William James Edwards Lee III (born July 23, 1928) is an American musician. He is the father of

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

and

Joie Lee Joie Susannah Lee () is an American screenwriter, film producer and actress. Early years Lee was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Jacqueline ( ''née'' Shelton), a teacher of arts and black literature, and William James Edward Lee II ...

. He has composed original music for many of his son's films, including ''

She's Gotta Have It ''She's Gotta Have It'' is a 1986 American black-and-white comedy-drama film written, produced, edited and directed by Spike Lee. Filmed on a small budget and Lee's first feature-length film to be released, it earned positive reviews and lau ...

'' (1986), ''

School Daze ''School Daze'' is a 1988 American musical comedy-drama film, written and directed by Spike Lee, and starring Laurence Fishburne (credited as Larry Fishburne), Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell. Based in part on Spike Lee's experience ...

'' (1988), ''

Do the Right Thing ''Do the Right Thing'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackso ...

'' (1989) and ''

Mo' Better Blues ''Mo' Better Blues'' is a 1990 American musical comedy-drama film starring Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, and Spike Lee, who also wrote, produced, and directed. It follows a period in the life of fictional jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam (played ...

'' (1990). Lee was involved in many releases from the Strata-East jazz record label, including directing the 1980 album ''The New York Bass Violin Choir''.

Personal life

Lee was born in

Snow Hill, Alabama Snow Hill is an unincorporated community in Wilcox County, Alabama, United States. Snow Hill has one site included on the National Register of Historic Places, the Snow Hill Normal and Industrial Institute. Snow Hill is referenced in the film ...

, the son of Alberta Grace (Edwards), a concert pianist, and Arnold Wadsworth Lee, a musician. In 1951, he graduated from

Morehouse College , mottoeng = And there was light (literal translation of Latin itself translated from Hebrew: "And light was made") , type = Private historically black men's liberal arts college , academic_affiliations ...

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital city, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georgia, Fulton County, the mos ...

. He married his college sweetheart who was enrolled at a neighboring college, Jacqueline (Jackie) Shelton, a 1954

Spelman College Spelman College is a private, historically black, women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman rece ...

graduate. With his first wife, Jackie, he had four children; film director

(born 1957), still photographer David Lee (born 1961), actress

(born 1962), and filmmaker

Cinqué Lee Cinqué Lee (born July 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the younger brother of filmmaker Spike Lee. Lee has worked in number of different positions of his older brother's films, as a camera operator, video archivist and most notabl ...

(born 1966). With his second wife, Susan, he has one son, Arnold Lee, who plays alto saxophone. Lee was arrested on October 25, 1991 in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn for carrying a small bag of heroin during a police drug sweep of a park near his home. Lee would later say of his arrest, "I'm glad I was arrested, It woke me up."

Relationship with Spike Lee

Though Bill Lee scored his son's first four movies, they had a falling out shortly after the arrest on drug charges. "I don't have anything to do with Spike now," Lee told ''New York Newsday'' in 1994. "We haven't talked for two years." Bill Lee has said their problems started with his son's intolerance of his second marriage. The family feud began in 1976, when Spike Lee's mother Jacquelyn died of cancer and Susan Kaplan moved in with Bill. Spike has been quoted as saying, "my mother wasn't even cold in her grave." Bad feelings intensified with ''

Jungle Fever ''Jungle Fever'' is a 1991 American romantic drama film written, produced and directed by Spike Lee. The film stars Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro, Frank Vincent ...

'', Spike Lee's film on interracial romantic relationships, as Bill Lee's second marriage was to a white woman.

Career

Lee has played the bass for many artists including

Chris Anderson Chris Anderson may refer to: Sports * Chris Anderson (baseball) (born 1992), American baseball player * Chris Anderson (cheese roller), 22-time winner of annual cheese rolling * Chris Anderson (footballer, born 1925) (1925–1986), Scottish footb ...

Cat Stevens Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; ), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His musical style consists of folk, pop, rock, and, later i ...

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an internati ...

Chad Mitchell Trio The Chad Mitchell Trio, later known as The Mitchell Trio, were an American vocal group who became known during the 1960s. They performed traditional folk songs and some of John Denver's early compositions. They were particularly notable for perf ...

Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1 ...

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...

Odetta Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire co ...

Simon and Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music groups of the 1960s, and their biggest hits—including the electric remix of ...

Ian & Sylvia Ian & Sylvia were a Canadian folk and country music duo which consisted of Ian and Sylvia Tyson, née Fricker. They began performing together in 1959 (full-time in 1961), married in 1964, and divorced and stopped performing together in 1975. Hi ...

Tom Rush Thomas Walker Rush (born February 8, 1941) is an American folk music, folk and blues music, blues singer, guitarist and songwriter who helped launch the careers of other singer-songwriters in the 1960s and has continued his own singing career f ...

