Johnny Lee (singer)

Johnny Lee
Background information
Birth name John Lee Ham[1]
Born (1946-07-03) July 3, 1946
Origin Alta Loma, Texas, USA
Genres Country, Pop, Countrypolitan
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1976–present
Labels Asylum Records
Warner Bros. Records
Curb Records
Associated acts Mickey Gilley
Website www.theofficialjohnnylee.com

John Lee Ham (born July 3, 1946), known professionally as Johnny Lee, is an American country music singer. His 1980 single "Lookin' for Love" became a crossover hit, spending three weeks at number 1 on the Billboard country singles chart while also appearing in the Top 5 on the Billboard Pop chart and Top 10 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. He racked up a series of country hits in the early and mid-1980s.

Biography

Lee was born in Texas City, Texas, and grew up on a dairy farm in nearby Alta Loma (now part of Santa Fe, Texas). In high school he formed a rock n' roll band, "Johnny Lee and the Roadrunners". After graduation Lee enlisted in the United States Navy and served a tour of duty on the USS Chicago, a guided missile cruiser. After his discharge, he played cover tunes in Texas nightclubs and bars throughout the 1960s.

Lee worked 10 years with Mickey Gilley, both on tour and at Gilley’s Club in Pasadena, Texas. The soundtrack from the 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy, which was largely shot at Gilley's, catapulted Lee to fame. The record spawned several hit singles, including Lee's "Lookin' for Love."

In addition to "Lookin' for Love", Lee had five songs reach the top of the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart: "One in a Million" (1980); "Bet Your Heart on Me" (1981); "The Yellow Rose" (1984, a duet with Lane Brody and the theme song to the NBC TV-series of the same name); and "You Could Have Heard a Heartbreak" (1984). His other major hits include "Pickin' Up Strangers" (1981), "Prisoner of Hope" (1981), "Cherokee Fiddle", "Sounds Like Love", "Hey Bartender" (1983), "Rollin' Lonely", and "Save the Last Chance" (1985).

From 1982 to 1984, Lee was married to Dallas actress Charlene Tilton, with whom he had a daughter Cherish (born 1982). He later had a son with former wife Deb whom he married in 1986,[2] named Johnny Lee Jr. (1990-2014). After Johnny Lee, Jr. died at the age of 23 of a drug overdose, Lee became active in combating the illegal drug epidemic.[3]

In the fall of 2008 Lee began performing regularly in Branson, Missouri.

Discography

Albums

Year Album Chart Positions RIAA
US Country
[4]
CAN Country
[5]
1977 For Lovers Only β€” β€” β€”
1980 Lookin' for Love 8 6 Gold
1981 Bet Your Heart on Me 9 β€” β€”
1982 Sounds Like Love 32 β€” β€”
1983 Hey Bartender 15 β€” β€”
Greatest Hits 41 β€” β€”
1984 Til' the Bars Burn Down 23 β€” β€”
1985 Keep Me Hangin' On 36 β€” β€”
Workin' for a Livin 23 β€” β€”
1989 New Directions β€” β€” β€”
1989 Buckmasters Presents Woods & Water β€” β€” β€”
1990 Greatest Hits Volume 2 β€” β€” β€”
1990 The Best of Johnny Lee β€” β€” β€”
1995 Country Party β€” β€” β€”
1996 Ramblin' Rose β€” β€” β€”
1999 Live at Gilley's β€” β€” β€”
2001 At His Best β€” β€” β€”
2002 Live at Billy Bob's Texas β€” β€” β€”
2003 The 13th of July β€” β€” β€”
Greatest Hits β€” β€” β€”
2005 Santa Claus Is Lookin' for Love β€” β€” β€”
2006 Country Candy Store β€” β€” β€”
2016 You Ain't Never Been To Texas

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions Album
US Country
[6]
US
[7]
CAN Country
[8]
1976 "Sometimes" 59 β€” β€” N/A
"Red Sails in the Sunset" 22 β€” β€” Country Party
1977 "Ramblin' Rose" 37 β€” β€”
"Country Party" 15 β€” 50
"Dear Alice" 58 β€” β€”
1978 "This Time" 43 β€” β€”
1980 "Lookin' for Love"[A] 1 5 18 Lookin' for Love
"One in a Million" 1 102 8
1981 "Pickin' Up Strangers" 3 β€” 4
"Prisoner of Hope" 3 β€” 4
"Rode Hard and Put Up Wet" 52 β€” β€” Urban Cowboy 2
"Bet Your Heart on Me" 1 54 5 Bet Your Heart on Me
1982 "Be There for Me Baby" 10 β€” 5
"When You Fall in Love" 14 β€” 46
"Cherokee Fiddle" 10 β€” 24 Sounds Like Love
1983 "Sounds Like Love" 6 β€” 9
"Hey Bartender" 2 β€” 1 Hey Bartender
"My Baby Don't Slow Dance" 23 β€” 13
1984 "The Yellow Rose" (with Lane Brody) 1 β€” 1 'Til the Bars Burn Down
"One More Shot" 42 β€” 26
"You Could've Heard a Heart Break" 1 β€” 2 Workin' for a Livin'
1985 "Rollin' Lonely" 9 β€” 9
"Save the Last Chance" 12 β€” 12 Keep Me Hangin' On
"They Never Had to Get Over You" 19 β€” 57
1986 "The Loneliness in Lucy's Eyes
(The Life Sue Ellen Is Living)"
56 β€” β€” Dallas: The Music Story
"I Could Get Used to This" (with Lane Brody) 50 β€” β€” N/A
1989 "Maybe I Won't Love You Anymore" 59 β€” β€” New Directions
"I'm Not Over You" 69 β€” β€”
"I Can Be a Heartbreaker Too" 53 β€” β€”
"You Can't Fly Like an Eagle" 66 β€” β€”
1990 "Heart to Heart Talk"[9] β€” β€” β€”
"Dangerously Lonely" β€” β€” β€” The Best of Johnny Lee
"Money in My Pocket"[10] β€” β€” β€”
2016 "Never Been to Texas" β€” β€” β€” You Ain't Never Been to Texas

Charted B-sides

Year B-side Chart Positions Original A-side
US Country
[6]
1984 "Say When" flip "The Yellow Rose"
Notes
  • A^ Peaked at No. 20 on the RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and No. 54 on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada.

References

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