简介：byPhilipVanVleck PhilLeegrewupinDurham,NorthCarolina,intheshadowoftobaccowarehousesandDukeUniversity.Amusicianandsongwriterfromhisteens,Lee'sfirstprofessionalgigcameinthe1960s,playingdrumsforHomerBriarhopperandtheDaybreakGangonamorningtelevisionshowinRaleigh,N.C.(rightbeforetheFarmNews).LeewanderedofftoNewYorkCityin1971,whereheeventuallyfoundworkbehindthedrumsforthebandAmazingGrace,anoutfitthatincludedBeverlyD'Angelo,RobStonerandHankDeVito.LeemovedtoLosAngelesaround1974,wherehedidsomemoviesoundtrackworkwithJackNitzscheanddidsometruckdrivingforNeilYoung.HewasbackinNorthCarolinainthemid'80s,writingsongsandpushingan18wheelerhereandtheretomakeendsmeet.AfterabriefstintwithTheFlyingBurritoBrothersin1993,LeemovedtoNashvilleandlandedapublishingdeal,whichdidn'tlastlong.TruckdrivingjobswereeasytofindinNashville,however,andLeewasalsobeginningtoworkwithproducerRichardBennettonthehonkytonkcountrymusicprojectthatwouldeventuallybecomehisfirstsoloalbum,TheMightyKingofLove,releasedbyShanachieRecordsinJanuary,2000.Lee'smusicisthedistillationofabout30years'worthofplayinginjukejointsandbarsfromoneendofthecountrytotheother.Hissongwritingisuncommonlywittyandasdirectasakickinthebutt.Theyearshehasspentsittingatthebackofthebandstand,behindthedrums,havegivenhimplentyoftimetothinkaboutwhathe'ddoifheevergottothefrontofthestage.Nowthathe'sthere,he'snotwastinganyone'stimewithlamematerial.