Sara Lee (musician)
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Sara Lee is an English bassist and singer-songwriter, best known for replacing Dave Allen on bass guitar in post-punk band Gang of Four.
Born in the West Midlands of England, Lee's parents were music teachers (her father was latterly a bass Songman in the choir of York Minster) and music formed an important part of her childhood. She played tympani and double bass in school and local orchestras as a teenager, until the day she discovered the electric bass guitar.[1]
After playing with a couple local bands, she moved to London and worked as a secretary at Polydor Records. Here she was discovered by King Crimson leader Robert Fripp, who was encouraged to stay at a show to see "a girl who works in the office."[1] Fripp had her join his band The League Of Gentlemen.
Lee went on to work with Robyn Hitchcock and famed political punk band Gang of Four in England, and later moved to the United States. She was an acquaintance of songwriter Philip Nadelman's band, Chateau Lagoon, during its heyday in New York City in the 1980s.[citation needed] Lee became a sought-after session, concert and recording artist, playing with the Thompson Twins before she crossed paths with the B-52's during the recording of their Cosmic Thing album. Following a stint on the Cosmic tour, Sara formed The Raging Hormones with B-52 session drummer Charley Drayton. She then started a seven-year run with the Indigo Girls. In 1996 and 1997 she accompanied singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco on tours of Europe and North America, as documented on the double-live album Living in Clip.
Lee has played with many other artists, including Joan Osborne, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Fiona Apple, and was a close friend of David Bowie bassist Gail Ann Dorsey.[2]
Lee re-joined the B-52's as a touring member in 1999.
In 2000, she released her debut solo album Make It Beautiful on Difranco's Righteous Babe records. Lee recorded instrumental tracks, which were sent to musicians she had previously worked with to provide lyrics, including Ani DiFranco, Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls, Pal Shazar, Barbara Gogan of The Passions and Kristen Hall.[3]
She replaced Rachel Haden for the final dates of Todd Rundgren's 2009 Arena tour.
Lee was also a judge for the 5th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers. [4]
[edit] Discography
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Record company bio". Rightous Babe records. http://www.righteousbabe.com/artists/saralee/index.asp. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
- ^ Dorsey, Gail Ann. "I'm From Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/rolling_stone/cast_member/cast_member.jhtml?personalityId=8485.
- ^ "Sara Lee Collabs With Ani DiFranco On Solo LP". MTV.com. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1425079/20000623/b52s.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
- ^ Independent Music Awards - Past Judges
[edit] External links
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