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On the links below there are several downloadable bio's available for different needs and sizes. Whilst a brief general bio is below, more can be found in the Press area.
EARLY LIFE
TIME LINE
The career actually first started in 1956 after an appearance on radio 2UW's Alan Toohey's Amateur Hour. He came second but got a few jobs at parties and small inner city hotels. He would catch a train or bus and walk to the venue with his guitar singing with no microphone, to small crowds of about 20 people. He was paid about one pound 10 shillings or $3 for about 2 hours singing.
The next break came after winning MGM's contest for 'Australia's own Elvis' in February 1957. Just after this he started a trio which was very popular with the teenagers.
His first TV appearance was with his Rockabilly Trio on Sydney Tonight in 1957. They also performed all around the Sydney and close country areas and many say he had the first actual Rockabilly combo in Australia. This started many years of TV appearances, firstly on Sydney Tonight in 1957 then as a regular on Australia's first Rock TV Show, ABC's 'Six O'Clock Rock', and TCN 9's 'Bandstand'.
In 1959 he recorded for Leedon Records and his first record 'Ain't it so', which he wrote with Johnny O'Keefe, became his first hit. Many hits followed, some calling him at that time, Australia's Most Constant Hit Parader'.
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HITS AND GOLD
His first single release 'Ain't it so' in 1959, was also his first big hit. This was followed by Starlight Starbright then in 1960, Yes Indeed I do, I found a new love, Defenceless. Then in 1961 to 1964 came Sit Around and Talk, When the bells stop ringing, Sitting by the river, Don't you know Pretty baby and others. Many albums were also released.
Since then he has release some 'LIVE" show albums as well as a raw Country-Rockabilly album, 'North West Mail'. It features his story songs such as , My Rockabilly Band, It takes me back and North West Mail and is a constant seller in USA.
Recently in late 2019 he released an album titled, 'Back to Base X' which features some of his own songs as well as songs given to him by John Marascalco (Rip it up, Ready Teddy, Good Golly Miss Molly, Starlight Starbright) and Otis Blackwell who wrote Don't be Cruel, All Shook Up, Return to Sender and Defenceless. It recieved a 4 start rating from the Sydney Morning Herald and many rave reviews from the media across Australia and overseas. Lonnie produced and sang all vocals on the album as well as writing some of the songs. It was recorded in Australia and mixed Nashville. |
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AWARDS
The Awards and accolades are too numerous to mention them all here, however possibly the most important was in 1961 when he was presented with 'The Golden Microphone Award', as Australia's most popular recording star. For example in both 1998 and 1999 he was presented with the publicly voted 'Australia Post Best Performer' Award and in 2001 was presented with the 'Best Nostalgia Artist' award. He has also been inducted into various Rock'n'Roll Walks and Halls of Fame. |
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ALBUMSHis first album was in 1959 for Leedon Records called 'This is Lonnie Lee' with his Leemen. Some other albums were 'A Night out with Lonnie Lee', 'Walkin' with Lonnie Lee', 'Frankfort Special', 'In the middle of an island', Lonnie's Golden Record', 'Starring Lonnie Lee', 'I found a new love', just to mention a few. He is still releasing albums today. |
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EARLY HIGHLIGHTSThere are also too any highlights to mention here however some of them include having more hits in Australia than Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and many other American stars - Performing with some of the biggest stars of the time such as The Everly Bros, Ricky Nelson, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Crash Craddock, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tommy Sands, Fabian and many others. - One of only three Australian stars to have his own tours promoted by promotion legend Lee Gordon, - the first Australian full colour album cover also the first Australian Stereo album, the first to have a double sided #1 record, - the first to have a #1 from an album - the first Australian to have #1 records and successful tours of New Zealand and many other unique achievements. In the mid 60's he and a partner started a booking and promotion business representing the 2nd wave of Australian stars such as Normie Rowe, Tony Worsley and many others. He also managed, produced and wrote songs for many Sunshine Records starts of the day. |
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OVERSEAS
From his first New Zealand tour in 1962 he went on to perform in UK, Europe and the Pacific in cabaret and then onto America in 1971 until 1984 when he returned to live in Australia. In US he toured with his own band, recorded and started his own record promotion company for independent labels and their stars. He managed and booked the major country music night clubs in Nashville such as Web Pierce's Rhinestone Cowboy and The Nashville Palace. He also promoted Mickey Gilley, The Stamps, The Jerry Reed Band, Tony Joe White and many others and gave 'Alabama' their first show in Nashville. His songwriting scene included writing with and for the late Roy Orbison, Cher, Florence Henderson, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash and many others. He spent most of his time in Nashville Tennessee and in Las Vegas Nevada but also lived for shorter times in Los Angeles, Seattle and New Jersey.
