Frankie Lee

Frankie Lee (April 29, 1941 – April 24, 2015) was an American soul blues and electric blues singer and songwriter who released six albums. His style has been compared to that of Otis Redding.

Life and career Frankie Lee Jones was born in Mart, Texas. After living with his friend Sonny Rhodes in Austin, Texas, Lee was recruited by Ike Turner to join the touring ensemble backing Ike & Tina Turner. In 1971, Lee was signed to Elka Records, and his cousin, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, produced Lee's tracks. Also in 1971, "Little" Frankie Lee, as he was known at the time, performed regular gigs at Joe's Nairobi Lounge in East Palo Alto, across from the now defunct Nairobi Village Shopping Center. His band was known as "Little Frankie Lee and the Lee-ettes", sporting guitarist Robert Valdez and several female backup singers. In the late 1970s, Lee's backing ensemble included the young Robert Cray.

Lee appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival with Sonny Rhodes, before relocating to New Jersey in 1986. He continued to perform live, gaining a growing reputation for the quality and energy of his live performances.

Lee died on April 24, 2015, in Sacramento, California, aged 73.