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Biography
Good ArticleUse mdy dates|date=December 2011Infobox musical artist | name = Amos Lee| image = Amos Lee shot by KK.jpg| caption = Lee performing at Poptech in 2008| image_size = | background = solo_singer| birth_name = Ryan Anthony Massaro| birth_date =| death_date =| origin = Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States| instrument = Guitar, vocals| genre = Soul music|soul , Folk music|folk , blues | occupation = Singer-songwriter , musician| years_active = 2004–present| label = Blue Note Records|Blue Note | associated_acts =| website = http://amoslee.com/ amoslee.com Amos Lee (born 1978 as Ryan Anthony Massarocite web|url= http://www.cas.sc.edu/engl/ugrad/alumni.html|title=Alumni News|work=Department of English Language and Literature|publisher=University of South Carolina|accessdate=November 10, 2011cite web|url= http://charlotte.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/who_is_amos_lee_/Content? oid=338842|title=Who is Amos Lee? |last=Hahne|first=Jeff|date=July 30, 2008|work=Interview|publisher= Creative Loafing |accessdate=January 28, 2011) is an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk music|folk , rock and Soul music|soul . He was born in Philadelphia and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in English. After working as a schoolteacher and bartender he began to pursue a career in music. His manager submitted a demo recording to Blue Note Records which resulted in a recording contract and an association with Norah Jones .
Since that time Lee has recorded four album s on Blue Note Records and has toured as an opening act for Bob Dylan , Elvis Costello , Paul Simon , Merle Haggard , Van Morrison , John Prine , Dave Matthews Band and Adele (singer)|Adele and his music has appeared on the soundtracks of numerous TV shows and movies. He has performed on several late night TV shows and at a voter registration rally for Barack Obama . In 2011, his album Mission Bell (Amos Lee album)|Mission Bell debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and his music has been described as "1970s folk rock and rustic soul".
Early life and education
Lee was born Ryan Anthony Massaro in 1978 and was raised in Philadelphia. Hiltbrand, David (March 21, 2011) http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-27/news/29194919_1_amos-lee-vibes-previous-three-albums/2 Amos Lee: Philadelphia's anonymous hit-maker Inquirer/Philly News He moved to Cherry Hill, New Jersey at age 11 and graduated from Cherry Hill High School East .
Lee attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with a degree in English and a minor in education. During his college years he developed an interest in music after being inspired by the John Prine album, Great Days . Later began playing the guitar and played the bass as part of a band while working at a record store where he was exposed to the music of Donny Hathaway , Joni Mitchell , Luther Vandross , Bill Withers and Otis Redding .cite news|last=Gitlin|first=Lauren|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/amoslee/articles/story/7092465/10_artists_to_watch_amos_lee |title=10 Artists to Watch: Amos Lee|publisher= Rolling Stone |date=March 10, 2005 Lindquist, David (October 21 2005) No bells or whistles; Amos Lee, on his first tour as a headliner, aims to serve the song above all, The Indianapolis Star page=34
Career
After returning to Philadelphia, Lee worked as a second grade school teacher at the Mary McLeod Bethune School and as a bartender at local music venues. He performed at "open mic" events in the area and through his contacts with promoters, was hired as an opening act for artists like Mose Allison and B.B. King .
In 2003, Lee's manager sent a four-song demo CD to several record labels, and Eli Wolf of Blue Note Records heard the recording and was "immediately struck by his Lee's voice". Graham, Renee (February 27, 2005) "Former Teacher Gets a Lesson in the Big Time", The Boston Globe page N5 Afterwards, Norah Jones heard the demo CD while visiting the record company and invited Lee to be the opening act for her 2004 tour.cite news|url= http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/04/arts/music/04amos.html? scp=2& sq=amos+lee& st=nyt|title=A Ready-Made Idol? Nope, Just a Folkie Happy to Play His Music|author=Winter, Miller|publisher= The New York Times |date=October 4, 2006|accessdate=December 3, 2011
The friendship between Lee's manager and the manager for Bob Dylan resulted in Lee touring with Dylan as his opening act in early 2005. (June 26, 2005) Watch this Face: Amos Lee, Independent on Sunday (London) page 15PBS New Hour, Mission Bell Amos Lee enriches his songwriting with star power, April 28, 2011. Saskia De Melker, Retrieved July 2011cite web|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=4541649|title=Philadelphian Amos Lee's Country-Fried Soul|publisher=NPR Music|date=March 18, 2005|accessdate=July 2011 Later Lee began touring on his own and recorded his self-titled and "widely praised" debut album of "subtle, folky soul" (March 4, 2005) The Ticket; CD Reviews, The Irish Times , page 13cite web|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=6286383|title=A Moment of Peace on the Long Road|author=Blaustein, Claire|publisher=NPR Music|date=October 18, 2006|accessdate=July 2011 which included vocals and instrumentation by Norah Jones and members of her band. After it was released, the album peaked at #2 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and Lee was named one of Rolling Stone 's "Top 10 Artists to Watch." (June 10 2006) Top Heatseekers, Billboard (magazine) One song from the album, called "Colors", appeared on the TV show '' Grey's Anatomy and in the film Just Like Heaven (film)|Just Like Heaven ''. Lee's music received additional media attention when he performed on late night TV shows such as The Late Show with David Letterman .Green, Andy (February 17 2011) http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/rolling-stone-video-blog/unlikely-billboard-champion-amos-lee-performs-new-song-violin-on-letterman-20110217 Unlikely Billboard Champion Amos Lee Performs New Song, Violin, On 'Letterman Rolling Stone Retrieved December 3 2011
In 2006, Lee recorded his second album, Supply and Demand (Amos Lee album)|Supply and Demand which was produced by Barrie Maguire. An NPR Music reviewer described it as having "more complicated instrumentation and production" than his prior work. The song "Shout Out Loud" was released as a single and peaked at #76 on the Billboard 200.cite web|url= http://www.billboard.com/album/amos-lee/supply-and-demand/796697#/album/amos-lee/supply-and-demand/796697|title=Supply and Demand, Amos Lee|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|work= Billboard |accessdate=December 2 2011 and the song, called "Sweet Pea", was used in an AT& T ad campaign. cite web|url= http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/2011-02-20-amos-lee-otv_N.htm|title=On the verge: Amos Lee goes from chalkboard to 'Billboard'|author=Mansfield, Brian|publisher= USA Today |date=February 25, 2011|accessdate=July 2011
Lee's third studio album, Last Days at the Lodge was released in 2008 and re-emphasized "his grounding in folk and soul". The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart and Lee performed at the Change Rocks, voter registration rally for Barack Obama , in Philadelphia that summer.cite web|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=92691367|title=Amos Lee At Studio 4A 'Lodge'|publisher=NPR Music|date=July 19, 2008|accessdate=July 2011cite web|url= http://www.billboard.com/album/amos-lee/supply-and-demand/796697#/album/amos-lee/last-days-at-the-lodge/1140154|title=Amos Lee: Last Days At The Lodge|publisher= Prometheus Global Media |work=Billboard|accessdate=December 2 2011cite web | url= http://www.kimmelcenter.org/news/index.php? id=227 | title=Philly Native Singer-Songwriter Amos Lee Performs at the Merriam Theater | publisher= Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts | date=December 21, 2010 | accessdate=April 30, 2011
In 2011, Lee released his fourth album on Blue Note Records, entitled Mission Bell which was produced by Joey Burns of Calexico (band)|Calexico . The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, number one on the Digital Albums chart, number two on the Internet chart and number one on the Amazon Top-Selling Albums and iTunes charts. Burger, David (February 2, 2011) Amos Lee's new album debuts at No. 1, The Salt Lake Tribune , Retrieved July 2011 The album's single, "Windows are Rolled Down", became a top 10 hit on USA Today 's adult-alternative chart. Guest artists on the album included Lucinda Williams , Willie Nelson , Priscilla Ahn , Pieta Brown , James Gadson , and Sam Beam .cite web | url= http://thekey.xpn.org/2010/09/amos-lee-gets-cozy-with-indie-rockers-folk-heros-and-country-legends/ | title=Amos Lee gets cozy with indie rockers, folk heros, and country legends | year=2010 | accessdate=September 9, 2010 | publisher= The Key The album was described by critics as tunes placed in "a stark landscape, enveloped by rustling percussion and reverberant drones" with a tones and lyrics that were more optimistic than prior albums. Other critics called it "a restless album with a gentle soul" and "another fine showcase for his Lee's elegant, soothing songwriting". cite news|title=CD Reviews: Amos Lee|author=Vaziri, Aidin|publisher= The San Francisco Chronicle |location=California|date=January 20, 2011|page=33