He was a founding director for the American Country Music Association based in Las Vegas and was producer of a country music TV show based in the Silver Nugget Casino Las Vegas.
He has performed in New Delhi India in the Depot 48 Club. |
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TODAY
Today, over 63 years later, he is still winning hearts and awards. |
LONNIE LEE – AN OVERVIEW June 2019
Lonnie was born in 1940 to parents who lived on a sheep property called 'Bleak House' a few miles from a small railway siding called Rowena in North West NSW between Moree and Walgett. In 1908, his grandfather named the property ‘Bleak House’ after the Charles Dickens classic of the same name.
Whilst he spent many of his pre teenage years as a boarder in Sydney's Trinity Grammar school, it was at this time, when, as a very young boy he made his first wireless crystal set to listen to the wider world of music which of course, led him to hear the songs which would eventually become his life. Stars like Johnnie Ray, Nat King Cole, Guy Mitchell and of course Elvis were the mainstays of this young guys life as he worked on the sheep property. Music was his escape and that's what he did.
In Sydney in May 1956 he entered a talent contest singing Elvis' first hit, 'Heartbreak Hotel' and as far as we know it was the first time an Elvis song was sung on Australian radio. A few months later he won the title Australia's Elvis Presley when the MGM movie company found that not too many people in Australia knew who Elvis was, so they wanted to promote his name for the movie, Love me Tender.
By this time Lonnie had his own rockabilly combo which we also understand was the first pro rockabilly band in Australia. Following this successful adventure into music, he had a car accident which took him by parental control back to the country, as his conservative parents thought this new R & R was "evil".
A few months after his return to Sydney, Australia's first TV show, ABC TV's 'Six O'Clock Rock' had started and other than its compere Johnny O'Keefe, Lonnie became it's most frequent flyer. His popularity had him at one stage, edge out O'Keefe as Australia's most popular TV star. He was also voted the second most popular star of TCN9's Bandstand.
In 1966 after many top selling records, main event live shows and helping to promote new stars like Normie Rowe and John Rowles, he felt he had done all he could do here in Australia so decided to leave for Europe where he was not known. This came about after feeling he had no identity other than "Lonnie Lee" the star and so through many avenues, embarked on a self realisation search to find out who he really was as a person.. In UK and Europe he enjoyed not being recognised in the street and sang in cabaret and US bases and in 1971 went to the USA where he made
solid friendships with peers from Motown recording musicians such as Mickey Stevenson who wrote, 'Dancing in the streets' and Wayne Jackson from the famous Memphis Horns. During his many years there he co-wrote with Roy Orbison and in fact for a time, was his personal assistant in the mid 70's !
In 1967 at the age of 27, after a long and varied journey, Lonnie found his spiritual path....a path followed by the likes of Martin Shaw (British TV star), Mutt Lange, Shania Twain our own Judith Durham and many other celebrities and non celebrities around the world.. Since then it has been the core of Lonnie Lee and is the reason his private life has been just that - private!! He maintains a strong sense of integrity, honesty, following through and doing exactly as he says be it with friends, family or business! Lonnie is a man who does stand alone and is today considered ironically, 'the last man standing from his era', as he is still doing it all today and still receiving rave reviews.
