Larry Lee - Al Green Years

Al Green Years

During the seventies, Lee acted as the band director and lead guitarist for Al Green's touring band. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and television specials around the world with Green. Lee also was a songwriter and wrote for Stax Records early recording artists, the Astors. "Judy", a song he wrote during his days playing with Hendrix in Nashville was covered by Al Green and the Spidells. Lee briefly traveled with blues great Albert King. He said King fired him because his playing overshadowed King's.

In the eighties through the nineties, he teamed with his friend, Timothy Lee Matthews, and they collaborated on Matthews' CD Songs for the Greats. Matthews, co-writer of the classic blues song, "Breaking Up Somebody's Home," called Lee the consummate "sideman", Lee's distinctive complementary rhythm and lead style can be heard on nine of the eleven songs on Matthews' CD.

Larry lived in Memphis, TN and played in the regional rock/blues/R&B outfit "Elmo & the Shades".Larry was a member of Elmo and the Shades for eight years and was an integral part of their success during this period.The band enjoyed much popularity during this time playing nightclubs,casinos,parties,and occasional blues festivals throughout Memphis and the Mid-South.Larry Lee is featured on three cuts on the new CD(2009) by Elmo and The Shades, "Blue Memphis".They are "Same Old Dog","I Get the Blues for Free", and the title cut "Blue Memphis". Larry took his leave from the group as his battle with cancer left him too weak to perform in August 2006. Larry was as soulful a blues singer and incredibly moving blues guitarist as Memphis, Beale St. and the world has ever seen.

He also joined in with Mike Strickland and the Usual Unusual Clowns at random intervals.

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