Reception
Lee's "folksy, bluesy sound" has been compared to that of John Prine and Norah Jones.cite news|title=Spanning decades; Amos Lee's music draws two generation|author=Darvas, Lori|publisher= The Indianapolis Star |date=August 8, 2008|location=Indiana|page=21 His music is said to utilize the "supple funk of his vocals and arid strum of his guitar" while recalling "the low-volume, early-'70s acoustic soul of stars like Bill Withers and Minnie Ripperton ". cite news|title=He Follows a Different Strummer|author=Farber, Jim|publisher= Daily News |date=March 1, 2005|location=New York|page=38 A New York Times music critic described Lee as having a "honeyed singing voice – light amber, mildly sweet, a touch of grain" which he features "squarely, without much fuss or undue strain" in his "1970s folk rock and rustic soul" musical song craft.cite web|url= http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/arts/music/25choice.html|title=Critics' Choice: New CDs|work= The New York Times |author1=Ben Ratliff|author2=Chinen, Nate|author3=Pareles, Jon|accessdate=July 2011 According to a music writer at ABC News , Lee "has that folksy, bluesy vibe, with a bit of country twang" and a voice that is "ever soulful".cite news|url= http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory? id=12812348|title=Review: Amos Lee Spirit Breaks, but Songs Fly|publisher= ABC News |author=Moody, Nekesa|date=February 1, 2001|accessdate=July 2011 Simultaneously Lee has been both lauded and dismissed as the "male Norah Jones" and cite news|title=Taking a back seat to the songs|author=Wheeler, Brad|publisher= The Globe and Mail |date=November 3, 2006|page=25 his lyrics are said to convey "the complexities of everyday emotions" without falling into flowery imagery.
Lee's songs have appeared on a number of TV shows including the Parenthood (2010 TV series)|Parenthood (TV series) .cite web|url= http://www.parenthoodtvsoundtrack.com/ |title=Parenthood Soundtrack |publisher=Parenthoodtvsoundtrack.com |date= |accessdate=2011-12-01
Personal life
Lee describes himself as being of "mixed" ethnicitycite web|url= http://hamptonroads.com/2006/10/amos-lee%2526%2523039%3Bs-background:-touchy-subject|title=Amos Lee's Background: Touchy Subject|publisher= Hampton Roads |date=October 17 2006|accessdate=December 2 2011 and maintains a residence in Philadelphia and while spending some winter months in San Francisco .
Discography
Studio albums
Title
Details
Peak chart positions
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Amos Lee
Release date: March 1, 2005
Label: Blue Note Records
Formats: Compact disc|CD , music download
Supply and Demand
Release date: October 3, 2006
Label: Blue Note Records
Formats: CD, music download
Last Days at the Lodge
Release date: June 24, 2008
Label: Blue Note Records
Formats: CD, music download
Mission Bell
Release date: January 25, 2011
Label: Blue Note Records
Formats: CD, music download
"—" denotes releases that did not chart
Extended plays
Title
Details
Amos Lee (EP)
Release date: 2004
Label: Blue Note Records
Formats: CD, music download
Live from KCRW
Release date: 2005
Label: Blue Note Records
Formats: CD, music download
As The Crow Flies
Release date: 2012
Label: Blue Note Records
Formats: CD, music download, 10" vinylcite news|title=Amos Lee Reveals EP of Unreleased Tracks|url= http://thejazzline.com/news/2011/12/amos-lee-reveals-as-the-crow-flies-ep/|accessdate=7 December 2011|newspaper=The Jazz Line
Singles
Year
Single
Album
2010
Mission Bell
2011
References
reflist|colwidth=30em
External links
http://amoslee.com/ Amos Lee's official website
http://bluenote.com/ArtistMain.aspx? ArtistId=920167 Amos Lee at Blue Note Records
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=15355761 Amos Lee at NPR Music
Persondata | NAME = Lee, Amos | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = American musician | DATE OF BIRTH = 1978 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Amos Category:1977 births Category:American folk singers Category:American folk guitarists Category:American jazz guitarists Category:American soul guitarists Category:American male singers Category:American rock singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:People from Cherry Hill, New Jersey Category:Blue Note Records artists
da:Amos Lee de:Amos Lee fr:Amos Lee it:Amos Lee nl:Amos Lee ja:????·?? pt:Amos Lee ru:??, ????? sv:Amos Lee
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