Curtis Lee
| Curtis Lee | |
|---|---|
| File:Curtis Lee Promotion Photo.jpgCurtis Lee Promotion Photo.jpg Curtis Lee performing at ONE-2-ONE Bar in Austin, TX. Credit: Jake Rabin | |
| Born | April 15, 1978 Peoria, Illinois, United States |
| 🏡 Residence | Austin, Texas, United States |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| 📆 Years active | 1998–present |
| 🌐 Website | curtislee |
Curtis Lee (born April 15, 1978), is an American soul singer, songwriter, and solo artist. His debut album Catalogue was released November 20, 2015, and he currently lives in Austin, TX.
Early Life[edit]
Curtis Lee was born in Peoria, Illinois in 1978, where he grew up listening and singing to his parents’ 8-track tapes and 45-records. Among the artists in the family record collection were Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, and The Jackson 5. Curtis’ love of music can also be attributed to his mother, Margaret McDonald (Curtis' name originally Miguel McDonald), since she grew up singing in choirs. She later pursued a career in medical billing. His father, William McDonald, was also a drummer as well as a master tailor before he decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies and moved the family to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1985, where he attended Oral Roberts University.
Ernestine McDonald, Curtis' aunt, had ties to the Peoria show business scene as well as the famous Richard Pryor. Ernestine married Cabristo "Bris" Collins, a restaurant and club owner on North Washington Street. Bris Collins allowed Richard Pryor to develop his comedy act in his clubs, when Richard was first starting out:
"It was in his club that black Peorians could hear the latest and hottest jazz; drink, dance and socialize free of the scrutinizing eye of the white establishment; and where Richard Pryor could first develop his comedy that spoke explicitly to the black community" (Richard Pryor's Peoria).
For the 1986 film, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling, Richard Pryor's film crew invited Curtis' family to audition for the movie. However, another family was already chosen by the time his family arrived to the studio.
In 1992, the McDonald family moved to Austin, TX. During this time, while Curtis had a love for music, he considered it only a hobby. It wasn't until he learned from his family and voice teachers that he could actually have a successful music career. In grade school, he dropped his dream of becoming a professional football player and began to listen to different genres and artists. To hone in his craft, he decided to attend Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas from 1998 - 2004 to study classical and jazz voice.
Career[edit]
2004 - Present[edit]
Curtis Lee moved back to the live music capital of the world - Austin, Texas - in 2004. He started his professional career as a working musician on 4th, 5th, and Sixth Street. In this downtown district, he performed at some of the most popular clubs and venues with a 60's and 70's funk-soul cover band called The Bumps.
Over the course of his stay in Austin, Curtis performed with The Atlantics, London Calling, The M.A.S.K, In The Pink, Dahebegebees, 80H Project, as well as his own group, Curtis Lee band.
His debut album, Catalogue, was released in the fall of 2015 – a collaboration of the many artists with whom he performs and records. While his focus remained soulful, the myriad of musical flavors found throughout Austin gave Curtis the opportunity to show off his versatility as well as feature his friends and colleagues. He is now working on his second studio album, where he would like to take his singing career to the next level. In 2017, Curtis collaborated with Austin producer, BW, for the single, "Like You" off the EP, Pregame. That same year, he also collaborated with local producer, eBurner, for the song, "Blind Love".
Curtis Lee aims to become an original soul artist in the music business and to create a nice sound for all ears to hear.
Influences[edit]
Raphael Saadiq, Van Hunt, The Foreign Exchange, Jeff Buckley, N*E*R*D, DMB, Cody Chestnutt, Maxwell, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Frank Sinatra, Incubus, Jamiroquai , James Morrison, D'Angelo, A Tribe Called Quest, John Mayer, Usher, and many more.
Discography[edit]
Error: no page names specified (help). Catalogue - LP (2015)
"Like You" - Single (2017)
"Blind Love" - Single (2017)
References[edit]
External links[edit]
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