Frankie Lee: Standing At The Crossroads (Blues Express 2006)

Frankie Lee – Standing At The Crossroads (2006) CD

Label:Blues Express 

Format:CD, Album

Country:US

Released:2006

Genre:Blues

Style:Modern Electric Blues, Soul Blues

Tracklist

1Wish I Had A Dime4:01

2High Horse5:13

3I Need Lots Of Love4:18

4Prayer For Peace3:08

5Where You Been All My Life4:40

6Better Than That5:15

7Let's Think Twice6:48

8Mary Don't You Weep3:26

9Standing At The Crossroads4:41

10How Far Can You Fall3:01

11Think What It's Doing To Me4:44

12I Really Got The Blues5:46

13I Ain't Ever Had The Blues (Like This Before)5:57

Companies, etc.

• Copyright © – Blues Express, Inc.

Credits

• Arranged By – Tom Peterson (2)
• Bass – Gerald Johnson, Richard Cousins
• Drums – Lee Spath
• Engineer – Sergio Ponzu
• Engineer, Mixed By, Mastered By – Alan Mirikitani
• Guitar – Mike Turner (24)
• Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Alan Mirikitani
• Keyboards – Jim Pugh
• Lead Vocals – Frankie Lee (3)
• Producer – Dennis Walker
• Saxophone – Tom Peterson (2)
• Trombone – Ira Nepus
• Trumpet – Lee Thornburg

Notes

U.S. release of 2006

Frankie Lee (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Birth name Frankie Lee Jones

Also known as Little Frankie Lee

Born April 29, 1941 Mart, Texas, United States

Died April 24, 2015 (aged 73) Sacramento, California, United States

Genres  Soul blues, electric blues[1]

Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter

Instrument(s) Vocals

Years active1960s–2015

Labels Various including Peacock, HighTone, Blind Pig

Frankie Lee (April 29, 1941 – April 24, 2015)[2] was an American soul blues and electric blues singer and songwriter who released six albums. His style has been compared to that of Otis Redding.[3] The New York Daily News wrote that Lee had "one of the most energetic blues voices of any time or place".[4]

Life and career[edit]

Frankie Lee Jones was born in Mart, Texas.[5] As a child, he sang gospel music in church. In 1963, he signed a recording contract with Peacock Records.[1] Billed as Little Frankie Lee, he released three singles, including "Taxi Blues", a regional hit and his best-known song.[3][6] After living 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."[4] Lee then settled in Houston and 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's band from that time until 1968.[1][5] In 1971, Lee was signed to Elka Records, and his cousin, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, produced Lee's tracks. Also in 1971, "Little" Frankie Lee, as he was known at the time, performed regular gigs at Joe's Nairobi Lounge in East Palo Alto, across from the now defunct Nairobi Village Shopping Center. His band was known as "Little Frankie Lee and the Lee-ettes", sporting guitarist Robert Valdez and several female backup singers. In the late 1970s, Lee's backing ensemble included the young Robert Cray.[1]

His first album, The Ladies and the Babies, was released by HighTone Records in 1984. The Allmusic journalist Thom Owens noted that "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."[7]

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 Records released Lee's second album, Sooner or Later (1992), on which he was backed by Doug Newby and the Bluz Blasters, with a guest appearance by Lucky Peterson.[5][4] Going Back Home (1994) was released by Blind Pig Records.[1] Lee toured widely, playing at American music festivals and in Europe and Japan.[4]

In 2004, Lee performed with Dan Treanor on the album African Wind.[5]

Lee's final album, Standing at the Crossroads, was released in 2006 by Blues Express.[5] The album was produced by Dennis Walker, who had produced The Ladies and the Babies more than twenty years earlier. Lee was nominated for the Bay Area Blues Vocalist of the Year award.[8]

Lee died on April 24, 2015, in Sacramento, California, aged 73.[2]

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

Year Title Record label

1984 The Ladies and the Babies HighTone

1992Sooner or LaterFlying Fish

1994Going Back HomeBlind Pig

1999Here I Go AgainBlues Express

2004African Wind, with Dan TreanorNorthern Blues

2006Standing at the CrossroadsBlues Express

See also[edit]

• List of soul-blues musicians
• List of electric blues musicians

References[edit]

^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h Skelly, Richard. "Frankie Lee: Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2014-01-26. ^ Jump up to:a b "Jones, Frankie Lee". Obituary. WacoTrib.com. 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2015-05-31. ^ Jump up to:a b "Frankie Lee". Bluesexpress.com. Retrieved December 20, 2011. ^ Jump up to:a b c d "Frankie Lee". Blindpigrecords.com. Retrieved December 20, 2011. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e "Frankie Lee". Soulbluesmusic.com. Retrieved December 20, 2011. ^ "Frankie Lee". Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven. SirShambling.com. Retrieved December 20, 2011.[permanent dead link] ^ Owens, Thom. "Frankie Lee, Ladies & the Babies: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2014-01-26. ^ "Frankie Lee – Standing at the Crossroads". Worldsrecords.com. Retrieved December 20, 2011. ^ "Frankie Lee: Discography". AllMusic.com. 1941-04-29. Retrieved 2014-01-26.