The Lee Boys Live On The East Coast

The Lee Boys
Live On The East Coast
M.C. Records

It has been 22 years since Arhoolie Records issued "Sacred Steel," a collection of recordings by performers associated with the Church of the Living God. In this church, steel guitar, whether lap steel or pedal steel, played a substantial role in the intense religious music of the member churches. That initial release included performances from Sonny Treadway, Glenn Lee, Willie Eason, Harry Nelson, and Aubrey Ghent. That CD was produced by folklorist Robert Stone who wrote the liner notes for The Lee Brothers "Live on the East Coast." He notes that The Lee Boys were raised in the sacred steel tradition, and this tradition has expanded its reach since the pioneering releases on Arhoolie. They are playing at music clubs and festivals internationally. This music has become popular among roots music fans and jam music fans.

The Lee Brothers, Alvin, Derrick, and Keith started to present their music internationally at the time brother Glenn passed away from cancer. They have helped spread this music worldwide since, along with other artists like The Campbell Brothers and Robert Randolph. The present album was recorded at the Suwanee Roots Festival, the Thanksgathering Festival, and the Reeves Festival from October to December 2018. The members of the Lee Brothers at these shows were Alvin Lee, electric guitar and backing vocals; Derrick Lee, lead and backing vocals; Keith Lee, lead and backing vocals; Chris Johnson, pedal steel; Alvin Cordy, Jr., bass guitar, lead and backing vocals; Earl Walker, drums.

Starting with the opening selection, "In the Morning," the Lee Boys generate such an infectious, driving groove and deliver such spirited, passionate vocals that their appeal among a general music audience who may not be drawn by the religious message of most of their songs. They bring they joyful gospel with an infectious pulse that is similar to that of such North Mississippi blues legends as Mississippi Fred McDowell and R.L. Burnside. Some of the material is traditionally based, including a Brother Joe May hit from 50 years ago, "Don't Let the Devil Ride," along with originals in a similar manner like "Testify" and "Lord, Help Me To Hold Out." There are also stirring renditions of The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There," and the Bobby Bland classic, "Turn on Your Love Light." Besides the impassioned vocals, there is the tight, heated backing with the vocalized, fiery steel guitar, and Alvin Lee adding his own guitar interjections.

Listening to this, one can imagine thousands of all types of religious persuasion standing and dancing to this album's riveting sacred music performances.

I received my review copy from MC Records. info@mc-records.com. Here are The Lee Boys performing "In the Morning."

Sacred Steel's First Exposure

Its just been over ten years since Arhoolie Records issued its first anthology of the sacred steel music tradition. In the intervening decade some performers in the tradition such as Aubrey Ghent, the Lee Brothers and the Campbell Brothers have become well known outside this music's religious origins and Robert Randolph has become a star on the pop circuit. Here is my 1997 review from the Jazz & Blues Report of the CD that initiated the interest in this music. Kudos to Chris Strachwitz for generating interest in this genre like he did in cajun and zydeco, norteno and so much more roots music.

Arhoolie Records has issued a most intriguing collection titled Sacred Steel. Comprised of various field recordings, some from concerts and some from religious services, its subtitle of Traditional Sacred African-American Steel Guitar Music in Florida should give a sense of its contents. Producer Robert Stone provides a lengthy discussion of the music and the performers here. As his accompanying booklet notes, steel guitar (both lap steel and pedal steel) is an integral part of the worship in the House of God, and the five performers featured here are among its greatest proponents. Certainly there are moments where the music will be very much like blues, but with a different message. Steel guitar lends itself to vocalized playing that has always been a part of African-American music and this is illustrated in Sonny Treadway’s instrumentals of classic hymns as well as by Willie Eason, a pioneer of this music who recorded in the forties and fifties, and reprises his Franklin D. Roosevelt, A Poor Man’s Friend that he originally recorded after FDR’s death. The music from the religious services, where the steel playing gets entangled in the frenzied celebrations, is mesmerizing, as the music hits a fever pitch that would make a hot John Lee Hooker boogie sound like a bedtime lullaby in comparison. This collection serves didactic and entertainment functions equally well with many inspired performances.