Lee Fields

Born Elmer Lee Fields in Wilson, North Carolina, and raised from a young age in New Jersey, Lee Fields has been part of the story of American soul since the late 1960s. His first single, “Bewildered,” was released in 1969, followed by a series of recordings blending soul, funk and R&B, including the album Let’s Talk It Over (1979). Early on influenced by James Brown’s stage energy, Lee Fields developed a gritty yet warm vocal style, backed by horns, tight grooves and material that ranges from soul ballads to lean funk and Southern soul. After a quieter period in the 1980s, he returned in the 1990s on the soul-blues circuit and later worked with circles around Desco, Daptone and Soul Fire, crossing paths with artists such as Sharon Jones. From the late 2000s his career was revived with the band The Expressions, who accompany him on My World (2009), Treacherous (2011), Faithful Man (2012), Emma Jean (2014), Special Night (2017) and It Rains Love (2019). He has also recorded several tracks with Martin Solveig at the intersection of soul and dance, before releasing Sentimental Fool in 2022.