WHATEVER HAPPENED TO:

Albert Lee — Namm 2014

By Terri Marquis
Staff Writer

“One of the finest guitar players who ever walked this earth…” Vince Gill

Whatever Happened to Albert Lee? Albert Lee, is still working and is planning his 70th Birthday Celebration with a Documentary, Concert, Album. He made an appearance at the 2014 NAMM Show. Currently he working on his next big project is the 70th Birthday Celebration, a solo album, documentary and concert project celebrating his illustrious career in music.

After working for over 50 years as one of the most respected guitarists in country and rock music, finger-picking virtuoso Albert Lee embarks on his anniversary project in the run up to his 70th birthday in late 2013.

Early in his career was a front man for his own band Hogan’s Heroes, some of the best known and most respected Rock ’n ’Roll and Country musicians in Great Britain. Originally formed by steel-guitarist Gerry Hogan to play at his annual festival in 1987 (hence the name!), Albert Lee & Hogan’s Heroes have relentlessly toured Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, not to mention Finland, Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Yugoslavia, plus of course Ireland and the UK.In April 1988 they starred at the 20th International Festival of Country Music at Wembley and at associated Country Festivals in Munich and Zurich. In June 1992 the band played Glastonbury Festival, the prestigious BBC 1 American Festival held at the Crystal Palace Bowl alongside good friends Little Village and Emmylou Harris.

Hogan’s Heroes, is performing throughout Europe which started on March 1, 2014 and continues until the middle of October 2014.

Albert fulfilled his boyhood dream to play with the Everly Brothers in 1983 when he acted as guitarist and musical director for their reunion concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Since then he would regularly tour with the Everlys on and off for 20 years. After two instrumental albums — “Speechless” (1986) and “Gagged But Not Bound” (1987) — steel player Gerry Hogan invited Albert to headline at a festival in Newbury, England — fronting his own band for the very first time, Hogan’s Heroes.

He met Eric Clapton, after returning to London in 1978, and was invited to join his band and played on Clapton’s live album “Just One Night,” it featured Alabert on lead vocals for a cover of Mark Knopfler’s “Setting Me Up.” He worked with Eric Clapton for five years before he left and released his second solo album, the self-titled :Albert Lee” in 1982.

Albert’s reputation was growing as he moved to Encino, and met his wife Karen whilst rehearsing up in Santa Barbara with Joe Cocker and his band before they went on the road. He contributed to Cocker’s “Sting Ray”, and was then approached by A&M about putting together a solo album.

At a pivotal point in his career, Albert was asked by Emmylou Harris to replace James Burton — one of his guitar heroes — who was leaving for Elvis Presley’s band. In 1976 he joined the Hot Band, and his incredible guitar work came to the fore on the “Luxury Liner” LP. Albert released his first solo album “Hiding”, produced by Brian Ahern, which featured perhaps the definite version of “Country Boy” with Emmylou on backing vocals and Ricky Skaggs on fiddle.

In 1983, he fulfilled his boyhood dream to play with the Everly Brothers, when he acted as guitarist and musical director for their reunion concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Since then he would regularly tour with the Everlys on and off for 20 years. After two instrumental albums — “Speechless” (1986) and “Gagged But Not Bound” (1987) — steel player Gerry Hogan invited Albert to headline at a festival in Newbury, England — fronting his own band for the very first time, Hogan’s Heroes. He continued to tour with Hogan’s Heroes throughout the late 80’s he began his long association with Ernie Ball Music Man, who would eventually (through many iterations) produce his signature guitar that he tours and records with today.

He joined with Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney and other music legends on stage at the Concert for George at the Royal Albert Hal, in 2002.

In 2009, he won a Grammy for his performance on Brad Paisley’s instrumental “Cluster Pluck” in 2009. He also received a Grammy Award in 2002 for his contribution to “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” featured on “Earl Scruggs and Friends.”

He appeared for the first time at Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2007, now an annual appearance, and has toured periodically for the last few years with ex-Stones bassist Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, performing with Georgie Fame. Joining his hero James Burton, along with the likes of Vince Gill and John Jorgenson,

He soon found his favoured guitar of choice, the Fender Telecaster, whilst everyone else was playing Gibson Les Pauls and Stratocasters. Albert admitted to feeling like the odd man out as his appreciation for American country artists grew, and he formed the band Country Fever. He began working with Poet & The One Man Band, who later turned into Heads, Hands & Feet when Jerry Donahue and Pat Donaldson (of Country Fever) were replaced by Albert and Chas Hodges. Their self-titled debut album featured the original “Country Boy”, now synonymous with Albert’s trademark picking style.

The U.S eventually beckoned, and Albert began doing session work and briefly toured with The Crickets in 1973. He moved to Los Angeles, where he met his idols Phil and Don Everly, and Don invited Albert to play with him and pedal steel legend Buddy Emmons. After working on Don’s second album, Albert left to join Joe Cocker’s band and was replaced by Lindsey Buckingham.

After working for over 50 years as one of the most respected guitarists in country and rock music, finger-picking virtuoso Albert Lee embarks on his anniversary project in the run up to his 70th birthday in late 2013. This ambitious project will be a combination of three elements; the first ever Albert Lee documentary, a special anniversary concert featuring guest artists, and a brand new solo album.

The documentary is already well underway, and a whole host of musicians — past and present — have been more than happy to sit down and chat about Albert Lee; a man widely regarded to be one of the best guitarists in the world.