Will Lee - Bass

It's after midnight and the eerie sounds of Miles Davis' muted trumpet drift from the stereo and into the bedroom of three-year-old Will Lee, from this point on Lee was hooked. Music has always been in Lee’s blood: his father played piano and has also played trumpet and bass violin professionally, while Will's mother sang with big bands. Born in San Antonio, Texas in 1952, his parent’s talents led Will on a circuitous route from one instrument to another –torturous piano lessons, a short relationship with violin, French horn and demanding trumpet lessons taught by his father.

Inspired by The Beatles performance on the Ed Sullivan Show, Will then took up drums. By the time he was 12 he had formed his first band in Miami. Playing popular surf tunes characteristic of the 60s, band members earned $9 a night. However, drummers in Miami were a dime a dozen and Will with his diverse talents, shifted to bass, an instrument which offered more opportunities. Quickly becoming a successful bass player, Will was part of a succession of groups including top 40 bands with names like "Chances R" "The Loving Kind" and "Green Cloud."

Formally trained, at the University of Miami, Lee studied French horn for a year and then switched to a bass major. After classes, he worked on bass fundamentals listening and learning from the masters: the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Miller, The Rascals, Motown and Sly & the Family Stone. Sometimes playing up to six sets a night gigging with local bands, including the innovative horn band called "Goldrush”, Lee’s dedication and passion was ceaseless then and remains undimmed now.

It wasn’t long before Will Lee’s reputation spread throughout the music world, and a whole host of musicians came knocking. Trumpeter Randy Brecker called Will out of class one day and invited him to New York to audition for "Dreams". Once there, Will's career really took off and he continued to cut his teeth touring with the likes of B.J.Thomas, Horace Silver, Bette Midler,

Barry Manilow, The Brecker Brothers, and Herbie Mann. Gaining experience in the commercial field, Will found himself in high demand.

As a bassist and singer, he's recorded with an extensive array of top performers including David Sanborn, Boz Scaggs Diane Schuur, Tom Scott, Neil Sedaka, Carly Simon, Frank Sinatra, Phoebe Snow, Ronnie Spector, The Spinners, Spyro Gyra, Ringo Starr, Steely Dan, Cat Stevens and Barbara Streisand, Burt Bacharach, Bee Gees, George Benson, Michael Bolton, Mariah Carey, Ray Charles, Cher, D'angelo, Deodato, Dr. John, Peter Erskine, Donald Fagen, Aretha Franklin, Bob James, Billy Joel, Chaka Khan, Kool And The Gang, Cyndi Lauper, Taj Mahal, Manhattan Transfer, Tania Maria, Dave Matthews, Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Nina Simone, Mike Stern, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Weather Report.

Will Lee's official website:
www.willlee.com