AJ Lee

Biography

AJ Lee, born and raised in Tracy, California, in the San Joaquin Valley, discovered her musical talent early, matching her mother’s singing pitch as a toddler in their Chevy Suburban and performing her first song, the gospel tune “Angel Band,” on ukulele at age 4 during an open mic at Mission Pizza & Pub in Fremont. Influenced by country artists like Bonnie Raitt, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and Rhonda Vincent playing in her home, she was introduced to bluegrass through Frank Solivan Sr.'s Kids on Bluegrass program at the Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, emphasizing performance skills and collaboration. By age 7, she took up the mandolin and joined the family band The Tuttles, featuring bluegrass educator Jack Tuttle and his children Molly, Sullivan, and Michael, performing at venues like Strawberry Bluegrass Festival and Freight & Salvage in Berkeley.[1][2][4]

After high school in 2015, AJ Lee moved to Santa Cruz, forming Blue Summit with childhood festival friends, including guitarist Sullivan Tuttle, blending traditional bluegrass with contemporary elements like western swing, soul, folk, jazz, and pop. A powerful singer, mandolinist, and songwriter, she plays fiddle, guitar, ukulele, and banjo, earning six Northern California Bluegrass Society Female Vocalist awards and the 2019 IBMA Vocalist Momentum Award. The band released their debut full-length album in 2019, followed by “I’ll Come Back” in 2021 and “City of Glass” later, with albums produced by figures like Lech Wierzynski; they’ve toured extensively across the US and internationally.[1][3][6]

As an Asian American woman, AJ Lee brings diversity to bluegrass, leading a new generation of Californian players from the Sierra Nevada foothills to national stages, emphasizing perseverance, chemistry, and simple yet unique songwriting within the genre’s chord structures.[1][5][8]

Fun Facts

• At age 4, AJ Lee was held up to a pizzeria mic by her mother to sing 'Angel Band,' catching the eye of Frank Solivan Sr. who invited her to Kids on Bluegrass.
• The band name Blue Summit originated spontaneously from recording at original bassist Isaac Cornelius's house on the summit in Santa Cruz for their first festival gig at Kate Wolf.
• In 2011, at age 13, Mother Jones interviewed her with the headline 'Could This Kid Be The Next Alison Krauss?' highlighting her prodigious talent.
• Raised on an acre in Tracy, CA, with horses, chickens, dogs, cats, rats, and possums, reflecting a rural, musical family life.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jack Tuttle - Bluegrass educator and fiddle/mandolin instructor who invited her to join The Tuttles at age 7-10 (The Tuttles with AJ Lee albums (first in 2010)) [2008-2015]
• Frank Solivan Sr. - Director of Kids on Bluegrass program introducing her to bluegrass community (Kids on Bluegrass Fanfest in Nashville) [Age 4 onward (early 2000s)]
• Betsy Lee (mother) - Taught pitch matching and basic singing techniques; family musical influence (Early performances together) [Early childhood]

Key Collaborators

• Sullivan Tuttle - Bandmate in The Tuttles and Blue Summit; guitarist and baritone singer (The Tuttles with AJ Lee, Blue Summit albums like I’ll Come Back (2021), City of Glass) [2008-present]
• Molly Tuttle - Bandmate in The Tuttles; guitarist (The Tuttles with AJ Lee) [2008-2015]
• Michael Tuttle - Bandmate in The Tuttles (The Tuttles with AJ Lee) [2008-2015]
• Lech Wierzynski - Producer for upcoming album (Blue Summit album (fall 2024 release)) [2023-2024]

External Links

• Spotify