again thanks to Jeff Harris' blog Behind The Grooves

and again I don't think I know anyone who didn't buy this when it came out?! Although there are folk too young to have heard this break the airwaves . . . . . .check her out . . . check out the name checks . . .this is the female version of Tom Waits for good reason!

On this day in music history: February 28, 1979 - “Rickie Lee Jones”, the debut album by Rickie Lee Jones is released. Produced by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titleman, it is recorded at Warner Bros Recording Studios, The Burbank Studios in Burbank, CA and TBS from September - December 1978 and December 22, 1978. Born in Chicago then raised in Arizona and Washington, Rickie Lee Jones becomes involved in music through her father, an amateur musician and painter as well as having grandparents who were vaudevillians. Her parents encourage her musical interests, until her father abruptly leaves the family when she is 10. At 14, Rickie runs away to live with him before returning to her mother and family. Dropping out of high school in the 11th grade, she’ll take the GED test then enrolls in college before picking up and moving to Southern California. Jones plays coffeehouses and bars in and around L.A., when she meets piano player Alfred Johnson. They form a duo and write songs together. In 1977, Rickie meets musician Tom Waits at The Troubadour, and the pair become romantically involved. Around the same time, she also meets musician Chuck E. Weiss who provides the inspiration for the song that propels her to stardom. Dr. John, Lowell George of Little Feat and Emmylou Harris also take notice of Jones’ performing and songwriting talents, and it isn’t long before record companies come calling. Having recorded a four song demo tape, her demo comes to the attention Lenny Waronker and Tommy LiPuma at Warner Bros. Records. With several labels vying to sign her, Jones decides to go with Warner Bros, impressed with Waronker’s past work with Randy Newman. Armed with a batch of solid self-penned material, Rickie and Lenny Waronker begin recording in the Fall of 1978. Waronker surrounds her with top flight musicians including Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Andy Newmark (drums), Willie Weeks (bass), Victor Feldman (keyboards, drums, percussion), Fred Tackett (guitar), as well as Dr. John, Michael McDonald and Randy Newman. The album’s now iconic cover photo is taken by photographer Norman Seeff. Led by the jazzy, swaggering “Chuck E.’s In Love” (#4 Pop, #79 R&B), an appearance on Saturday Night Live on April 7, 1979 helps kick the album and single into overdrive, sending them both up the charts. Achieving both major commercial success and critical acclaim, Rickie Lee Jones’ self titled debut earns five Grammy nominations including Song Of The Year. Jones wins the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1980. First issued on CD in the mid 80’s, it is remastered and reissued in 2008. It is also reissued by Rhino Records on 180 gram vinyl in 2008. A favorite of audiophiles, the album is released twice by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in 1983, then again as a single 180 gram LP and double LP set mastered at 45 RPM in 2013. “Rickie Lee Jones” peaks at number three on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 2x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.