Lee Fields facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lee Fields
Lee Fields at Haldern Pop (2013)
Background information
Birth name	Elmer Lee Fields
Born	(1950-04-26) April 26, 1950 (age 75) Wilson, North Carolina, United States
Origin	Plainfield, New Jersey, United States
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day
Genres	Soul, funk, R&B, retro-soul
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, composer, musician
Years active	1969-present
Labels	Big Crown Records, Truth and Soul Records, Desco Records, Daptone Records
Associated acts	Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley

Elmer Lee Fields (born April 26, 1950) is an American soul singer. People sometimes call him "Little JB" because he looks and sounds a lot like the famous singer James Brown. Lee Fields has worked with many great musicians throughout his long career, including Kool and the Gang, B. B. King, and Betty Wright. He released his first song in 1969 and is still making music today! His recent work is with his band, The Expressions. They have released popular albums like Faithful Man (2012), Special Night (2017), and It Rains Love (2019). In 2014, he even sang extra vocals for the movie about James Brown, called Get On Up.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Lee Fields was born in Wilson, North Carolina, in the United States. He was the second of six children. From a very young age, Lee was super interested in music.

When he was 17, he decided to move to New York to chase his dream of becoming a singer. Even though his mom tried to get him to stay, she ended up giving him her last $20 to help him on his way. With dance moves and a singing style like James Brown, Lee quickly earned the nickname "Little JB." Later, when he was in his late teens, he moved to Plainfield, New Jersey, after he got married.

Lee Fields' Music Career

Starting Out (1969–1981)

In 1969, Lee Fields released his very first song, "Bewildered." He continued to release many popular singles, like "Let's Talk It Over." In 1979, he put out his first full album, also called Let's Talk It Over.

However, in the 1980s, a new type of music called disco became very popular. This made it harder for soul singers like Lee Fields to find places to perform. Many venues started hiring DJs instead of live bands. To support his family, Lee Fields took a break from music and worked in real estate in Newark, New Jersey.

Returning to Music (1990s–2008)

In the 1990s, Lee Fields made a comeback, singing soul-blues music. He signed with Ace Records and released albums like Enough Is Enough and Dreaming Big Time. On Dreaming Big Time, he even played keyboards himself!

Later, he joined Desco Records. Sharon Jones, another amazing soul singer, sang backup for Lee on some of his early songs there. He released several singles and an album called Let's Get a Groove On in 1999. Desco Records later split into two new labels, Daptone Records and Soul Fire, and Lee recorded for both of them. He also sang on a song called "Stranded In Your Love" with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings in 2005.

In 2006, a French DJ named Martin Solveig asked Lee to sing on some dance tracks. They even toured in France and recorded several songs together, like "Jealousy" and "Everybody".

Working with The Expressions (2009–Present)

Lee Fields then started working with Truth and Soul Records. He and his band, The Expressions, released the song "Honey Dove." In 2009, they released the album My World. They followed up with Treacherous in 2011 and Faithful Man in 2012. After Faithful Man, Lee Fields and The Expressions traveled all over the world to perform!

He continued to release more albums, including Emma Jean in 2014 and Special Night in 2017. In January 2019, Lee Fields & The Expressions released their newest single, "It Rains Love." The full album, also called It Rains Love, came out in April 2019. His most recent album, Sentimental Fool, was released in 2022.

Personal Life

Lee Fields and his wife, Christine, have four grown-up children. They live in Plainfield, New Jersey.

Discography

Selected Albums

• Let's Talk It Over (1979)
• Problems (2002)
• My World (2009)
• Faithful Man (2012)
• Emma Jean (2014)
• Special Night (2017)
• It Rains Love (2019)
• Sentimental Fool (2022)