Lee Greenwood

Lee Greenwood ( born October 27, 1942 in Los Angeles ) is an American country singer. Lee Greenwood was one of the most successful representative of country-pop during the eighties.

After the separation of his parents, Lee grew up in Sacramento on the poultry farm of his grandparents. At the age of seven, he began playing the saxophone at age nine he became a member of a dance band. In 1969, he joined the Chester Smith Band and had his first television appearances. A little later he was hired by the country musician Del Reeves.

His first band, Apollo, he founded in 1962. The band, later renamed to Lee Greenwood Affair, played mostly pop music and occurred mainly in the casinos of Las Vegas. In Los Angeles at the local Paramount label some records were recorded. After the band fell apart early seventies, Greenwood returned to Las Vegas, where the daytime worked as a blackjack dealer and evening occurred as a singer.

Career

In 1979 he was discovered at a gig in Reno by Larry McFaden, the band leader and bassist of Mel Tillis. After production of some demo tapes Greenwood was taken in 1981 by MCA Nashville label as a performer and songwriter under contract. McFaden was his manager.

The first single, It Turns Me Inside Out, made ​​it equal among the top 20 on the country charts. Ring On Her Finger, Time On Her hand placed in the top 10, it was the time in pop sounds dominated the country music and catered for the high turnover. Lee Greenwood, whose slightly hoarse voice unmistakably reminiscent of Kenny Rogers, had caught the best possible time for his career start. The Country Music Association honored him in 1983 as the best male singer. In the same year he had two number - one hits: Somebody's Gonna Love You, and Going, Going, Going.

There was a long series of other top 10 successes, including several number - one hits. His duets with Barbara Mandrell reached high chart positions. The most successful was the 1984 single together To Me, which reached number three. In the same year he won the Grammy for best country singer. The self-penned song God Bless the USA, which was again in early 1985 and some years later, during the second Gulf War became a hit, his fame increased by leaps and bounds. Greenwood supported President George Bush during the election campaign and later George W. Bush, and came again and again for the interests of the military. He has received several major awards, including the " Congressional Medal of Honor Society 's Patriot Award" and the "American Legion National Commander's Public Relations Award". He also became the official mascot of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

His winning streak was only at the beginning of the nineties to an end when the new traditionalists repressed the country-pop. As a result of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 in the USA God Bless the USA went gold again a hit and his 1992 album erschienes American patriot.

Discography

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