About

Lee started his performing career in the Little Theater at the University of New Mexico playing before audiences for Sunday evening live radio programs on KUNM FM Radio while he was attending classes in Albuquerque in 1969. Since then he has been from California to New York and Texas to South Dakota. His solo act has opened for performances by Williams & Ree (The Indian & the White Guy), John Hartford, John Prine, Townes Van Zandt and John McKuen. He has accompanied performers such as Bobby Bare, Rex Allen, Jr., Roy Clark, and Buck Trent, Terry Smith (Far Side Banks of Jordan) and Jenny Blackadder from New Zealand (Queen of the Banjo). Bands he has performed with have opened for John Anderson, Ricky Skaggs, The Girls Next Door, Bonnie Nelson, The Shotgun Red Band, Exile, The Association, and the Bellamy Brothers, just to name a few. He has enjoyed long tenures with regional bands such as Kansas City Southern, Detour, US 54, and Flyin’ Blynd.

Lee’s proficiency on the five-string banjo has gained recognition in many of the regional and national festivals and contests in the Central United States over the last several years. He has performed, and placed, consistently in the top three finalists at the National Country Music Festival in Ainsworth, Nebraska, and, has won the Picker’s competition, the Songwriting Contest, and has been chosen People’s Choice Award winner three times by the audience. He has performed at the Elkhorn Valley Country Music Association Festival and Contest at Fremont, Nebraska; Cornhuskers Country Music Festival in Syracuse, Nebraska; and has been selected “Judges Choice” twice, and has won the Picking Championship and Male Country Singer several times at the Clifton-Vining Country Music Festival in Clifton, Kansas. He has won the Midwest 5-String Banjo Championship, and retained the title, at the National Traditional Country Music Association Festival/Contest in Avoca, Iowa, and Missouri Valley, IA, and the Iowa and Nebraska State 5-String Banjo Championships. He has competed in the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship at Winfield, Kansas, and has won the Kansas Bluegrass Association and Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championship 5-String Banjo Championship at Lawrence, Kansas. He is a voting member, in good standing, of the Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame.

Lee is dedicated to presenting his audiences with a highly professional level of entertainment and sound. He tailors his shows to fit his audiences and ensure an enjoyable performance for everyone. Although he has hung his hat several places across the United States, Lee will always call The Flint Hills of Kansas his home. He’s working on a couple of new solo recording projects of gospel and live performance material, expected to be completed sometime in 2009. You may also catch him performing with “The Spare Parts”, “Loose Change”, or other Bluegrass Bands and Country Bands across the region.