Seventy years after Wanda Jackson first recorded Silver Threads and Golden Needles, the anthem of independence and feminine fire has found new life. This time, it is carried by three women deeply rooted in country music legacy: Lee Newton, Georgette Jones, and Heidi Parton.
When I sat down with Lee for this Fast Tracks conversation, what unfolded was more than a discussion about a remake. It was a joyful, honest exchange about purpose, perseverance, and the power of strong women who refuse to quit.
Pressure or Purpose?
When Lee stepped into the studio to record the song, she did not feel pressure.
“It wasn’t pressure,” she told me. “It was purpose.”
You do not walk into a studio to change history when you are singing something that has already been touched by legends like Wanda Jackson, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, and Linda Ronstadt. You honor it. You protect it. You carry it forward.
Recording alongside Georgette Jones, daughter of Tammy Wynette, and Heidi Parton, Dolly’s niece, made the moment feel surreal. “Just having my name mentioned with those women,” Lee said, “I don’t even feel worthy.”
But worthy she is.
Their rendition remains true to the original while subtly weaving in modern textures. A touch of Ronstadt influence. A nod to Wanda’s signature phrasing. And then, unmistakably, their own voices. Epic, as Lee later described it in one word.
A Note to Dolly
The release coincides with Dolly Parton’s 80th birthday. I asked Lee what she would write in a note to Dolly if she could hand it to her.
“Thank you for proving you can be feminine and fierce, business minded and kind, humble and legendary all at the same time,” she said. “And for showing little girls from small towns that dreams really do come true.”
Lee grew up in western North Carolina, the daughter of a cab driver. She was raised on cassette tapes of Patsy Cline and Hank Williams. She was bullied. She did not feel like she fit in. Until she stepped onto a stage. “I finally fit in,” she said, recalling her first high school chorus performance singing a Lori Morgan song.
Years later, that same girl would open shows for Randy Travis and The Oak Ridge Boys, perform alongside Lori Morgan in her hometown, and now find herself part of a 70 year country music lineage. Full circle is an understatement.
Strong Women, Then and Now
The original song was a declaration of independence. I asked Lee what women still have to prove in today’s country landscape.
“I think we’ve already proven so much,” she said. “We just keep making great music.”
We talked about balance, or as I prefer to call it, integration. Lee is a hands on mom. Her son Cash has been backstage since he was little. She volunteers at school. She opens for major acts. She records. She drives hours between commitments. “You can do it,” she said. “You just have to find what works for you.”
She credits faith, family, and fierce determination. And perhaps a little fire fueled by those who once told her she could not do both motherhood and music. They were wrong.
If Wanda Were in the Room…
My curveball question: If Wanda Jackson were standing in the control room when you finished recording, what would you hope she’d say?
“That’s the way it’s done, girl.” Yes. That.
Influences and Roots
Lee’s influences stretch from Patsy Cline to southern rock. She has performed with original members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, recorded an Atlanta Rhythm Section classic, and blends traditional country with blues and southern grit. But no matter where she travels, she remains rooted in North Carolina. “They say you leave home, but you always want to go back,” she said. “Music can give you that home feeling.”
As someone preparing to return to my own country roots, I felt that deeply.
Rapid Fire
One word for the collaboration? Epic.
Classic vinyl or digital streaming? Vinyl. Every time.
Harmony partner you’d call tomorrow? Dolly Parton.
Kent Wells, if you are reading this, make it happen.
What’s Next
Lee will open for Diamond Rio on May 29 in Pigeon Forge, with additional dates supporting Shenandoah and more. Fans can find tour details at LeeNewtonOfficial.com. But perhaps the most important takeaway from our conversation was this: “Don’t ever stop chasing your dream.”
From a bullied teenager who did not fit in to an artist carrying one of country music’s most enduring anthems into its eighth decade, Lee Newton is living proof.
If Wanda is listening, I suspect she would be smiling.