Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around (EAD + OC Trailer): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around (EAD + OC Trailer)

    S38 E6 - 3m 31s

    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.

  • Brenda Lee had a fully formed career before even signing a contract: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Brenda Lee had a fully formed career before even signing a contract

    S38 E6 - 2m 30s

    Brenda Lee made appearances on television, radio and live shows all before she even signed a record deal. Her performances on "Ozark Jubilee" starring Red Foley at just 10 years old caught the eyes of executives at Decca Records, with whom she would eventually sign.

  • 3 classic songs Brenda Lee performed as a teenager: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    3 classic songs Brenda Lee performed as a teenager

    S38 E6 - 7m 16s

    Singer Brenda Lee was making broadcast appearances as a teenager during the golden age of television. These are 3 of her most notable performances from Jubilee USA, also known as Ozark Jubilee, a 1950s TV show that featured country music's top stars of the day. Here she performs with Red Foley and Snooky Lanson.

  • Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around

    S38 E6 - 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.

  • The success of Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The success of Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”

    S38 E6 - 1m 28s

    Brenda Lee recorded “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” written by Johnny Marx, when she was 12 years old. The song received a boost thanks to its inclusion in the classic holiday movie "Home Alone." Brenda became the oldest woman to reach #1 on the Top 100 Billboard Charts when “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” charted in 2023.

  • Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around (ASL Trailer): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around (ASL Trailer)

    S38 E6 - 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.

  • Julia Alvarez on the female perspective in "In the Time of the Butterflies": asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Julia Alvarez on the female perspective in "In the Time of the Butterflies"

    S38 E5 - 2m 6s

    For her second novel, "In the Time of the Butterflies," Julia Alvarez wanted to write about dictatorship from a female perspective. She chose the stories of the Mirabal sisters, Patria, Minerva, María Teresa and Adela, the first three of which were assassinated by the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic for oppossing the government.

  • Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined

    S38 E5 - 1m 57s

    Explore the story of Dominican-American poet and novelist Julia Alvarez, who burst onto the literary scene and blazed a trail for a generation of Latino authors.

  • How Julia Alvarez was inspired by the working class: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Julia Alvarez was inspired by the working class

    S38 E5 - 2m 52s

    While at the Yaddo writing retreat, Julia Alvarez found herself suffering from writers block. Inspiration struck when she befriended the maids, housekeepers and cooks and heard their stories, and eventually put together her book of poetry, "Housekeeping." "I wanted to write about the lore that comes when women are talking as they're doing their housework," said Alvarez.

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    American Masters

    Saturday
    Jan 4

    1 Hour 30 Minutes

    Since its premiere in 1986, this Emmy-winning documentary series has presented hundreds of hours comprising profiles of outstanding American cultural artists. Past subjects have included Charlie Chaplin, Helen Hayes, pop icon Andy Warhol, singer Billie Holliday and composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein.

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