NANCY ANN LEE:
* EXPERIENCE:
Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Stage, Theatre, Arena, Festival, Club. Sound Crew, Studio Recording, Event Management, Song Writing, Compère & Presentation, Live Radio, Pre-Recorded Radio, Live TV, Pre-Recorded TV
* INTSTRUMENTS
Lead Vocals , Harmony Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Mandolin, Keyboards
* HOW IT ALL BEGAN
My interest in music actually started after my mum and dad bought me my first keyboard for Christmas and, as they were avid fans of country music, I played along with my keyboard and thats where my love for country music started .
Friday nights were special for me as mum and dad used to take me along to their local country music club in Howden, East Yorkshire. My younger sister Jenny learnt how to sing a couple of songs and used to bug the artists so she could get up on stage and sing with them!!
I first ever went on stage when as a young girl we attended a Tony Best Leisure country music holiday at Cayton Bay near Scarborough. My sister and I had entered the talent competition there as ‘The Truckers Daughters’. We came joint first place and, with a lot of encouragement from the artists playing the week-long event, we performed on the finale at the end of the week. I never sang back then, believe it or not I was too shy!! I played the keyboards whilst Jenny sang . After we performed on the finale we were approached and asked to sing on Scunthorpe Radio Medica and then at other venues and festivals, so, after bugging our mum and dad, they bought us our first set of equipment and thats how we started.
Eventually I started singing lead vocals and I learnt to play my dads ‘unused’ guitar. Jenny went on keyboards and harmony vocals.
In 1991 we were awarded Britain and Americas youngest country music duo award and was presented the award by Bob Chapel at Pontins, Prestatyn. In the next four years we performed all over the country , Kings Lynn Festival , Best Of British, Brean Sands , Presatyn Sands, Strumpshaw Fest , Witton Castle plus many other venues, we also had the honour of being support act for Raymond Froggatt at many shows after he saw us.
I left school at 16 and moved on to working with different country bands playing acoustic guitar, bass guitar, or keyboards. I was then asked to join a duo playing guitar and providing lead and harmony vocals in the mainstream cabaret circuit and eventually moved on to working solo a little while later.
When I was 19 my sister Jenny left school and we formed a successful mainstream duo for 10 years , twice winning best duo for the Yorkshire Federation as well as best dance act.
A few years ago my sister Jenny decided to get married and settle down so I returned to working solo on the mainstream circuit where I was awarded best female vocalist and also best female compère and presenter. I spent a lot of this time training with top vocal coach Tony Wayne and also received coaching and advice from Mark Ritchie, presenter and writer for The Stage newspaper.””
* RETURN TO COUNTRY MUSIC
At this time I also decided it was time to return to my first love of country music . I chose to play a mix of traditional country music in my own style, along with the more up to date, popular / modern country. I also saw this as a chance to air some of the many songs I had been writing over the years.
I have performed mainly in my self-contained show but have been backed many times by some of the top UK country bands. Working my way back up the ladder, I quickly progressed to playing many prestigiousevents including the top UK country music festivals including Americana International, Brean, Broken Spoke, Skipton, Copper Kettle, Great North, Creetown, Wolvestock, Stourport, Barmouth,Welshpool, Cotswold, Pontins, Prestatyn, and Anglesey among many others.
* QUOTE FROM UP COUNTRY MAGAZINE:
‘We hear it said many Best Replica Watches times that what theBritish country music scene needs is freshyoungtalent withsufficient fire,enthusiasmand visionto convincethose doubtingThomases out there that country musicisalive andwelland looking toward avery healthy future.We needthe fresh ideas and the exuberanceof youthinthe industry to not only continue the tradition but to introduce the inspirational. One such young woman is Nancy Ann Lee who is currently making great waves on the country circuit, so it was my pleasure to delve into the music, life, hopes and aspirations of this talented Yorkshire lass.’