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gr ...

Peter, Paul and Mary Peter, Paul and Mary was an American folk group formed in New York City in 1961 during the American folk music revival phenomenon. The trio consisted of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Paul Stookey, and contralto Mary Travers. The group's reper ...

Arlo Guthrie Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie. Gu ...

, Tom Paxton,

Carolyn Hester Carolyn Sue Hester (born January 28, 1937) is an American folk singer and songwriter. She was a figure in the early 1960s folk music revival. Biography Hester's first album was produced by Norman Petty in 1957. She made her second album for Tr ...

John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues. Hooker often in ...

Josh White Joshua Daniel White (February 11, 1914 – September 5, 1969) was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and civil rights activist. He also recorded under the names Pinewood Tom and Tippy Barton in the 1930s. White grew up in the Sout ...

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...

Malvina Reynolds Malvina Reynolds (August 23, 1900 – March 17, 1978) was an American folk/blues singer-songwriter and political activist, best known for her songwriting, particularly the songs "Little Boxes", "What Have They Done to the Rain" and "Morningtown ...

Eric Bibb Eric Charles Bibb (born August 16, 1951) is a Grammy-nominated American-born blues singer and songwriter. Biography Bibb's father, Leon, was a musical theatre singer, who made a name for himself as part of the 1960s New York folk scene; his ...

The Clancy Brothers The Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music group that developed initially as a part of the American folk music revival. Most popular during the 1960s, they were famed for their Aran jumper sweaters and are widely credited with popu ...

and

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

. On the original release of Dylan's classic song "

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan and featured on his '' Bringing It All Back Home'' album, released on March 22, 1965, by Columbia Records. The song was recorded on January 15, 1965, with Dylan's acousti ...

," Lee, on

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

, is the only musician performing other than Dylan himself. On Gordon Lightfoot's song '' Oh, Linda'' (recorded 1964), Lee is also the only musician other than Lightfoot's voice.

Film music

*Music director and performer on the song "Nola", ''She's Gotta Have It'', Island, 1986. *Music conductor of Natural Spiritual Orchestra, ''School Daze'', Columbia, 1988. *Music conductor of Natural Spiritual Orchestra, ''Do the Right Thing'', Universal, 1989. *Music director, ''Mo' Better Blues'', Universal, 1990. *Composer of score for the short film '' Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads''.

Filmography

*Sonny Darling, ''She's Gotta Have It'', Island, 1986. *Bassist in the Phyllis Hyman Quartet, ''School Daze'', Columbia, 1988. *Father of the Bride, ''Mo' Better Blues'', Universal, 1990.

Discography

: '' The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker'' (Vee-Jay, 1961) *

Ray Bryant Raphael Homer "Ray" Bryant (December 24, 1931 – June 2, 2011) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 24, 1931. His mother was an ordained minister who had tau ...

: ''

Con Alma "Con Alma" is a jazz standard written by Dizzy Gillespie, appearing on his 1954 album '' Afro''. The tune incorporates aspects of bebop jazz and Latin rhythm, and is known for its frequent changes in key centers (occurring every two bars), while s ...

'' (Columbia, 1960); ''

Dancing the Big Twist ''Dancing the Big Twist'' is an album by pianist Ray Bryant released on Columbia Records in 1961 to capitalise on the Twist (dance), Twist Novelty and fad dances, dance craze.Frank Strozier:

March of the Siamese Children ''March of the Siamese Children'' is an album by jazz musician Frank Strozier, recorded in 1962 for Jazzland. Track listing #"March of the Siamese Children" ( Rodgers, Hammerstein II)5:10 #"Extension 27" (Strozier)4:57 #"Something I Dreamed ...

(Jazzland, 1962) *

: '' Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo'' (1961), ''

The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin ''The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin'' is the third studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released in 1962 by Columbia Records. It was her first album to achieve any commercial success, reaching number 69 on the ''Bil ...

'' (1962) *

: '' My Romance'' (Vee-Jay, 1960

983 Year 983 ( CMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Diet of Verona: Emperor Otto II (the Red) declares war against the Byza ...

, ''

Inverted Image ''Inverted Image'' is an album by jazz pianist Chris Anderson which was recorded in 1961 and released on the Jazzland label.Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning seven decades. An Academy Award-nominated documentary director and a Grammy Award-winning recording artist, she is known for her ec ...

: '' Golden Apples of the Sun'' (1962), ''

Fifth Album ''Fifth Album'' is the fourth studio album (her 5th overall release) by American singer and songwriter Judy Collins, released by Elektra Records in 1965. It peaked at No. 69 on the ''Billboard'' Pop Albums chart''. The album featured a collecti ...

