Lovie Lee was an American electric blues pianist and singer.
15 Facts About Lovie Lee
1.
2.
Lovie Lee is best known for his work accompanying Muddy Waters.
3.
Lovie Lee was the "adoptive stepfather" of the bluesman Carey Bell and thus the "grandfather" of Lurrie Bell.
4.
Lovie Lee was born Edward Lee Watson in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and grew up in Meridian, Mississippi.
5.
Lovie Lee taught himself to play the piano and began performing in various churches and at rodeos and vaudeville shows.
6.
Lovie Lee had already acquired the nickname Lovie from a doting aunt.
7.
Lovie Lee found part-time employment playing with the Swinging Cats in the early 1950s.
8.
The group included Carey Bell, who Lee took under his "fatherly" protection, and together they moved to Chicago, in September 1956.
9.
Lovie Lee worked during the day in a woodworking factory, and for many years played in the evening in numerous Chicago blues nightclubs, including Porter's Lounge.
10.
Lovie Lee was well known around Chicago for his blues piano playing.
11.
Lovie Lee later worked as an upholsterer, but he kept together his backing band, the Sensationals.
12.
Lovie Lee was recommended to Muddy Waters by George "Mojo" Buford, who had worked with Lee in North Dakota.
13.
Lovie Lee stayed with the band until Muddy Waters's death, in 1983, and then returned to playing in Chicago clubs.
14.
Lovie Lee made some private recordings in 1984 and 1989, and this work plus later contemporary tracks were released as the album Good Candy.
15.
Lovie Lee's backing musicians for the album included Eddie Taylor, Odie Payne, Carey Bell and Lurrie Bell.