I am infatuated with Lee Morse.

I first heard her voice when I was about 13 years old.  I had always been taken with the era of the Roaring Twenties and was especially fascinated by the musicians of that time.  During one of my many recreational visits to the local library (in Brunswick, Ohio, to be exact), I decided to dig through the collection of old vinyl tucked away in a corner.  I rushed home that  day, excited by the prospect of spending 2 weeks with my new find.  The Original Sound of the 20s (released by Columbia in the mid-60s) revealed to me a new world of music. 

Amidst the familiar standbys like Bing Crosby and Sophie Tucker, I discovered a voice unlike anything I'd ever heard before.  Lee Morse's Old Man Sunshine and Moanin' Low so entranced me that I soon forgot about the rest of the collection.  Morse's range and ability to whoop and yodel her way through a song just blew my teenage mind.  There was a huskiness and attitude behind her delivery that told me she was her own person.  I knew right away that she was someone special.  Upon further investigation, I found her photo in the album liner notes - and I could tell by the look in her eyes and the set of her mouth that there was a strength and sense of humor behind the face and the voice.

For many years, I carried a worn cassette  copy of those 2 songs, until one day the tape gave up and died altogether.  I thought that was it.  Then one day, I got it into my head to learn more about Lee Morse, and the challenge of investigating the life of such a brilliant enigma began to consume me.  The more I looked, the less I found.  By many accounts, this woman, one of the most successful and prolific of her generation, had managed to live and die without leaving so much as a  mark on our popular culture.

As the months progressed, she became known to me simply as Lee.  I began to feel like I knew her, and the challenge of reconstructing her life became quite personal.  (In fact, I sometimes found myself addressing her as though she were standing off to the side, looking over my shoulder.  Who knows - maybe she was.) In spite of her flaws, Lee was someone who should be remembered for her work and her life.  Those who were close to her loved her deeply, and those touched by her music were changed forever

I decided to create this web site for a few reasons, namely to remind the world that the more than one hundred  recordings Lee managed over her short life are well worth seeking out.  I wanted to help a new generation of music lovers come to appreciate the amazing voice and songwriting ability still preserved on those old 78s.  To me, Lee is a role model.  I think it is important that other young women have the chance to learn about this strong, talented, unconventional woman who could make an audience laugh, then cry, then laugh again.  When I play one of Lee's recordings, I forget that she left this world far too soon  and focus instead of those little 3-minute packages of brilliance she laid down all those years ago.

Thanks, Lee.

----Kristi O'Connell Myers (May 31, 2001)