MarketWill Lee (bassist)
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Will Lee (bassist)

Will Lee is an American jazz fusion bassist known for his work on the Late Show with David Letterman as part of the CBS Orchestra and Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band during Letterman’s tenure as host of NBC's Late Night with David Letterman.

Career
Beginnings in music Lee was greatly influenced to pursue music because of his parents. His father, William Franklin Lee III, played piano, trumpet, and the upright bass professionally. Lee's mother Lois sang with big bands. Lee took up drums after seeing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, and by the time he was 12 had formed his first band in Miami. The band members each earned $6 a night playing the popular surfing tunes characteristic of the '60s. With a large numbers of drummers in Miami, Lee shifted to bass, an instrument that offered him more opportunities. Lee was part of a succession of bands, including top 40 bands, with names like "Chances R”, "the Loving Kind", and "Green Cloud". Lee studied French horn for a year, then switched to bass, which he studied at the University of Miami After classes, he worked on bass fundamentals by listening to not only the Beatles, but also Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Miller, the Rascals, Motown, and Sly & the Family Stone among others. He would put it all into practice six sets a night playing with various local bands, including a horn band called "Goldrush. Professional music career Lee then went to New York City. Trumpeter Randy Brecker called Lee out of class one day and invited him to audition for jazz-rock group Dreams. He won the part and played on the album Imagine My Surprise as a bassist and vocalist. After Dreams disbanded, Lee's career as a session musician flourished, and he toured with many artists. He played in the New York 24th Street Band. His solo CD entitled OH! reached the No. 1 position on the "Jazz Beyond" chart there. On January 20, 2016, Lee played bass with Christopher Cross at the Moody Theater in Austin, Texas, at a taping for Austin City Limits. The CBS Orchestra In 1982, Lee became one of the original members of The World's Most Dangerous Band', the house band on NBCs Late Night with David Letterman. He holds the distinction of playing with Paul Shaffer, on both Late Night and the Late Show, longer than any other member of the CBS Orchestra. Before the Late Show began taping, he often tossed out guitar picks to the audience as souvenirs. On the May 13, 2015, episode of the Late Show with David Letterman, as Letterman was interviewing Paul Shaffer, Shaffer gave recognition to the members of his band, and lastly mentioned Lee as the "man has been with us on bass since the first night we were on Late Night, Will Lee." == Awards and honors ==
Awards and honors
NARAS MVP Award for bass guitar, 1979, 1982, 1985–1987 • NARAS MVP Award for male session singer, 1987 • NARAS MVP Virtuoso Award for bass guitar, 1989 • Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, Some Skunk Funk, with Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, Jim Beard, Vince Mendoza, Marcio Doctor, and the WDR Big Band, 2006 • Inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014 == Basses ==
Basses
Lee uses the Sadowsky Will Lee model, 4 and 5-string Fender Jazz-style basses with a narrower nut width of 1.45" [37mm] instead of the usual 1.5" [38mm], 22 frets and a Hipshot D-tuner. This is the only instrument offered by Sadowsky that has a midrange control, an on-off toggle switch selectable between 500hz and 800hz. The bass was built for him by Roger Sadowsky and has now become a production model within the line of Sadowsky basses. == Discography ==
Discography
