Amy Lee is an American saxophonist, composer and arranger. She has played with a variety of musicians and singers, and is best known for being a member of

Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023) was an American singer-songwriter, author, and businessman. He was known for his tropical rock sound and persona, which often portrayed a lifestyle described as "island escapis ...

Coral Reefer Band The Coral Reefer Band is the touring and recording band of American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett (until Buffett's death in September 2023). The band's name alludes to both coral reefs (in line with Buffett's tropical-themed music) and "reefe ...

Early life and education

Lee was born in

North Adams, Massachusetts North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its population was 12,961 as of the 2020 census. Best known as the home of the largest contempor ...

and studied music at the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

. After graduating, she moved to

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

Career

While living in Atlanta, Lee met Charles Neville of

the Neville Brothers The Neville Brothers were an American R&B/soul/funk group, formed in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana. History The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art (1937–2019), Charles (1938–2018), Aaron (b. 19 ...

and began playing for his group Diversity at the

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (commonly called Jazz Fest or Jazzfest) is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New ...

. Her first album performance was in 1990 on Richard Smallwood's ''Portrait''. After playing with Diversity for six years at the Festival, Lee was introduced to Jimmy Buffett by Neville, and in 1991, she joined Buffett's Coral Reefer Band, where she recorded and toured until 2006. During her career, Lee has recorded for gospel singer

Luther Barnes Luther Barnes (born March 10, 1954) is a record producer, director, songwriter, composer and lead singer of Luther Barnes and the Sunset Jubilaires and the Red Budd Gospel Choir. Biography Barnes is an ordained minister & native son of Rocky Moun ...

and rap group Y'all So Stupid. She has also acted as a performer, arranger and writer for radio and television commercials. Lee released her first solo album in 1999, a jazz record titled ''Inside the Outside''. A second album, ''Use Me'', was released in 2004. All of her solo music is released on her independent label Publick Ptomaine Music.

Discography

*1999: ''Inside the Outside'' *2004: ''Use Me''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Amy American jazz tenor saxophonists Smooth jazz saxophonists University of Miami Frost School of Music alumni Living people Year of birth missing (living people) People from North Adams, Massachusetts Coral Reefer Band members 21st-century American saxophonists American women jazz saxophonists 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century American women musicians 21st-century American women musicians Jazz musicians from Massachusetts