Share a cuppa tea with Jackie DeShannon

By Jane Quinn

Jackie talks songwriting, martial arts and the cherished letter from screen legend Bette Davis…

Share a cuppa tea with Jackie DeShannon as she chats about Bruce Lee, Secrets, and Isla! our paths first crossed on September 3, 1964. Jackie DeShannon probably doesn’t remember me, but I shall never forget her because she was the perfect Sixties girl, and she was opening for the Beatles in my American hometown.

This beautiful blonde songbird was singing her unforgettable original tunes from the very same stage that would shortly welcome the Beatles, and I was right there directly in front of Jackie in row 20.

Unforgettable! 

Most people remember Jackie DeShannon singing What The World Needs Now is Love, but did you know that she wrote Bette Davis Eyes, When You Walk Into The Room, Come and Stay With Me, Put a Little Love in Your Heart, among countless other classics.

She is such a talented and prolific writer that, in 2010, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

So today, as I sit in my adopted Liverpool home almost 60 years after that momentous day in Indianapolis, USA, I am about to join Jackie DeShannon for a virtual cuppa tea, oceans apart in miles but not so far apart in shared memories. 

Pull up a chair and join us. 

When was the last time someone called you Sharon or Sherry? 

It’s been quite a while. My parents always called me Sharon. 

If you could invite anyone, famous or not, living or not, to tea, who would that person be? 

Bruce Lee, because his mindset was to share his martial arts skills with anyone who wished to learn it. His was a combination of many styles. His mental, physical and spiritual talents were extraordinary. He was the founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement. 

What does the world REALLY need now and why? 

Hal David’s lyrics to What The World Needs Now Is Love remain as relevant as when I recorded the song in 1965. It all still comes back to that simple truth that we need more love in our lives to rise above isolation and the uncertainty of these challenging times. 

What is your favourite word? 

Again, it’s L O V E. That’s what I always believe and that’s the most important message in many of the songs I have written and performed. 

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

Elvis Presley – for so many reasons. He was a very spiritual person and it came through in his singing. When he was performing, he seemed to have supernatural powers. Then, when I met him years later, he was everything I thought him to be: a very warm and generous soul. Please describe the impact Bob Dylan made on you and your music. When I heard Bob Dylan perform his songs for the first time it really had a powerful effect on me. His lyrics are so poetic and concise. He got into my consciousness as he took songwriting to another level. Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright is my favourite song of his and one that I’ve really enjoyed singing. 

Who were some of the singers you particularly enjoyed or were influenced by when you were young? 

Anita Carter, Jimmy Reed, Mahalia Jackson, and too many blues singers to name. Please describe what it felt like to tour with The Beatles in 1964. It was fab! Being the Breakfast With The Beatles news reporter on the radio for the last 10 years has been fun too. 

Did you ever meet or have contact with Bette Davis? 

No, unfortunately not. I was such a big fan of her movies though I never had the opportunity to meet her. But she sent me a beautiful note that I cherish. I did hear that she enjoyed all the attention from Bette Davis Eyes and it’s certainly one of the songs I’m most proud of writing. When Kim Carnes covered it, her recording was just perfection. 

When is the last time you shared a secret? 

I’m not sure about that but a few years ago I was inspired to write and record the song All Our Secrets Are The Same for the movie ‘Alex Cross’. 

Did you ever dream you would accomplish so many wonderful, creative things? 

I always had creative ambitions and goals to reach but I never imagined that so many of my dreams would come true. 

What do you consider your most satisfying professional achievement? 

It would be writing Put A Little Love In Your Heart. It’s such a wonderful feeling knowing how many people were touched by it all over the world, and that the song has lasted all these years. It’s also extremely rewarding that it has been sung by so many terrific artists from Dolly Parton and Ella Fitzgerald to Annie Lennox and Al Green. You’ve collaborated on songs with Randy Newman and Van Morrison and had your compositions performed by dozens of artists from Bruce Springsteen to The Carpenters. 

Do you prefer to write songs or sing them? 

I enjoy writing songs above everything else. I would be happy devoting 80% of my work time to writing songs and the other 20% singing them. I always love performing but writing is my absolute favourite. 

Do you have other artistic talents? 

I had some acting experience in film and television back in the 1960s and 1970s. I was also taking art classes at that time. I could paint reasonably well but it was not my biggest gift. However, it did change my perspective and enriched my life and my level of awareness. 

What is your latest project? 

I recently wrote and recorded a song called For Isla. The experience was very personal for me and is a reflection of my Scottish heritage. It’s a folk ballad that reminded me of the music my grandmother played when I was very young. And so I sit and recall the fi first time I saw Jackie DeShannon back in 1964, 57 years ago. If our paths cross every 57 years, I look forward to – uh…. 

As I ponder the maths, my cuppa tea is growing cold.

©Jane Quinn