OH! (1993) • Birdhouse (2006) • Love, Gratitude and Other Distractions (2013) As sideman With Alessi BrothersAll For a Reason (A&M, 1977) With Peter AllenI Could Have Been a Sailor (A&M Records, 1979) With Joan ArmatradingMe Myself I (A&M Records, 1980) With Patti AustinEnd of a Rainbow (CTI, 1976) • Havana Candy (CTI, 1977) • Body Language (CTI, 1980) • In My Life (CTI, 1983) With Aztec CameraLove (Sire, 1987) With Carole Bayer SagerCarole Bayer Sager (Elektra Records, 1977) With Joe BeckBeck (Kudu, 1975) With Bee GeesE.S.P. (Warner Bros., 1987) With George BensonBenson & Farrell with Joe Farrell (CTI, 1976) • ''Livin' Inside Your Love'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1979) • In Your Eyes (Warner Bros. Records, 1983) • Love Remembers (Warner Bros. Records, 1993) With Michael BoltonThe Hunger (Columbia Records, 1987) With The Brecker BrothersThe Brecker Bros. (Arista, 1975) • Back to Back (Arista, 1976) • ''Don't Stop the Music'' (Arista, 1977) • Return of the Brecker Brothers (GRP, 1992) With Dan BrennerLittle Dark Angel (2011) With Hiram BullockFrom All Sides (Atlantic, 1986) • Give It What U Got (Atlantic, 1987) • Way Kool (Atlantic, 1992) • World of Collision (Big World, 1994) • ''Manny's Car Wash'' (Big World, 1996) • First Class Vagabond (JVC Victor, 2000) • Guitarman (JVC Victor, 2000) • Color Me (Via, 2001) • Best of Hiram Bullock (WEA, 2002) • ''Try Livin' It'' (EFA, 2003) • Too Funky 2 Ignore (BHM, 2006) With Gary BurtonReunion (GRP, 1990) • Cool Nights (GRP, 1991) • Six Pack (GRP, 1992) With Peabo BrysonTake No Prisoners (Elektra Records, 1985) With Irene CaraAnyone Can See (Elektra Records, 1982) • ''What a Feelin''' (Epic Records, 1983) With Mariah CareyEmotions (Columbia, 1991) With Felix CavaliereDestiny (Bearsville, 1975) • Castles in the Air (Epic, 1979) With Beth Nielsen ChapmanYou Hold the Key (Reprise Records, 1993) With CherTake Me Home (Casablanca Records, 1979) • Cher (Geffen Records, 1987) With Clarence ClemonsA Night With Mr. C (CBS Records, 1989) With Jimmy CliffGive Thankx (Warner Bros. Records, 1978) With Linda Clifford • ''I'll Keep on Loving You'' (Capitol Records, 1982) With Natalie ColeSnowfall on the Sahara (Elektra Records, 1999) With Judy CollinsFires of Eden (Columbia, 1990) With Lou CourtneyBuffalo Smoke (RCA Victor, 1976) With Randy CrawfordRaw Slik (Warner Bros. Records, 1979) With Peter CrissOne for All (Megaforce, 2007) With Christopher CrossSecret Ladder (Christopher Cross Records, 2014) • Take Me As I Am (Christopher Cross Records, 2017) With Ron DanteStreet Angel (Handshake Records, 1981) '''With D'Angelo''' • Brown Sugar (EMI, 1995) With Cornell DupreeShadow Dancing (Versatile, 1978) With Sheena EastonWhat Comes Naturally (MCA Records, 1991) With EnchantmentOnce Upon a Dream (United Artists, 1978) With Donald FagenThe Nightfly (Warner Bros. 1982) With Art FarmerCrawl Space (CTI, 1977) • Yama with Joe Henderson (CTI, 1979) With Roberta FlackBlue Lights in the Basement (Atlantic Records, 1977) With Michael FranksBurchfield Nines (Warner Bros. Records, 1978) • Objects of Desire (Warner Bros. Records, 1982) • Passionfruit (Warner Bros. Records, 1983) • Skin Dive (Warner Bros. Records, 1985) • The Camera Never Lies (Warner Bros. Records, 1987) • Barefoot on the Beach (Windham Hill Records, 1999) • Time Together (Shanachie Records, 2011) With Roberta Flack and Donny HathawayRoberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway (Arista Records, 1980) With Ace FrehleyAce Frehley (Casablanca, 1978) With Steve GoodmanSay It in Private (Asylum Records, 1977) With Lawrence GowanGreat Dirty World (Columbia Records, 1987) With Al Green • ''Don't Look Back'' (BMG, 1993) • ''Your Heart's in Good Hands'' (MCA, 1995) With Henry GrossShow Me to the Stage (Lifesong, 1977) • Love Is the Stuff (Lifesong, 1978) With Arlo Guthrie • ''Hobo's Lullaby'' (Reprise Records, 1972) With Spyro GyraMorning Dance (1979) • Catching the Sun (1980) • Carnaval (1980) • Free Time (1981) • Incognito (1982) With Major HarrisHow Do You Take Your Love (RCA Records, 1978) With Cissy HoustonCissy Houston (Private Stock Records, 1977) • Step Aside for a Lady (Columbia Records, 1980) • Face to Face (BMG, 1996) With Phyllis HymanPhyllis Hyman (Buddah, 1977) • Somewhere in My Lifetime (Arista, 1978) With