Lee Fields & the Expressions

Biography

Born Elmer Lee Fields in 1950 in Wilson, North Carolina, to parents Emma Jean Fields and John Fields, Lee Fields decided to pursue a singing career after witnessing James Brown's performance in the 1964 film The T.A.M.I. Show. He moved to New York City in 1967, releasing his debut single 'Bewildered' in 1969 on Bedford Records, produced by Kip Anderson, followed by early hits like 1973's 'Let's Talk It Over' with Sammy Gordon and the Hip Huggers on London Records. Despite missed mainstream opportunities due to label issues and shifting tastes, Fields persisted through the 1970s and 1980s with independent releases and southern soul-blues touring.[1][2][4]

In the 1990s, Fields revitalized his career on the southern circuit with Ace Records albums like Enough Is Enough (1993) and Dreaming Big Time (1996), then broke into the funk revival via Desco Records' 1996 single 'Let a Man Do What He Wana Do,' produced by Gabriel Roth and Phillip Lehman. A pivotal shift came in the 2000s with Truth & Soul Records (later Big Crown), where he formed Lee Fields & The Expressions, releasing acclaimed albums such as My World (2009), Faithful Man (2012), Emma Jean (2014), Special Night (2017), and It Rains Love. His style blends raw James Brown-inspired funk, retro soul, and cinematic southern soul, marked by a raucous yet tender voice.[1][2][3][4][6]

Over five decades, Fields has released over 20 albums and 40 singles across 12 labels, touring globally from Carnegie Hall to Coachella. He remains a cornerstone of the soul revival alongside Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley, with his work sampled by hip-hop artists like J. Cole and A$AP Rocky, cementing his legacy as a resilient 'king of funk.'[1][3][5][6]

Fun Facts

• Fields sang about 15 shows as a featured vocalist with Kool & the Gang in the late 1960s before their breakout hit 'Let the Music Take Your Mind' in 1970, watching their stardom from the sidelines.
• His 2005 collaboration 'Jealousy' with French DJ Martin Solveig became an international club hit, leading to first-class jet-setting to DJ parties in Ibiza and Monaco.
• The IRS shutdown of Bedford Records after his 1969 debut single 'Bewildered' ended that label's brief run and dashed early ambitions.
• He named his 2014 album Emma Jean after his mother and still resides in Plainfield, New Jersey, with his wife Christine, whom he married in 1969.

Members

• Lee Fields - eponymous, lead vocals, original
• Homer Steinweiss

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• James Brown - primary stylistic inspiration after T.A.M.I. Show performance (influenced early funk style in singles like 'Let's Talk It Over') [1964 onward]
• Kip Anderson - producer for debut single ('Bewildered' (1969)) [1969]
• Harry Redd - early manager who connected him to Kool & the Gang and inspired his wardrobe (early tours) [late 1960s]

Key Collaborators

• Sammy Gordon and the Hip Huggers - backing band for iconic singles ('Let's Talk It Over,' 'She's a Love Maker' (1973)) [1973]
• Gabriel Roth - producer at Desco/Soul Fire/Truth & Soul ('Let a Man Do What He Wana Do' (1996), early Expressions albums) [1996-2010s]
• Leon Michels - producer at Truth & Soul/Big Crown, co-founder of Expressions' sound (Faithful Man (2012), Emma Jean (2014), Special Night (2017)) [2009-present]
• The Expressions - long-term backing band described as 'musical sons' and family (My World (2009), Treacherous (2011), It Rains Love) [2009-present]
• Martin Solveig - French house DJ/producer for club track ('Jealousy' (2005)) [2005]
• Kool & the Gang - featured singer for early shows (live performances) [late 1960s]

Artists Influenced

• Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley - fellow Daptone-associated soul revival figures in the early 2000s scene (N/A (scene contemporaries)) [2000s]
• J. Cole, A$AP Rocky - hip-hop artists who sampled his music (various tracks) [2010s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz