with a steel plate in her wrist and a penchant for sarcasm.
Quick Bio
Multifaceted, smart-sexy, and occasionally funny as hell, Lee Quick dishes up original Americana, alt. country, pop-folk, and whatever else she likes. The ex-New Orleans singer-songwriter-guitarist delivers insightful and well-crafted songs with wit and warmth, and with attitude ranging from sarcastic to sentimental. Lee would like to make you think, cry, groove, laugh, or get turned on – she's an equal opportunity employer.
Classical musician by day and secret songwriter at night (don't tell anyone), Lee is a genuine performer, a skilled guitarist, and able to deliver both intensity and nuance in her live shows. In short: she sounds good, plays good, and looks good doing it. (Just because she doesn't have any really good video doesn't mean you should doubt that.)
Lee's songs show many eclectic influences, from The Beatles to Elvis Costello to Lucinda Williams to Johnny Cash. She writes all her own music and lyrics unless someone hands her a half-finished good idea, in which case she will make it great and claim most of the credit. Her biggest inspiration is a looming deadline.
In 2004 Lee released her first album, "Do You Think?", which was recorded in a shotgun house (now deceased) in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. "Do You Think?" is available at this website and all over the Intertubes, including iTunes and CDbaby.com. But you can't buy it at Wal-Mart.
In 2005 Lee survived a forced relocation from New Orleans to Nashville, Tennessee, where she appears occasionally around town, including the famous Bluebird Cafe Writers Night (12 performances). Nashville is cool but it doesn't have any hot boiled crawfish, so Lee's sucking skills are being sadly wasted.
In 2007 Lee unveiled a batch of new songs called "Songs For Refugees," written and recorded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and largely in the throes of despair. But not all of the songs are funny.
In 2008 Lee posted a collection of songs titled "I Wandered (I Wondered)," featuring hippy-dippy-trippy-trancy-poppy songs for groovy moods. Perfect for 4:20 in the afternoon.
Lee writes / performs / records / produces / mixes her songs on her iMac as she feels like it, and offers them for sale on her Music Page, which is where you should be looking next. Go ahead... I'll wait.
• Interesting Fact #1: She was touched by Keith Urban - twice (CMT Music Awards, 2006).
• Interesting Fact #2: She was a paid extra in a Lindsey Lohan movie (Just My Luck, 2005).
• Interesting Fact #3: She was bear-hugged by Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul & Mary (Austin, Texas, 2006).
Performances
After a painful stint as a U.S. Army bassoonist for the First Cavalry Division, Lee wanted to try something different. She started with her first 3 original songs at an open mic in January 2001 (Bored To Hell, Sky Blues, & Free flower, which she wrote the night before). After winning the 2001 SW Louisiana Country Showdown with her 4th song, "You Walked Out The Door" (yee haw), Lee decided songwriting was cool, moved from Lake Charles to New Orleans, and wrote more songs.
In New Orleans, Lee quickly progressed to appearances such as the "15 Minutes" singer-songwriter showcase at the House of Blues, the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair (thrice), and the long-running Abita Springs Opry, which presents Louisiana roots music on local TV and radio. In 2004 Lee performed live on "New Orleans After Midnight," broadcast locally on FOX 8 TV. She played at Tipitina’s in uptown New Orleans two months before the hurricane hit, and was glad to do so – even tho the previous band had sucked all the air out of the room.
Nationally, Lee has showcased at the North American Folk Alliance annual conferences in Memphis, San Diego, Jacksonville, Nashville and Austin. She won a medal at the 2002 MOVA Songwriters Competition in Alabama (Nellie McKay won the grand prize). Lee made her first festival appearance at the 2003 Southern Womyn's Festival in Georgia (and slept in a tent, although she did not participate in a drum circle). She has performed 12 times at the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, to the confusion of many.
Amongst other things, Lee served two years in the U.S. Army as a bassoon player (rank: Specialist) and two months as a bass player on Bourbon Street. She has performed at one wedding (singing), one funeral (guitar), and one New Orleans Saints half-time show (electric bass). In April 2006 Lee appeared (barely) singing in a choir surrounding Keith Urban on the CMT Music Awards, and got a great view of his backside.
Lee has a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and a Master's degree in Music, but please don't hold that against her.
• Interesting Fact #4: She has been licked on the mouth by wolves (Fort Collins, Colorado, 2000).
• Interesting Fact #5: She has performed a McCartney song at BeatleFest for a crowd of thousands (Los Angeles, 1990).
• Interesting Fact #6: She has taken apart a M16A2 rifle and put it back together (US Army, 1997).
Highlights - National/Nashville
- One hour sets at Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green KY): Nov 16, 2006, Oct 9, 2007, Feb 11, 2009
- Bluebird Cafe Sunday Writers Night (Nashville): Oct 26, 2003; March 28, 2004; Sept 26, 2004; March 20, 2005; Oct 9, 2005; May 14, 2006; Dec 10, 2006; July 15, 2007; Feb 10, 2008; Sept 14, 2008; May 31, 2009; Nov 22, 2009 (and May 2, 2010)
- Performed at Habitat for Humanity Home-in-a-Box house build for the New Orleans Musicians Village (Hendersonville, TN): Oct 30, 2007
- Host of Songsalive! Songwriter Showcase at Caffeine (Nashville): Jan 20, 2007, Feb 17, 2007, Mar 17, 2007, May 19, 2007
- Solo performance at the Rock Goddess Festival (for peace): Atlanta GA, March 18, 2007
- North American Folk Alliance Conference private showcases: Jacksonville, Feb 2002; Nashville, Feb 2003; San Diego, Feb 2004; Austin, Feb 2006; Memphis, Feb 2007 (host of Wild Iris Showcase)
- CMT (Country Music Television) 2006 Music Awards, in 'Gulf Coast choir' with Keith Urban singing "Better Life", aired live on CMT April 10, 2006
- National Guitar Workshop: Acoustic instructor/performer in New Orleans, Austin, Chicago, Nashville, summer 2004, 2005 and 2006
- Interview and performance for Songsalive! Webcast and Showcase (Los Angeles, California) Feb 21, 2004
- Finalist and Semifinalist in Country at the MOVA Festival Songwriters Competition (Guntersville, Alabama): Sept 2003
- Mainstage performer at Southern Womyn's Festival (Dragon Hills, Georgia): May 9, 2003
- Second Place winner in Rock/Alternative, Semifinalist in Folk/Blues at MOVA Festival Songwriters Competition (Guntersville, Alabama): Sept 2002
Highlights - Louisiana
- Lee Quick Band featured on "Homegrown Night" at Tipitina's, New Orleans, June 9, 2005
- More performances than Lee can count @ the famous Neutral Ground Coffeehouse (uptown New Orleans), probably more than 50
- Host of 7 monthly Open Mics at the Hard Rock Cafe (French Quarter, New Orleans)
- French Quarter gigs: Margaritaville, Kerry Irish Pub, O'Flaherty's, Gold Mine Saloon
- Musical guest on "New Orleans After Midnight", broadcast on FOX 8 TV, Nov 20, 2004
- Live performance at the Abita Springs Opry, Abita Springs Town Hall, broadcast on WHMD 107.1 FM, WFPR 1400 AM (Hammond, La.) and Charter Cable channel 10, May 22, 2004
- Original Music Showcase Benefit for the New Orleans Musicians Clinic, O'Flaherty's Irish Pub, April 29, 2003 and April 27-28, 2004
- CD release promotion: "Dig In" on WSMB-AM (Jan 24, 2004), "New Orleans Music Show" on WWOZ-FM (Jan 28), "Folk Show" on WTUL-FM (Jan 31); live at Louisiana Music Factory (Feb 7), the Neutral Ground (Feb 7), Martine's (Feb 8), Carrollton Station (Feb 13)
- Louisiana Songwriters showcase, Greater Baton Rouge State Fair, Oct 2002, Oct 2003, Nov 2004
- "15 Minutes" singer/songwriter showcase at The Parish, House of Blues, New Orleans, October 10, 2002
- Musical guest on "Louisiana Revue," New Orleans Cox Cable channel 77, July 27, 2002
- "NewWorks Showcase" at the 9th, 10th & 11th annual Cutting Edge Music Business Conferences, at Le Chat Noir (Aug 2001), Circle Bar (Aug 2002), Cafe Brasil (Aug 2003)
- Southwest Louisiana Winner and Finalist at the Louisiana state "True Value Country Showdown," Greater Baton Rouge State Fair, Oct 27, 2001
Education
- Master of Music degree from Belmont University, Nashville (2009)
- Bachelor of Music Education degree from Loyola University New Orleans (1996)
- Associate degree in bars from the French Quarter, New Orleans (1992-2005)
- Lee is occasionally available to teach private lessons in acoustic guitar, music theory, and songwriting to students in the Nashville area. (She also teaches and performs classical bassoon, and she's quite good at it.)
Lee has taught 5 week-long acoustic guitar workshops in New Orleans, Austin, Nashville and Chicago for the National Guitar Workshop in summer 2004/2005/2006 (www.guitarworkshop.com), and was featured on the Acoustic Guitar magazine website.
Call or e-mail for lesson information: lessons@leequick.com
• Interesting Fact #7: She has conducted six Tennessee Fiddle Orchestra concerts (February 2008 to April 2010).
• Interesting Fact #8: She has conducted the Grieg Piano Concerto on 5 minutes notice and 7 months pregnant (New Orleans Civic Symphony, 1996).
• Interesting Fact #9: She has twice played bassoon for "Christmas At Belmont", hosted by Melinda Doolittle (aired on PBS, December 2007) and Trisha Yearwood (December 2009).
and...
• Interesting Fact #10: She told David Letterman she liked his tie, and Dave told her he liked her seat (NBC Studio 6A, NYC, 1988).