There are many sides to Lonnie's personal story which this brief outline could not touch, however I will mention some interesting areas below.
Lonnie is passionate about the environment just like his cousin Peter Andrews. Peter has been featured more times on ABC's Australian Story than anyone else and they are the most watched episodes in the history of the program. Lonnie helped Peter set up his Natural Sequence Farming project and created and still runs it's very popular websites.
His own belief in the environment and the consequences of human intervention sees Lonnie as a 45 year vegetarian, non drinker and non smoker. This clean life must have something to do with his incredible energy levels and really youthful appearance but by no means is it dull.
In 1980 in Nashville Tennessee he created and ran a big Expo which he called, 'Living in the 80's. It was the first of its kind in USA which focused purely on alternative means of energy and living which were then being touted as the future.
In 1976 he had the first record promotion company in USA to become computerised. This was with 'main frame' computers well before Microsoft or any desktop computers came along. When they did, he taught himself programming which has since led him through the evolution of the personal computer right up to today when he still builds and programs his own computers and networks.
His interest and knowledge of the early Australian music industry is well known. His website, 'The Roots of Aussie Rock' has many thousands of members and he has written two books in his series 'The Facts. The first is the story of the ABC TV show 'Six O'Clock Rock' and then came 'Johnny O'Keefe - The Facts'. Due to their factual nature, both of these have become 'bibles' to radio and collectors.
Ask Aussie stars of today such as Angry Anderson, Ross Wilson, Normie Rowe, Russell Morris, Jim Keays and many others what role Lonnie Lee played in their lives before they entered show business and they will tell you he was a definite influence on them and his records were amongst the first they ever bought.
Phil Manning and Matt Taylor of the Aussie Blues Supergroup , 'Chain' actually wrote and released a song recently titled, 'Saturday night at the Trocadero watching Lonnie Lee'.
He still writes and records and some of his new songs are fixed on radio playlists across Australia. Starlite Records are also releasing songs from his archives and already there are already 5 volumes of his Definitive Original Collection from 1959 on best seller lists.
His life is still exciting doing what he loves doing, and it is full of ongoing projects, song writing, record producing, live appearances and of course following his spiritual path.
A recent project was the Roots of Aussie Rock Wall Calendar which featured over 700 images of the stars of record, radio, TV and sports of the late 50’s and early 60s’.
It got rave reviews as it was the first of its kind and a very unique collector’s item. It can be seen here http://www.starliterecords.com... is currently writing his own biography and as he has a library full of his peers stories. Because of the respect he holds for the industry, he is also writing the definitive 'true' story of the start of the Australian Rock’n’Roll music industry.
In 2016 Starlite Records released a 65 page book of poems written by Lonnie during his early 1960's Self Realisation search. The book titled, 'Who Am I', shows the confusion he went through on this 'drugless' journey. Later in Dec 2017 Starlite Records released a very large coffee table sized book of near 700 photographs of him in 120 glossy pages, from 3 weeks old to the current time. It is called, Lonnie Lee's Photo Memories.
His current 2019 regular show is ‘Hits and Memories’ features most of his own Gold Hits of yesteryear as well as tributes to the biggest stars of country and the Top 40 charts of the late 50’s and early 60’s. He also has another show where he offers a tribute to Johnnie Ray the biggest pop star prior to Elvis in a big band swing show called CRY! (http://www.thecryshow.com) and he previews some of the songs the young Elvis sang for Sun Records in The Hillbilly Cat Show. (http://thehillbillycatshow.com). Another show is, The Roots of Aussie Rock Show
(http://www.therootsofaussierockshow.com). He tells a brief story of the history and sings the hit songs of his friends and peers of that time, 1957 to 1962. His permanent band, The Leemen provide the musical and vocal backings.
In Jun 2019 He released another album on CD, USB and MP3 download. It was called, 'Back to Base X' and features 6 of his own new songs as well as songs from
Otis Blackwell who wrote Don't be Cruel and many for Elvis and Jerry Lee and John Marascalco who wrote Rip it up and many for Elvis and Little Richard. Favourite audience songs from his shows make up the 15 songs tracklist. He and his band featured CD Launches across Australia.
