Alvin Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alvin Lee
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Lee in 1975 playing his Gibson ES-335 ("Big Red")
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Graham Anthony Barnes |
| Born | 19 December 1944 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England |
| Died | 6 March 2013 (aged 68) Estepona, Spain |
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| Years active | 1960–2013 |
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Alvin Lee (born Graham Anthony Barnes; 19 December 1944 – 6 March 2013) was an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was most famous as the lead singer and guitarist for the blues rock band Ten Years After.
Early Life and Musical Start
Alvin Lee was born in Nottingham, England. He started playing the guitar when he was 13 years old. In 1960, he and bassist Leo Lyons formed the main part of the band that would become Ten Years After. Alvin was inspired by his parents' collection of jazz and blues music. However, it was the rise of rock and roll that truly captured his interest.
A Star on the Rise
Alvin Lee became very famous after his performance at the Woodstock Festival. This amazing show was even shown in the documentary film about the event. His incredibly fast guitar playing helped him become a worldwide star. The film introduced his music to a huge audience.
Alvin Lee was known as "the fastest guitarist in the West." Many people saw his playing style as an early example of "shred" guitar. This style became popular in the 1980s.
Ten Years After released ten successful albums together. But by 1973, Alvin Lee felt he wanted to try new musical styles. He left the band after their second album with Columbia Records. He then worked with other musicians.
He recorded an album called On the Road to Freedom with Mylon LeFevre. Famous musicians like George Harrison and Steve Winwood also played on it. This album was a big part of the early country rock sound. In 1973, he also played on a Jerry Lee Lewis album.
A year later, Alvin Lee formed a new group called Alvin Lee & Company. They played a show in London and released it as a live album, In Flight. He continued to make music throughout the 1970s. He even formed a band called Ten Years Later, which released two albums.
In the 1980s, Alvin Lee explored new musical directions. He released albums with Steve Gould and toured with Mick Taylor. Alvin Lee released more than 20 albums during his career. This included Detroit Diesel in 1987. He also reunited with Ten Years After for their 1989 album, About Time.
In the 1990s, he released Zoom and Nineteen Ninety-Four. George Harrison was a guest artist on both of these albums. Alvin Lee's album In Tennessee came out in 2004. It featured legendary musicians Scotty Moore and D. J. Fontana. His last album, Still on the Road to Freedom, was released in 2012.
Death
Alvin Lee passed away on 6 March 2013 in Spain. He was 68 years old. His death was due to unexpected problems after a surgery. His former bandmates shared their sadness. Leo Lyons said Alvin was like a brother to him. Ric Lee (no relation) said it was hard to believe he was gone. Billboard magazine remembered his famous performances. These included "I'm Going Home" from Woodstock. They also mentioned his 1971 hit song "I'd Love to Change the World".
See also
In Spanish: Alvin Lee para niños
