Robert Lee, Gary, In

[Dave Thorley]

Robert Lee aka General Lee
Robert was a talented, song writer, producer and artist. He grew up in 1960’s Gary, Indiana and was school boy friend’s with Gordon Keith and Ben Brown, so when they stated their own record label, it was no surprise that he signed to them. He had form a group, Robert Lee & The Exquisites and had been playing gigs around the city and on Chicago’s south side which in fact was only 10 miles away over the state line. His one release on the label got some play on local radio stations, but didn’t sell that well.
By the early 70’s his talents as a producer had grown and he was often called on by other local groups to work with them. His next move was under the name of Lost Weekend another vocally stylish harmony group, who released on his own Lost Weekend records and one release on the Chicago label U.S.A. He then changed his recording name to General Lee and with his latest group The Space Army Band recorded three more 45’s on his label including the currently popular ‘Pleasure’. He spent another few years touring with this set up before retiring from the business.

 

[Robbk]

8 hours ago, Dave Thorley said:

Robert Lee aka General Lee
Robert was a talented, song writer, producer and artist. He grew up in 1960’s Gary, Indiana and was school boy friend’s with Gordon Keith and Ben Brown, so when they stated their own record label, it was no surprise that he signed to them. He had form a group, Robert Lee & The Exquisites and had been playing gigs around the city and on Chicago’s south side which in fact was only 10 miles away over the state line. His one release on the label got some play on local radio stations, but didn’t sell that well.
By the early 70’s his talents as a producer had grown and he was often called on by other local groups to work with them. His next move was under the name of Lost Weekend another vocally stylish harmony group, who released on his own Lost Weekend records and one release on the Chicago label U.S.A. He then changed his recording name to General Lee and with his latest group The Space Army Band recorded three more 45’s on his label including the currently popular ‘Pleasure’. He spent another few years touring with this set up before retiring from the business.

 

I guess Robert Lee wanted to confuse people.  First, he used his own name, which could be easily confused with Chicago producer Bob Lee, and the East Coast producer Robert/Bob Lee,  Then, he wrote and sang a song with the same title as a Chicago hit by Henry Ford and The Gifts, "Tears Are Falling", then he wrote and performed a song with the same title as a song by Frank Wilson (Sonny Daye), "Bridge of Love".