Will Lee (bassist)

William Franklin "Will" Lee IV ( born September 8, 1952 in San Antonio) is an American jazz bassist (bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals).

His father William Franklin Lee III was dean of the School of Music of the University of Miami and played the piano, trumpet and bass violin. Lee played the drums as a teenager in his own band in Miami, but then switched to bass, he also studied at the University of Miami (initially also French horn ). In 1970 he went to New York City where he worked as a studio musician and sideman, among other things, the Brecker Brothers ( who have received him into their jazz-rock band Dreams ), Horace Silver, Herbie Mann. He accompanied Bette Midler and Barry Manilow.

In 1982 he became a member of the house band on the Tonight Show with David Letterman as part of the CBS Orchestra.

He took, inter alia, on with Patti Austin, George Benson, Art Farmer, Yusef Lateef, and under his own name ( debut album Oh! 1993).