| Frankie Lee | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Frankie Lee Jones |
| Also known as | Little Frankie Lee |
| Born | April 29, 1941 Mart, Texas, United States |
| Genres | Soul blues, electric blues[1] |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Labels | Various including Peacock, HighTone and Blind Pig |
Frankie Lee (born Frankie Lee Jones, April 29, 1941) is an American soul blues and electric blues singer and songwriter. His style was compared to Otis Redding,[2] and Lee has released six albums to date. The Daily News stated Lee's was "one of the most energetic blues voices of any time or place."[3]
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Lee was born in Mart, Texas, United States.[4] His early involvement in music began by singing gospel music in church, before signing to Peacock Records in 1963.[1] Billed as Little Frankie Lee, he released a trio of singles which included "Taxi Blues", a regional hit and his best known number.[2][5] Following co-residing with his friend Sonny Rhodes in Austin, Texas, Lee was recruited by Ike Turner to join the touring ensemble backing Ike & Tina Turner.[1] Lee later said of that time, "I'll never forget it. I dug the music and the way they performed. Tina in particular just knocked me out. It was amazing how she would go out and grab an audience - that's what I wanted to do. So I would just sit back and take notes. I learned a lot."[3] Lee then settled in Houston, and variously worked with other musicians including Big Mama Thornton, Ted Taylor, Junior Parker, and Joe Hinton.[1]
Lee befriended Albert Collins during this period and, in 1965, they both relocated to California, with Lee singing in Collins' band from that time until 1968.[1][4] In 1971, Lee was signed to Elka Records and his cousin, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, produced Lee's tracks. In the late 1970s, Lee's own backing ensemble included a young Robert Cray.[1]
His debut album, The Ladies and the Babies was released on HighTone in 1984. Allmusic journalist, Thom Owens, noted, "as one of the first albums on HighTone Records, the album helped set the stage for the numerous records and artists that teetered between soul and blues."[6]
Lee appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival with Sonny Rhodes, before relocating to New Jersey in 1986. He continued to perform live, gaining a growing reputation for the quality and energy of his live performances.[1] Flying Fish released Lee's second album, Sooner or Later (1992), where he was backed by Doug Newby and the Bluz Blasters, and included a guest appearance by Lucky Peterson.[4][3] Going Back Home (1994) appeared on the Blind Pig label.[1] Lee toured widely playing at American music festivals, in Europe and Japan.[3]
In 2004, Lee performed with Dan Treanor on the album, African Wind.[4]
Lee's latest album, Standing at the Crossorads was released in 2006 on Blues Express.[4] The album was produced by Dennis Walker, who had produced The Ladies and the Babies over two decades earlier. Latterly, Lee was nominated for the Bay Area Blues Vocalist of the Year award.[7]
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The Ladies and the Babies | HighTone |
| 1992 | Sooner or Later | Flying Fish |
| 1994 | Going Back Home | Blind Pig |
| 1999 | Here I Go Again | Blues Express |
| 2004 | African Wind (with Dan Treanor) | Northern Blues |
| 2006 | Standing at the Crossroads | Blues Express |