Published: April 5, 2009 5:46 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight April 2009 Edition
Donald Lee
Donald Lee
Donald Lee promises to bring something fresh and new to music. With a beautiful mixture of several genres, Donald's music is the perfect choice for those music lovers looking for original music. In this special spotlight with our Webzine, Donald shares his love and experience for music.
Isaac: How do you sum up 2008 for Donald Lee?
Donald: The year 2008 was a learning experience for me in regards to my experiences from the studio to performing live. It was a very creative year, mainly focused on creating and attempting to perfect my songs.
Isaac: Describe the music scene in the Delaware, Ohio.
Donald: Delaware is limited in regards to the music scene. Delaware is a fairly small town which is comprised of various bars and clubs. The ability to perform in Delaware appears to be based on personal relationships with the various owners of these establishments. The venues that are here in Delaware don't seem to cater to solo artists doing original music but those artists who perform cover songs appear to fare well in Delaware. I concentrate on performing in places outside of Delaware, Ohio. I am not saying that the music scene in Delaware is a bad one; it just seems reluctant to embrace what is new.
Isaac: What do you feel was your biggest accomplishment for 2008?
Donald: My biggest accomplishment was completing my album. There were a lot of days spent on writing, editing and re-writing the lyrics as well as many, many hours working on the musical arrangements. For every song that I have completed, there were several ways in which I could arrange and play them. Deciding on the final arrangement was a very difficult task. The good experience out of all the hard work was opening my eyes to the music structure and connecting the dots so to speak. Also, performing live during the year allowed me the platform to change the structure and tempo on the fly. I made a lot of contacts in music through fellow musicians and studio producers.
Isaac: Elaborate a little about whom were your biggest influences in the music industry and why?
Donald: I could talk for hours about my influences because I have many but I will keep it to a few. First and foremost is Jimi Hendrix. When something or someone hits me, I try to find out as much about them as I can. I researched Jimi extensively from his rough times in the beginning to playing back-up for numerous bands to finally meeting up with Chas Chandler who started Jimi's career. People are amazed by his finished product but what I think is more amazing is the process to get there. The way he could take simple blues scales and take them beyond the limits was and is genius. It seems so effortless but I know that it comes from time and dedication. Another influence is Prince. He also has that work ethic that is non-stop. His musical arrangements and the way he blends funk with rock and blues sets him apart from all others is motivating to me. I have many other influences and to just name a few are Jim Croce, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and John Lennon.
Isaac: Let's talk about what you feel you will bring to the music industry?
Donald: I feel that I bring originality to the industry. All my songs are true to life and life experiences. I believe that I have my own sound and I don't feel that I fall into any particular genre. I don't intentionally try to play any particular "style". My music tends to blend itself into a blues, rock, folk flavor feel. I feel that I bring a serious work ethic to the industry. When I am working on music and set arrangements, I can get lost in it all and spend seven or eight hours on a particular arrangement until it feels and sounds right to me.
Isaac: If you had an opportunity to work with one artist or group, who would it be and why?
Donald: This is a hard question because I admire so many. I will narrow it down to one person who covers all the bases. My choice would be Prince. He has that attention to detail and is a genius musician. He runs the extremes of all sides from soft jazzy ballads to deep funk to down home blues to some serious rock. He is a perfectionist in showmanship and I would love to spend eight to ten hours a day working with him. I would play and practice with him till my fingers bled and love every minute of it.
Isaac: How would you describe your music to others?
Donald: I would describe my music as a bluesy rock with Hendrix influence. My music is original and I feel that people can relate to it.
Isaac: What is your definition for Blues Music?
Donald: To me, blues music is something that is true to the soul and heart of a person. It is something that without lyrics, a person could feel a part of the musician's soul. The lyrics help convey what that particular song/feeling is all about. To sum it up, I feel that blues is music that is felt through an experience or hope, rather than music that is being played for the sake of being played.
Isaac: What has been the inspiration behind your latest album?
Donald: Each song has its own inspiration. Some were inspired by my father who has always been an inspiration in everything that I do. Others were inspired by my fiancés love and her soul. The rest were inspired by life in general, ranging from religion to politics and wealth to poverty.
Isaac: Where can fans locate you at online?
Donald: My press kit can always be viewed for upcoming shows, bio information and my current and upcoming tracks at www.sonicbids.com/donaldlee2; or at online radio, www.indie104.com; or download my songs/ring tones at www.mymusicsite.com/donaldlee3. I am currently working on a MySpace.com page. I can be contacted through my press kit.
Isaac: What can fans expect from Donald Lee in 2009?
Donald: I am looking to seriously promote this album which consists of 18 songs. I am attempting to secure management and hope to be playing as many live performances that I can throughout Ohio and the Midwest.
Isaac: Time for some shout outs to your family, friends, and fans…
Donald: Thanks to all who know me and have supported me. They have all inspired me in one way or another. I look forward to meeting many new friends and sharing my music with the world.
Isaac: Final words from Donald Lee…
Donald: I believe that good things in life repeat themselves and hopefully we are on the track to repeat an era when music was truly music and people wrote it and played it with a passion and embraced what was initially different. This could be our true Woodstock revisited. It would be a perfect time to hear Elvis Costello ask that question, "What's so funny about peace, love and understanding"?