'' (1965), '' Whales & Nightingales'' (1970) *The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe: ''A Spirit Speaks'' (Strata-East) *The Brass Company: ''Colors'' (Strata East) * Stanley Cowell: '' Regeneration'' (Strata-East, 1976) *

Simon & Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music groups of the 1960s, and their biggest hits—including the electric remix of ...

: ''

Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. ''Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.'' is the debut studio album by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Following their early gig as "Tom and Jerry", Columbia Records signed the two in late 1963. It was produced by Tom Wilson and engineered by Roy ...

'' (1964) * Richard Davis: ''

The Philosophy of the Spiritual ''The Philosophy of the Spiritual'' is an album by bassist Richard Davis recorded in 1971 and released on the Cobblestone label. The album was reissued in 1975 on the Muse label as ''With Understanding''.Fancy Free'' (Galaxy, 1977) and ''

Harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most l ...

'' (Muse, 1977

979 Year 979 ( CMLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 24 – Second Battle of Pankaleia: An Ibero-Byzantine expeditionary ...

*The Warm Voice of Billy "C": ''Where have you been Billy Boy'' (Strata East) *

José Feliciano José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945) () is a Puerto Rican musician, singer and composer. He recorded many international hits, including his rendition of the Doors' "Light My Fire" and his self-penned Christmas song " F ...

: ''The Voice and Guitar of José Feliciano'' (1965) * John Handy: ''

No Coast Jazz ''No Coast Jazz'' is an album by saxophonist John Handy III featuring tracks recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Roulette label.Clifford Jordan Clifford Laconia Jordan (September 2, 1931 – March 27, 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after ...

: ''

Glass Bead Games ''Glass Bead Games'' is a double album by jazz saxophonist Clifford Jordan which was recorded in 1973 and released on the Strata-East label. The album was re-released on CD as part of ''The Complete Clifford Jordan Strata-East Sessions'' by Mo ...

'' (Strata-East, 1974); '' The Adventurer'' (Muse, 1978) *

: ''Tom Rush'' (1965), ''Take a Little Walk with Me'' (1966) *

Chuck Loeb Charles Samuel "Chuck" Loeb (December 7, 1955 – July 31, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist and a member of the groups Steps Ahead, Metro and Fourplay. Early years and education Loeb was born in Nyack, New York, near New York City. At ...

and

Andy LaVerne Andy LaVerne (born December 4, 1947) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator. Education and musical career Born in New York City, LaVerne studied at Juilliard School of Music, Berklee College, and the New England Conservato ...

: '' Magic Fingers'' (DMP, 1989) *

Peter, Paul & Mary Peter, Paul and Mary was an American folk group formed in New York City in 1961 during the American folk music revival phenomenon. The trio consisted of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Paul Stookey, and contralto Mary Travers. The group's repe ...

: ''Album'' (Warner Bros.) *

Harold Mabern Harold Mabern Jr. (March 20, 1936 – September 17, 2019) was an American jazz pianist and composer, principally in the hard bop, post-bop, and soul jazz fields.Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz''. p. 4 ...

: '' A Few Miles from Memphis'' (Prestige), '' Rakin' and Scrapin''' (Prestige) *The New York Bass Violin Choir - ''The New York Bass Violin Choir'' (Strata-East) *

Pat Martino Pat Martino (born Patrick Carmen Azzara; August 25, 1944 – November 1, 2021) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Biography Martino was born Patrick Carmen Azzara in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to father Carmen "Mickey" ...

: '' Starbright'' (Warner Bros., 1976) *Ian and Sylvia: ''First Ian & Sylvia Album'' * Johnny Griffin: ''

Change of Pace ''Change of Pace'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Johnny Griffin which was recorded in 1961 and released on the Riverside label.Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1 ...

: ''

Lightfoot! ''Lightfoot!'' is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. Although it was recorded in December 1964, the album was not released until January 1966 on the United Artists label. At the 2017 Polaris Music Prize, the album ...

'' (United Artists, 1966) *Michael Bloomfield: ''From His Head to His Heart to His Hands'' (Sony Legacy, 2014) Bill plays on "I'm a County Boy", "Judge, Judge", and "Hammond's Rag" from a 1964 audition for John Hammond at Columbia Records.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Bill 1928 births 20th-century American bass guitarists 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century double-bassists 20th-century jazz composers 21st-century American bass guitarists 21st-century American conductors (music) 21st-century double-bassists 21st-century jazz composers African-American conductors (music) African-American jazz composers African-American jazz musicians African-American male actors American jazz bass guitarists American jazz double-bassists Male double-bassists American male bass guitarists American male conductors (music) American session musicians Jazz musicians from Alabama Lee family (show business) Living people American male jazz composers American jazz composers Morehouse College alumni People from Wilcox County, Alabama 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians People from Fort Greene, Brooklyn African-American guitarists Jazz musicians from New York (state) 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American musicians