Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

WILEY, Lee

(b 9 Oct. '15, Port Gibson OK; d 11 Dec. '75, NYC) Jazz singer with breathy, little-girl sound, distinctive vibrato: intimate warmth with great respect for lyrics. Sang with bands of Johnny Green, Green's pianist Leo Reisman (big hit 'Time On My Hands' '31), Victor Young; worked with Eddie Condon and associates late '30s; married to pianist Jess Stacy, toured with his band (fine version of 'It's Only A Paper Moon' '45 on RCA jazz compilation String Of Swingin' Pearls). In the days of 78s she made albums of classic songs; she was also a lyricist, e.g. adding words to Young's music for 'Got The South In My Soul' and 'Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere' (revived for no. 1 R&B hit '50 by trumpeter/bandleader Joe Morris on Atlantic with vocalist Laurie Tate). Made album Night In Manhattan for Columbia early '50s, with Bobby Hackett, pianists Stan Freeman, Cy Walter and Joe Bushkin; A Touch Of Blues '58 on RCA, with band led by Billy Butterfield, arr. by Al Cohn, Bill Finegan. She was more or less retired until Back Home Again '71 on Monmouth-Evergreen, which also reissued tracks now on Audiophile CDs: original Liberty Music Shop records Sings Ira And George Gershwin And Cole Porter '39--40, Sings Richard Rodgers And Lorenz Hart And Harold Arlen '40--43, accompanied by Condon, Bushkin, Max Kaminsky, Bunny Berigan, Bud Freeman, Pee Wee Russell etc; solo organ by Fats Waller on 'Someone To Watch Over Me'. Lee Wiley At Carnegie Hall '72 is also on Audiophile; also two vols of On The Air on Totem; she also sang on some of Eddie Condon's Town Hall Concerts ('44--5 AFRS broadcasts), now on Jazzology CDs; Duologue on Black Lion; The Complete Young Lee Wiley: I've Got You Under My Skin 1931-- 37 on VJC and Lee Wiley Rarities '37--59 on Jass, both with various bands.