Arthur Lee

I called for stories of our brushes with musical greatness in the post below. I thought that I’d move it up here in case some of you missed it. So, tell us about the stars, or almost stars, that you jammed with, ate with, even exchanged a few words… I find it interesting that many famous people are very down to earth, accessible and gracious, while others are snobby jerks, full of themselves. Hmm, sort of a cross section of the population? Nonetheless, I find your stories, and the insight into the character of successful musicians fascinating. Here’s one of my stories.

In the late 70s I embarked on a hitch-hiking adventure. My pal Tim Kohler and I had been busking at Fishermen’s Wharf and other tourist haunts on the San Francisco streets. I was on a month-long vacation and I was initially singing and playing guitar for tips just so I could tell my grandchildren about it. (Oh, I may yet get that opportunity. See “Quite a phone call” a couple of posts down.)

Well, Tim and I were very successful at busking, so we decided to make our way, by thumb, across the country and get a job playing music on a cruise ship that called at Key West. My vacation would be extended, forever. The next year on the road provided me with extraordinary memories as well as precious experience with the people of America, from the homeless to the fabulously wealthy. This is a snippet from that adventure.

On a chilly January morning in 1979, Tim and I woke up in a eucalyptus grove in San Diego. We wondered down to the Moon Café for the 80-cent breakfast special, then off to Balboa Park to seek our fortune. There were very few people around, but we felt like jamming. Tim was in a particularly energetic phase, ripping wildfire leads on his little Martin 0-18.

A gentleman walked over to listen. When we finished our tune he asked if we knew any songs by Arthur Lee. I said sure and rendered a version of “Signed DC.” I was a fan of Arthur and his awesome 60s band Love, and this particular song (a junkie’s suicide note) was one of the first tunes that my friend, the late Bob Mackey had taught me when we were teenagers. Tim sat out.

When I finished the man shook my hand. Then he dropped a Snow Seal and fifty-dollar bill in my guitar case, handed me his card and said, “If you want to make a record, call me.” I looked at the card as he walked off. It was Arthur Lee himself.

Nearly twenty years later I was telling this story to Leon Hendrix, Jimi’s brother. Leon remembered Jimi talking about getting to play in an LA studio with Arthur Lee in the early 60s, when Jimi was touring as a sideman on the Chitlin’ Circuit. This was during the period when Jimi played with the Isley Brothers, Little Richard and others – before his dramatic ascent to fame. Arthur had written a song called “My Diary” which was being recorded by Rosa Lee Brooks. He arranged for Jimi to play electric guitar. This is considered to be Jimi’s first studio work.

Leon met Arthur in 1994 when Jimi’s star was placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The two became fast friends, and Leon stayed on at Arthur’s house for awhile. Leon suggested that we get in touch with Arthur. Unfortunately, I had to tell Leon that Arthur was in prison. I wrote to him at Soledad, but never got a reply.

Arthur Lee got out of prison in 2001 and toured for several years, including a series of dates that featured a performance of Love’s “Forever Changes” album in it’s entirety. I believe that the 2003 CD from these concerts was Arthur’s last.

Arthur Lee passed away in August 2006. Thank you for the tip, Mr. Lee.