'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' Singer Brenda Lee Shares Secret to 61-Year Marriage: 'It's Hard to Get Rid of Me'

Brenda Lee's secret to her long-lasting marriage is her commitment to commitment.

During the Dec. 17 episode of Southern Living's Biscuits and Jam podcast, the "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" singer joked about how she and her husband of 61 years, Ronnie Shacklett, have made their marriage work.

“I’m just me, and when I commit, it’s hard to get rid of me, and my husband will tell you that," Lee, 80, said.

"I’m loyal to the ones that are loyal to me," the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee continued, "and in this industry that’s hard because everybody’s so busy, and it’s normal, but they’re so busy just trying to survive what this business offers."

Related: Mariah Carey Sends Brenda Lee Congratulatory Flowers as 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' Hits No. 1

Lee met Shacklett when she was 17 years old, she shared in an episode of PBS's American Masters. The singer, who released her iconic Christmas tune when she was only 13, had gone to see Jackie Wilson perform at the Nashville Fairgrounds Coliseum with her friend Rita Coolidge. While she was there, she noticed a "drop-dead gorgeous guy."

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Lee told her friend that she wanted to go introduce herself to him, but Coolidge told her not to.

The singer wrote Shacklett a note introducing herself, telling him that although she would be traveling for three months, he should call her when she returned.

Upon returning, Lee got a call to go on a date with Shacklett, who was over six feet tall. "I really liked that part," she joked of his heigh, "and he had a Corvette, that pretty much sealed the deal."

When she and Shacklett got engaged, Lee, who was the breadwinner at that point as a singer, said she hid the engagement ring box for three months. Once she got the courage to tell her mother about the proposal, Lee and Shacklett eloped.

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"Southern women especially are very 'go by the rules,' " Lee explained, "and I didn't and I upset her. And I'm sorry to this day about that."

Related: 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' Singer Brenda Lee Reveals Song's Unlikely Beach-Side Inspiration (Exclusive)

Earlier in December, Lee exclusively told PEOPLE about her reaction to her classic song reaching one billion streams days before she celebrated her milestone 80th birthday.

"I was dumbfounded when I heard," she said. "I can’t even think that high, much less say it!"

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