Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 2, 1990 TAG: 9006290033
SECTION: SALEM FAIR PAGE: SF-15 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAVID MEADOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But that same willingness to assert her individuality has enabled her to develop a diverse musical style that cuts across conventional country music boundaries.
Like her music, Lee is difficult to define. Though she was born and raised in Nashville and nursed a childhood dream of becoming a classical pianist, it was her experience singing with a high school rock group, not her lifelong exposure to country music, that drew her to a musical career.
"The first time I sang on stage, I was just a teenager, but I knew right away that this was what I wanted to do," said Lee. "Even now, to me there's nothing as gratifying as that immediate feedback you get from an audience."
Following her high school graduation, the rock group fell apart, but shortly after she began college in Nashville, Lee was asked to sing on a demo tape for one of the publishing companies along Nashville's "music row." That session led to additional requests for her services and eventually led to her decision to seek a full-time career in the business.
A brief stint with a small independent record label netted her a "Best New Female Vocalist" nomination from the Academy of Country Music. Then Lee entered the country music big leagues when she signed with Atlantic Records.
Since then, she has gained increasing radio exposure and has released two successful music videos, "Shine a Light on a Lie" and "Black Velvet."
Her development as an artist is apparent on her current album, "Black Velvet," a collection of wide-ranging musical styles, from soft acoustic country to driving rock n' roll.
Each track, from the soulful, sultry title track to the quietly moving "He's Helping Me Get Over You," displays the emotional depth and musical edge for which Lee has been striving.
"When she performs, Lee is a 5-foot-4 whirlwind of activity, utilizing every inch of the stage to convey her musical message. Her enthusiastic, high-energy style has landed her opening act appearances for stars such as Willie Nelson, Sawyer Brown and Randy Travis.
"I think sometimes it surprises people that I do such a variety of music," she said. "But I've always believed that if you limit or categorize yourself, you miss out on a lot of opportunities to make good music, and that's what it's all about.
"There's really no way to describe how I feel on stage," she said. "Each time I hear the audience I think, `Awards don't matter, money doesn't matter, nothing matters but this.' "
Lee will appear on Saturday, July 14, at 8 p.m. Admission is $10.
by CNB