For the complete bio info on John Lee Sanders, please visit his website at http://johnleesanders.com
Since Broadjam is more focused on composers, recording and the music industry, we'll focus on that.
John Lee has written 3 feature film scores, and received a BA in composition/Arranging, Orchestration from the University of North Texas and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
He's been nominated for a 2007 Emmy Award for song of the year
2004, a WC Handy Blues award for song of the year.
He's the lead vocalist on many national aired commercials with Wal*mart, and other corporate clients.
John is available to write custom music for any media, and can also do vocal demos for songwriters
Latest News
John Lee Sanders won 3 Canada music awards in 2009, Blues/R&B/Soul CD of the year, also Group of the year. He headlined the Kelowna BC New Years Celebration, rated the #2 New Years show in Canada by the Toronto Star. In March John tours Eastern Europe, Czech Republic, Austria & Poland.
John Lee Sanders bio
Louisiana produces some of the funkiest jazz & blues musicians in the world, and John Lee Sanders is no exception. He comes from a musical family that goes back to the birth of the blues in Memphis, including a cousin who played trombone with WC Handy, and to the present, with a Nephew who managed Taylor Hicks, winner of the 2006 American Idol. the #1 show in America.
John Lee Sanders is a Bluesy Jazz, Pop, vocalist, orchestrator, producer and instrumentalist. His original song, Just One Kiss, in which he performed all the instruments, is nominated for a 2007 emmy award for best song from a daytime show. He has a WC Handy nomination for the 2004 blues song of the year.
He was chosen by Doc Kupka, (Tower of Power) and Bill Ross (2007Oscar Music Director, and Barbara Streisand Musical Director) to sing all of the lead vocals on an upcoming CD, Doc Goes Hollywood, in the American Songbook Genre.
He's a master of Piano ,Hammond organ, flute, alto, tenor and Soprano saxophone, a sought after session player, orchestrator and arranger, from ensembles as diverse as the Santa Cruz Symphony to Tower of Power.
John spent his childhood in the Mississippi Delta, learning 3 part harmony with his older brothers and sang in the church choir. His father worked often in New Orleans and brought John and his brothers to hear the the inventors of Jazz in New Orleans with Preservation Hall. One day in 1956, all of the sounds of southern roots music, Gospel, country and the blues exploded in one person, when Elvis Presley bought his first home next door to his Aunt & Uncle in a Memphis Suburb, and the path was set.
In 1977, John signed a record deal with Rod Stewart's Riva Records, and relocated to the San Francisco Bay area. The strengths of John?s writing and performing led a production contract with mega producer, Narada Michael Walden, (Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey)
He became a top West Coast session player and producer, on keyboards, saxophone and horn arrangements, with a host of legendary blues, Jazz and pop giants including John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Witherspoon, Freddie King, Dr. John, The Meters, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, Tower of Power & Stevie Wonder. On Sunday mornings, he was the Hammond Organist and Vocal soloist at Beebe Memorial church in Oakland, CA one of the largest Black Churches in the Bay Area, performing contemporary and traditional Gospel. He toured extensively during the 90?s with Starship, Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings, Paul Williams, Mary Wells, Sam Moore, and as music director with Long John Baldry, holding down the keyboard spot formerly held by Elton John. In 1995 he signed his first solo record deal with Hypertension/BMG in Germany and continues to tour as a solo act throughout Europe.
John Lee is now based out of Vancouver British Columbia with his wife Judy, works out of his own studio, and is writing film scores, music for television, and working on an upcoming musical and various solo projects.
He's done 7 solo concert tours of Europe, where he also teaches Gospel workshops, andfounded the 80 voice, upper Austrian Gospel Choir.
?The pianist/saxman combines elements of Dr. John with those of several of the best piano based artists of the last 20 years- like Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, and Leon Russell for example - and holds his own with all of 'em. When their style comes out of John Lee Sanders he's transformed it into something I like alot.? Blue Suede News Magazine
"How delightful it was to share the stage with you and your magical musicality. I so look forward to working with you again" Melissa Manchester
"thanks for sharing your gifts with me...You're a huge part of my life ..your musical
voice and creative spirit are an amazing presence on stage and off .." Paul Williams