Janis IanJanis Ian (Columbia Records, 1978) With Chaka KhanChaka (Atlantic, 1978) • Chaka Khan (Warner Bros., 1982) With Kool & the GangIn the Heart (De-Lite, 1983) With Yusef LateefIn a Temple Garden (CTI, 1979) With Lori LiebermanLetting Go (Millennium Records, 1978) With Fred LipsiusBetter Believe It (Mja Records, 1996) With Steve LukatherLukather (Columbia Records, 1989) With Taj MahalEvolution (The Most Recent) (Warner Bros., 1978) With Melissa Manchester • ''Singin'...'' (Arista Records, 1977) • Emergency (Arista Records, 1983) • If My Heart Had Wings (Atlantic Records, 1995) With Barry ManilowBarry Manilow II (Arista Records, 1974) • ''This One's For You'' (Arista Records, 1976) • Even Now (Arista Records, 1978) • One Voice (Arista Records, 1979) • Barry (Arista Records, 1980) • If I Should Love Again (Arista Records, 1981) • Manilow (RCA Records, 1985) • This Is My Town: Songs of New York (Decca, 2017) With Herbie MannWaterbed (Atlantic, 1975) With Delbert McClintonNever Been Rocked Enough (Curb, 1992) With MecoStar Wars and Other Galactic Funk (Millennium Records, 1977) With Glenn Medeiros • ''It's Alright to Love'' (Mercury Records, 1993) With MelaniePhonogenic – Not Just Another Pretty Face (Midsong International, 1978) With Bette MidlerBette Midler (Atlantic Records, 1973) • Thighs and Whispers (Atlantic Records, 1979) With Liza MinnelliGently (Angel Records, 1996) With Tim MooreBehind the Eyes (Asylum, 1975) With Kenny NolanA Song Between Us (Polydor, 1978) With Laura NyroSmile (Columbia Records, 1976) • Nested (Columbia Records, 1978) With OdysseyOdyssey (RCA Victor, 1977) With Leslie PearlWords & Music (RCA, 1982) With Esther Phillips • ''You've Come a Long Way, Baby'' (Mercury, 1977) With Nicole RenéeNicole Renée (Atlantic Records, 1998) With Vicki Sue RobinsonHalf & Half (RCA Victor, 1978) • ''Movin' On'' (RCA Victor, 1979) With Diana RossI Love You (Parlophone Records, 2006) With David SanbornTaking Off (Warner Bros. Records, 1975) With Leo SayerWorld Radio (Chrysalis Records, 1982) • Have You Ever Been in Love (Chrysalis Records, 1983) With Lalo SchifrinTowering Toccata (CTI, 1976) With Helen SchneiderSo Close (Windsong, 1976) With Diane Schuur • ''Talkin' 'Bout You'' (GPR, 1988) With Don SebeskyThe Rape of El Morro (CTI, 1975) With Neil SedakaA Song (Elektra Records, 1977) With Janis SiegelAt Home (Atlantic Records, 1987) With Nina SimoneBaltimore (CTI, 1978) With Carly SimonBoys in the Trees (Elektra Records, 1978) • Spy (Elektra Records, 1979) • Come Upstairs (Warner Bros. Records, 1980) • Torch (Warner Bros. Records, 1981) • My Romance (Arista Records, 1990) • Have You Seen Me Lately (Arista Records, 1990) With Phoebe SnowSecond Childhood (Columbia Records, 1976) • Never Letting Go (Columbia Records, 1977) • Against the Grain (Columbia Records, 1978) With Bert SommerBert Sommer (Capitol, 1977) With The SpinnersLabor of Love (Atlantic, 1981) With Dusty SpringfieldLiving Without Your Love (Mercury Records, 1979) With Ringo Starr • ''Ringo's Rotogravure'' (Polydor Records, 1976) With Steely DanTwo Against Nature (Giant, 2000) With Mike SternIs What It Is (Atlantic, 1994) • These Times (ESC, 2004) • All Over the Place (Heads Up, 2012) With Cat StevensBack to Earth (Island Records, 1978) With Barbra StreisandSongbird (Columbia Records, 1978) • Wet (Columbia Records, 1979) With The Manhattan Transfer • ''Tonin''' (Atlantic Records, 1995) With Bonnie TylerFaster Than the Speed of Night (Columbia Records, 1983) With Frankie Valli • ''Romantic the 60's'' (Universal Motown, 2007) With Narada Michael WaldenGarden of Love Light (Arista, 1976) With Dionne WarwickDionne (Arista Records, 1979) • Friends Can Be Lovers (Arista Records, 1993) With Vanessa WilliamsStar Bright (Mercury, 1996) • Next (Mercury, 1997) • Silver & Gold (Universal, 2004) • Everlasting Love (Lava, 2005) With Peter WolfLights Out (EMI, 1984) • ''Fool's Parade'' (Mercury, 1998) With Tatsuro YamashitaCircus Town (RCA, 1976) ==References==
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