Wanda Jackson Reflects on the Influence of Elvis and Jack White

After 50 years in the music business, Wanda Jackson has seen a lot of ups and downs, but she's never lacked for champions of her unique talent nor her groundbreaking sound. While still in her teens, Jackson toured with Elvis Presley and he gave her some pretty sage advice.

"Elvis said, 'You can do this kind of material, you can do these songs,'" Jackson tells Spinner. "I said, 'Well, I don't think I can. I'm just a country singer.' He just seemed to know. He spent a lot of time encouraging me, so I had to try it for him. And when I did, somehow it's a deeper well than we know about, I guess."

Many years later, a second Elvis would walk into her life and change it forever as well. In 2003, Elvis Costello not only appeared as a guest on Jackson's album, 'Heart Trouble,' but also led the successful movement to have her inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence.

"Elvis Costello was the first one -- other than my husband -- that got excited and kind of got upset that I wasn't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," Jackson says. After a passionate campaign, she was inducted in April 2009. It was soon thereafter that Jack White of the White Stripes, the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather approached her to record some new songs for his Third Man Records.

The results on the recently-released double A-side single -- covers of Amy Winehouse's 'You Know I'm No Good' and the classic rocker 'Shakin All Over' -- are an impressive mix of White's raw sensibility and Jackson's old school rock 'n' roll. 'Shakin' All Over' in particular burns with a fire that evokes the original by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates (not to mention the classic live version by the Who) thanks to White's power guitar work, the deep rhythm of bassist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler, rounded out by Jackson's patented growling vocals. It's vintage Wanda Jackson: primal, fun and a little dangerous.

It was Jack White's goal to push her into new areas, Jackson explains. "A lot of times, people can hear something in you that you don't know is there," she says. "I'd do it one way and he would say 'Let's push a little harder.' and then he'd say 'That take was great. But now, give me more.' I enjoyed working with Jack so much. He's so very creative and he just pushed me to the limit."

Jackson has recorded an entire album worth of songs, but for now, they'll have to wait while she goes out on tour. She'll be performing throughout the month of February, so catch her show, enjoy some good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll and watch a bit of history unfold before your eyes.