I would think, to me, growing up in the south, growing up with all the gospel music, singing in the church and having that rhythm and blues - the blues background was my big inspiration.

In 1974 Jackie DeShannon co-wrote "Queen of the Rodeo" and "Bette Davis Eyes" with Donna Weiss for her album New Arrangement. ) She appeared in the 1967 film C'mon Let's Live a Little with Bobby Vee as a folk singer. Armed with her new name Jackie DeShannon made the WLS Chicago radio survey with the single "Lonely Girl" in late 1960.

Jackie DeShannon (born August 21 1944—or more likely 1941) is an American singer-songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. She was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period.