‘Anyone who has seen and heard Nancy sing live , whether it be at a line dance or listening event, will be aware of just how much she puts into her performance. Her strong and powerful voice can belt out those vocals and is equally impressive whether she is singing about subjects and in tempos as diverse as rousing rock ‘n’ roll or tender romantic numbers. Her stage presence will leave you breathless as her boundless energy and enthusiasm transmits to every member of her audience’
2011 saw me nominated For Best Female Vocalist at The British Country Music Awards
In 2012 I was nominated For Solo Artist Of The Year and Best Female Vocalist at The British Country Music Awards. I was presented with the Best Female AWward for 2012 by Charlie Landsborough. I also appeared at the awards ceremony and performed my song ‘When I Look Around’.
‘When I Look Around’ reached Number One in The UK Country Chart and was quickly followed by two more of my self-penned song, ‘She Knows’ and ‘Ghost In My Radio’ which reached the top ten.
In 2013, I was nominated For Best Female Vocalist and Solo Artist Of The Year By The British Country Music Awards. I received my award for Best Female Vocalist for 2013 from Alvin Stardust and I also performed my own written song ‘Ghost In My Radio’
br>In 2014 I was nominated For Best Female Vocalist and best Solo Artist Of The Year By The British Country Music Awards.
2015 has seen the release of my 12-track self-penned album ‘Heart & Soul’
* HEART & SOUL by NANCY ANN LEE
I have been an avid songwriter since the age of 13. ‘Heart & Soul’ is a selection of songs I have written over the years throughout my career including the title track ‘Heart & Soul’ which was written by Eddie Allen and myself. It was recorded at Active Edge Studios in Harrogate and produced by Dan Mizen, myself and Eddie Allen.
The album featured …
Nancy Ann Lee Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Eddie Allen Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, 12 String Guitar
Dan Mizen Drums, Bass Guitar, Piano, Hammond
Frank Mizen Pedal Steel Guitar, Banjo, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar,Dobro, Slide Guitar, Piano, Bouzouki
Steve Place Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar
Music videos of my songs from this album have been aired on Sky TV channel 191 and Freesat channel 400 on The Phil Mack Show which airs in the UK as well as Ireland and also The Smith & Rogers show.
The album is a worldwide release and is available via download from iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and all major retailers. It is also available as a physical CD from Nancy’s website and the UKCountryRadio.com Online Music Store.
* THE LITTLE MISS SIXTIES SHOW
In 2010 I decided to also branch out into the 60’s music industry after been thrown in at the deep end helping out last minute at a 60’s theatre show.
My ‘Little Miss Sixties’ show has gone from strength to strength and I have been chosen many times as support act for The Merseybeats, Union Gap, Amen Corner, Joe Longthorne, The Fourmost, The Ivy League, Brian Poole And The Electrics, Hermans Hermits, The Dreamers and The Persuaders among others. In 2015 I supported Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band in Newbury and I also performed at a special event in Chard, Somerset with Billy Ocean.
I play all of the major 60’s festivals along with various corporate shows and theatre shows around the UK And Europe including Warners Hotels, Butlins, Haven, Pontins, Britannia Hotels, Warners Enterainment for Motorhome Shows among many others. This year will see the show travel to Belgium for a special performance at the Cultuur Centrum in Leopoldsburg.
* MARTY WILDE AND THE WILDCATS
After supporting Marty Wilde And The Wildcats at a show in early 2012, I was asked to join the Marty Wilde Rock ‘n’ Roll Party Tour 2012. During the show I would take centre stage backed by The Wildcats Band as well as performing duets with Marty Wilde, Eden Kane And Mike Berry. This was followed by another extensive UK tour in 2014 with Marty Wilde And The Wildcats, Eden Kane and John Leyton. Among duets with Marty and covering female hits of the 60s backed by The Wildcats throughout the show, I also had the honour of performing “”Johnny Remember Me”” with John Leyton who had a number one hit with the song in 1961.
Buy Nancy’s album Heart & Soul from our Online Music Store
Follow @littlemissshow on Twitter
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