No matter what the format, you must not miss this exciting and unique performer. He is a true legend of Australian popular music.
In fact many refer to him as ‘The father of Australian Rockabilly’ or, as he is the only one from that era still writing, recording, releasing tracks and performing with his own permanent band, The Leemen many prefer to call him, ‘The last man standing from his era’..
More information or interviews can be arranged by contacting..
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Starlite Records PO Box 3374 Liverpool NSW 2170 02 9826 0220
admin@starlite.com.au
Visit http://www.lonnielee.com - Last updated Nov 2019
http://www.starliterecords.com.au/open - THE SHOP
http://www.starlite.com.au
http://www.starliterecords.com.au
http://www.lonnielee.com
Coming soon - New MP3 download store
Make up your own albums with individual Lonnie Lee tracks from all releases.
Over 500 tracks to choose from.
The current albums..
[ST841] Lonnie Lee -60 Years 'n' Still Rockin' LIVE
[ST840] 'Back to Base X' - 50s'60's old school revisited
[ST839] 'Lonnie Lee's Biggest Hits' - From original masters 1959 to 1965
[ST838] 'Hits and Memories' Current Live Show
[ST836] 'Solid Gold LIVE'
[ST835] 'The Music and Story of The Hillbilly Cat'
[ST829] 'Best of Lonnie Lee' - 'Totally Live'
[ST827] 'North West Mail' - Country Rockabilly tracks written by Lonnie
[ST823] 'Light of Love'-Romantic Ballads-MOR- 8 written by Lonnie
[ST804] 'The Living Legends of Six O'Clock Rock - stars of that TV show
[ST815] 'The Definitive Collection' Vol 1. 1959 to 1964 Leedon Years
[ST816] 'The Definitive Collection' Vol 2. 1959 to 1964 Leedon Years
[ST818] 'The Definitive Collection' Vol 3. 1959 to 1974 The TV Shows
[ST832] 'The Definitive Collection' Vol 4. 1964 to 1970. HMV/Sunshine
[ST837] 'The Definitive Collection' Vol 5. 1971 to 1982. The American Sessions
Current books
[BST04] Lonnie Lee Photo Memories-Extra large Coffee Table glossy hard cover book 700
photos
[BST03] Who am I? The Self Realisation of a Rock'n'Roll Star. Lonnie's poems of 1965
[BST01] Six O'Clock Rock - The Facts 28 glossy pages with photos
[BST02] Johnny O'Keefe - The Fact 32 glossy pages with photos
The DVDs
[VT01] The Rock and Remember Show 1992
[VT02] Live at The Dance Ranch 1995
[VT03] Good Rockin' Tonight 2003
[VT04] The Cry Show 2009
[VT05] The Black and White TV Years Vol 1 1959-1965
[VT06] The Black and White TV Years Vol 2 1959-1969
[VT07] The Hillbilly Cat Show 2014
[VT08] The Solid Gold LIVE Show 2014
[VT10] Six O'Clock Rock TV Show 30th Anniversary 1989
[VT11] Six O'Clck Rock TV Show 30th Anniversary - THE STARS
[VT09] LOnnie Lee - TV Show appearnances over the years until today
http://www.facebook.com/lonnieleemusic
https://www.facebook.com/Lonnie-Lee-and-The-Leemen
http://www.twitter.com/lonnieleemusic
http://www.reverbnation.com/lonnieleeandtheleemen
Lonnie is also on itTunes, Amazon, Spotify, CDBaby and others
http://www.lonnielee.com/radio/
Starlite Records Radio - TuneIn Mobile App
Lonnie Lee Radio 24/7 Listen to Lonnie's songs nonstop
LINKS TO OTHER STORIES
Link to Club Magazine Article 2013 PDF file
Link to the above BIO PDF file
Link to October 2019 News Ltd full page story
