Wanda Jackson

Known as The Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll, The First Lady of Rockabilly, The Original Riot Grrl, Elvis Presley’s ex-girlfriend and Grandma, 67-year-old Wanda Jackson, whose ballsy late ’50s/early ’60s recordings of songs like “Let’s Have A Party” and “Hard Headed Woman” set her apart from more sedate singers of the time like Doris Day, continues to kick ass. Although she still hasn’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for some reason (a situation that Elvis Costello, who wrote the record’s liner notes, would like to see remedied), Jackson is still the greatest. On I Remember Elvis, she covers songs mostly from Presley’s Sun and early-RCA days. Backed by rockabilly guitarist Danny B. Harvey, bassist Razor X, pianist Don Randi and Blondie drummer Clem Burke, Jackson sings classics like “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “I Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine” and “Mystery Train” like the seasoned, sassy pro that she is. The last track—“Wanda Talks About Elvis”—is a spoken word track of Jackson’s memories of Presley.