Amos Lee with Special Guest April 29, 2009

Singer/songwriter Amos Lee draws inspiration from soul and folk artists of the ‘70s such as Bill Withers, John Prine, Neil Young, and James Taylor. The Philadelphia native first became serious about performing while attending the University of South Carolina during the mid-‘90s. After graduating, the English major taught elementary school before deciding to pursue a music career full-time. Eventually, he landed some high-profile opening-slot gigs including an extended tour with pianist/vocalist Norah Jones. He released his self-titled debut album in 2005 and his sophomore effort, “Supply and Demand,” in 2006. “Last Days at the Lodge” followed in 2008.
The latest album, “Last Days at the Lodge,” is produced by Don Was, and features Lee (guitars), Doyle Bramhall, Jr (guitar), Spooner Oldham (keybord), Pino Palladino (bass), and James Gadson (drums), along with many others.
“Last Days at the Lodge” finds Lee honing in and emphasizing all the things that earned him his strong fanbase from the start: His singing is rich, direct and confident, the songs are sharply crafted, the melodies memorable and crisp, the lyrics focused. The production is fuller and less sparse, but the atmosphere remains uncluttered.
A great deal of the current evolution of Lee’s sound can certainly be attributed to the large amount of time he has spent on the road over the last four years. From several worldwide headlining tours to supporting slots with the likes of Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Van Morrison and Paul Simon, his education on stage has been deep. He has been featured in the New York Times and been hailed as an artist to watch in Rolling Stone. Lee has also performed several times on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, the “Today” show, “The Late Show with David Letterman” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.”
NPRs Tom Moon claimed that Lee’s voice “triangulates Bill Withers, Terry Callier and Ray Charles.” Billboard hailed that “Lee proves that real emotion and true artistry are not always wasted on youth.” USA Today said that Lee “artfully walks the line that divides sensitivity from sentimentality, and applies his soulful voice with equal grace.”

Official Website: http://www.thestatetheatre.org/Events/fullevent.php?id=465