Early Years
Lee was born Arthur Taylor in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Chester Taylor, a jazz cornet player, and Agnes Taylor, a school teacher. He and his mother moved to Los Angeles when he was five. In 1953 his mother married Clinton Lee, who adopted Arthur and legally changed his name to Arthur Taylor Lee.
Arthur spent his childhood and teenage years in the now historic West Adams District. He attended Dorsey High School, where he excelled in basketball, and held the record for most points scored in a single game. During his high school years he teamed up with family friend Johnny Echols (also originally from Tennessee) and formed various musical groups.
Read more about this topic: Arthur Lee (musician)
Famous quotes related to early years:
“I believe that if we are to survive as a planet, we must teach this next generation to handle their own conflicts assertively and nonviolently. If in their early years our children learn to listen to all sides of the story, use their heads and then their mouths, and come up with a plan and share, then, when they become our leaders, and some of them will, they will have the tools to handle global problems and conflict.”
—Barbara Coloroso (20th century)