"I can hear my heart pounding. Oh, but I just can’t decide.
Stuck between the depths of my fears, and peaks of my pride."

Amos Lee born in 1977 (or 78 depending on what source you are citing), was raised in Philadelphia and New Jersey. A one time basketball player and elementary school teacher who decided to follow his God given passion for music after two years of teaching. And thanks be to the powers for that.

I first saw Lee in 2005 when he opened for Dylan in Las Vegas. Now really, it never matters much who it is opening for Dylan, you come to see Dylan and nobody outside of that means a whole lot.

But I found myself longing for Amos Lee's set to go on forever. Yes, I actually found myself able to wait for Dylan. Anyone who knows me, knows how shocking that is. I instantly fell in love. Amos Lee sang my feeling, my mood, he sang me at that time. The clarity and depth of his voice, the striking lyrics, and the ease with which body and soul echoed from his guitar froze me. He brought it all home.

You could describe him in genre perhaps by saying he has a bluesy folk sound. Rhythm blues. Soul. Straight folk. What you can't describe really is how you connect to that sound, that rhythm. It takes you over. If you're listening to Amos when you're blue, you are completely blue. If you're happy, you bop along light and free, and when you're feeling a little funky, he knows that too.

In 2003, Lee self produced an EP with five songs. It was wildly popular in Philadelphia and Lee was signed to Blue Note Records that same year. Lee caught the attention of Norah Jones and was asked by Jone's to accompany her on her 2004 tour.

"Oh, sweet whiskey, Lord, gonna take my cares away. Oh, sweet whiskey, gonna take my cares away. Your gonna take my bottle, my bible, my mess, your gonna take all of my empty and my loneliness. Gonna take all of that sadness inside of me, gonna take it all and set me free."

Of course Dylan, ever the master of ears, heard Lee and in 2005 Amos Lee was opening for Dylan across the country.

You always feel like one of the lucky ones to be in on the beginning of an artist's career. The infancy of their sound. I do feel that and more, when I hear how Lee has grown and changed. He's still got that little ball of lightening in his hand that he's had right from the start.

But Lee has surprisingly been lacking in the press and review departments. Considering his amazing talent this seems out of place. There is some kind of injustice in that. He has been covered and reviewed to an extent, but where is the tangible write ups we usually see with talent like his? Rolling Stone and Mojo must have issue, not to take better issue here.

Influenced by artists such as Bill Withers, James Taylor, Neil Young and John Prine, Amos Lee happened into his own groove combination of his influences.

He definitely harks one back to the early days of folk, the soul sound of the 70's and merges it all with the present balladeering of the alternative folk of present. But no one can rightly define what the Folk of today is. It isn't the same Folk of days past. But perhaps, it is a combination of that, and the light soul attempts of those memorable television tearjerkers heard on 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Cold case'.

What is extra delicious is that he is a songwriter, writing his own songs which are refreshingly down to earth and real to the human experience; love, loss, betrayal, hope, jealousy, friendship. Lee's early songs are admittedly autobiographical but he has moved away a bit from that, writing more from a character viewpoint.

Wherever the meaning is aimed, and for whatever it is that Lee is writing about, it is solid songwriting. He is not as anthemic as Joni Mitchell, or even Neil Young, but he is just as confessional and the resemblance exists.

"I am at ease in the arms of a woman. Although now most of my days are spent alone. A thousand miles from the place I was born. But when she wakes me, she takes me back home."

He is quick to lay out that he didn't pursue music until after college, after becoming a second grade teacher, but has this to say about that:

"It's late, but I think as with most careers, if you find the right thing, it's just about always the right time, you know?"

He says he first started going to open mics, to gather his confidence. Listening to Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life, and Donny Hathaway's Live. Certainly the music created before he was even born; like so many artist's before him, has been the biggest influence to Lee's style. He is joined by band members guitarist Adam Levy and Devin Greenwood on keys.

One of the most refreshing things about Lee is his humble carriage. His gratefulness still, that anything of his would even be heard and appreciated. He makes it a point to stay thankful of the gifts he has been given.

Anyone who has ever met him says the most striking thing about him is his down to earth, regular guy presence. You feel at ease talking with him, joking around or just hanging out.

Amos Lee readily attests to the strong foundations of love he received throughout his life by his immediate and extended family. Maybe that's it. And it seems like, Lee is just good people.

If you haven't discovered Amos Lee, you are truly missing out. Whatever genre you consider your own, whether you listen to Amos Lee's kind of sound only during a mood alteration, get thyself out there and discover this jewel of an artist! You will not be disappointed.

Studio Albums:

Amos Lee - 2005
Supply and Demand - 2006
Last Days at the Lodge - 2008

EPs:

Amos Lee - 2004
Blue Note Records
 
Live from KCRW - 2005
Blue Note Records

Live:

Live from Abbey Road - 2006
Abbey Road Studios