Lee
Born and raised in Gwinnett county, Lee started piano lessons at the age of six but gave up the keys in high school for the trombone. He returned to the keys at Berry College and went on to serve as Assistant Band Director at the University of West Georgia where he received his M.A. in Education and B.M.A in Piano Performance. He left the teaching scene in 1986 and spent the next years studying privately at the Berkeley School of Music.
He went from unofficial study at Berkeley to the “slammin’ high dollar” Rupert’s Club in Atlanta where he joined a world-class rhythm section, horns, and singer, as the self-reported “weakest link” whose best asset was his ability to “play a groove and read sheet music.” You can only believe him while he’s talking, though, for as soon as you hear his fingers begin to tickle those ivories, you know those same “greats” he talks about playing with probably refer to him the same way.
He’s played or done recording work for Butch Walker (back when he was still Brad), Jerry King, Ready or Not, Jimi Hall, Ben McRee and countless others. He’s played with a pile of corporate bands, even playing dance parties for the NBA. Of course, some gigs weren’t “necessarily great music, he jokes, but he “overlooked taste of music for quality of the players.” It’s apparent this talent for partnering with quality musicians has only continued with the birth of Backswing.