Lee Fields

Biography

Born Elmer Lee Fields in Wilson, North Carolina, in 1950 or 1951 to Emma Jean Fields and John Fields, Lee Fields grew up in a home where his parents ran a speakeasy on Saturday nights and took him to church on Sundays, fostering his early exposure to music.[1][4][5] As a teenager, he moved to New York City in 1967, deeply inspired by James Brown's performance in The T.A.M.I. Show, which propelled him to pursue a career as a soul star; he released his debut single 'Bewildered' in 1969, produced by Kip Anderson on Bedford Records.[1][3][4] The 1970s saw him build a reputation as a funk king with classics like 1973's 'Let's Talk It Over' and 'She's a Lovemaker,' backed by Sammy Gordon and the Hip Huggers, though shifting tastes and missed opportunities kept him from mainstream fame, leading to independent releases and southern blues circuit touring.[1][2][4]

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Fields experimented with electronic music and blues, even producing records on his own BDA label, but his career revived in 1996 with Desco Records, co-run by Gabriel Roth and Phillip Lehman, starting with 'Let a Man Do What He Wana Do' and the 1998 album Let's Get a Groove On, positioning him as a torchbearer for the funk revival alongside labelmates like Sharon Jones.[1][3][4][5] Desco evolved into Daptone Records, where he became a key figure in the early 2000s soul revival with artists like Charles Bradley; he formed his backing band The Expressions, releasing multiple albums and touring globally to festivals like Coachella and Carnegie Hall.[1][3] His style blends raw funk, deep soul, and retro influences, earning praise for his powerful voice likened to James Brown, often called 'Little JB.'[1][6][8]

Fields' five-decades-plus career includes over 20 albums and 40 singles, with samples by hip-hop artists like J. Cole and A$AP Rocky, and a 2005 detour into dance music via Martin Solveig's 'Jealousy.'[1][3][4] Now based in Plainfield, New Jersey, with his wife Christine since 1969, he continues as a prolific force in modern soul via Big Crown Records, maintaining fiery live performances.[1][4]

Fun Facts

• Nicknamed 'Little JB' for his physical and vocal resemblance to James Brown.[8]
• Married his wife Christine in 1969, the same year as his debut single, and they still reside in Plainfield, New Jersey.[4]
• In 2005, he sang on Martin Solveig's 'Jealousy,' becoming an international dance hit and performing at lavish DJ parties in Ibiza and Monaco.[4]
• His parents ran a speakeasy from their home on Saturday nights while taking him to church on Sundays, shaping his electrifying performance style.[5]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• James Brown - primary stylistic influence and inspiration for pursuing soul stardom (The T.A.M.I. Show performance) [1967 onward]
• Kip Anderson - producer for debut single ('Bewildered' (1969)) [late 1960s]
• Herb Abramson - studio engineer who offered record deal after impressed by talent ('Let's Talk It Over' and 'She's a Lovemaker' (1973)) [1973]

Key Collaborators

• Gabriel Roth - producer and co-founder of Desco Records (later Daptone) ('Let a Man Do What He Wana Do' (1996), Let's Get a Groove On (1998)) [1996-2000s]
• Phillip Lehman - co-founder of Desco Records (early Desco sessions and Desco Super Soul Revue) [1996-2003]
• Leon Michels - producer on multiple albums after Truth and Soul/Big Crown Records (half a dozen albums including 2009 release) [2000s-2020s]
• The Expressions - long-term backing band described as 'musical sons' and family (seven LPs including Special Night) [2000s-present]
• Sammy Gordon and the Hip Huggers - backing band for iconic singles ('Let's Talk It Over' and 'She's a Lovemaker' (1973)) [1973]
• Sharon Jones - labelmate in Desco Super Soul Revue and Daptone soul revival (Desco Super Soul Revue tours) [late 1990s-2000s]
• Martin Solveig - featured vocalist on dance track ('Jealousy' (2005)) [2005]

Artists Influenced

• J. Cole - sampled Fields' music in hip-hop tracks (various hip-hop productions) [2010s]
• A$AP Rocky - sampled Fields' music in hip-hop tracks (various hip-hop productions) [2010s]

External Links

• Spotify