Bryan Lee (March 16, 1943 – August 21, 2020) was an American

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

guitarist and singer based in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, Louisiana. He was also known by the nickname 'Braille Blues Daddy' and was a fixture on

Bourbon Street Bourbon Street (french: Rue Bourbon, es, Calle de Borbón) is a historic street in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans. Extending thirteen blocks from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue, Bourbon Street is famous for its many bars an ...

since the 1980s.

History

Lee was born on March 16, 1943, in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, United States, and completely lost his eyesight by the age of eight. His avid interest in early rock and

was fostered through the 1950s by late night listening sessions via the Nashville-based radio station WLAC-AM, where he first encountered the sounds of

Elmore James Elmore James ( Brooks; January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader. Noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice, James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fam ...

Albert King Albert Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known by his stage name Albert King, was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps b ...

and

Albert Collins Albert Gene Drewery, known as Albert Collins and the Ice Man (October 1, 1932 – November 24, 1993),Skeely, Richard. "Albert Collins: Biography" Allmusic.com. was an American electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. ...

. By his late teens, Lee was playing rhythm guitar in a regional band called The Glaciers that covered

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...

and

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

material. Through the 1960s, Lee's interest turned to

Chicago blues Chicago blues is a form of blues music developed in Chicago, Illinois. It is based on earlier blues idioms, such as Delta blues, but performed in an urban style. It developed alongside the Great Migration of the first half of the twentieth cent ...

and he soon found himself immersed in that scene, opening for some of his boyhood heroes. In 1979 he released his first album named ''Beauty Isn't Always Visual''. In January 1982, Lee moved to New Orleans, eventually landing a steady gig at the Old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street becoming a favorite of tourists in the city's

French Quarter The French Quarter, also known as the , is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans (french: La Nouvelle-Orléans) was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the ("Old Squ ...

. For the next 14 years, Lee and his Jump Street Five played five nights a week at that popular bar, developing a huge following and a solid reputation. To the end of his life, Lee continued to perform in New Orleans. He also toured several times a year in the Midwest, Eastern Seaboard, Rocky Mountain States and recently Europe and Brazil. Lee appeared with

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Kenny Wayne Shepherd (born Kenny Wayne Brobst; June 12, 1977) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has released several studio albums and experienced significant commercial success as a blues artist. Life and career Shepherd wa ...

as the musical guest on ''

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014. The fourth incarnation of the ...

'' on February 14, 2007. He died on August 21, 2020, at the age of 77.

Discography

Albums

* 1979 ''Beauty Isn't Always Visual'' * 1984 ''Bourbon Street Beat'' * 1991 ''The Blues Is...'' ( Justin Time) * 1993 ''Memphis Bound'' ( Justin Time) * 1995 ''Braille Blues Daddy'' ( Justin Time) * 1995 ''Heat Seeking Missile'' ( Justin Time) * 1997 ''Live at the Old Absinthe House Bar: Friday Night'' ( Justin Time) * 1998 ''Live at the Old Absinthe House Bar, Vol. 2: Saturday'' ( Justin Time) * 2000 ''Crawfish Lady'' ( Justin Time) * 2002 ''Six String Therapy'' ( Justin Time) * 2005 ''Live and Dangerous'' ( Justin Time) * 2007 ''Katrina Was Her Name'' ( Justin Time) * 2009 ''My Lady Don't Love My Lady'' ( Justin Time) * 2010 ''Old School Blues'' * 2011 ''Live from Sao Paulo'' * 2013 ''Play One for Me'' (

Severn Records Severn Records is an American independent record label that concentrates on blues music. Its motto is "Roots Music for the 21st Century". History On July 11, 1997, a company named Echo Records was incorporated in Maryland by David Earl. By the t ...

) * 2018 ''Sanctuary'' (Earrelevant Records)

Compilation albums

* 2003 ''Bryan Lee's Greatest Hits'' ( Justin Time)

DVDs

* 2006 ''Live and Dangerous'' ( Justin Time) **Track list : *# Intro *# The Bounce 4:30 *# The Walk 3:40 *# Smokin Woman 4:32 *# That Ain't Right 6:41 *# Second Line Home 5:53 *# Rocket 88 5:13 *# Blues on My Mind 4:55 *# Sugaree 3:38 *# Don't Take My Blindness For Weakness 7:15 *# Gave You What You Wanted 6:23 *# No Need To Worry 5:50 *# Hug Me Till It Hurts 7:05 *# Six String Therapy 15:14 *# Memphis Bound 12:15

References

External links

The Bryan Lee Blues Band: Home of the Braille Blues Daddy
(official site) *

Biography on Allmusic A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

Biography on Justin Time Records website

Bryan Lee Discography on Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Bryan 1943 births 2020 deaths American blues guitarists American male guitarists Blues musicians from New Orleans People from Two Rivers, Wisconsin Blind musicians Guitarists from Louisiana Guitarists from Wisconsin 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians Justin Time Records artists American blind people American musicians with disabilities