American soul singer offers his view on music

After a great performance together with his backing band The Expressions at festival Ribs & Blues – Holland’s biggest free festival for blues(rock) and rootsmusic – I meet up with American soul singer Lee Fields backstage. There we have a long, extensive and nice conversation about his new album, his parents, famous record labels, soul music, our mutual hero OV Wright, The Black Keys, his backing band, house music and more.

Mr. Fields, first of all thanks a lot for a great show. Did you enjoy it? And did you like to perform here on the Ribs & Blues festival?

“Oh, yeah, it was great. We loved it. I love to perform for the people and always give it my very best. I want every show to be the best show ever. That’s how I approach every show. I always get on stage with that in mind. To give it my best and improve myself with every show. That’s my goal, that’s my strive. This Ribs & Blues thing really is a nice and friendly festival with a great audience and a variety of music. I really enjoyed performing here.”

Did you achieve this with today’s performance? To improve yourself, I mean.

It’s up to the people, the audience, to have an opinion on whether or not I improved myself. To me the most important thing is to approach every show with the intention and strive to make it the best ever. I let the audience judge on that afterwards. In that respect I’m humble. ‘He who desires to become first, must become last and servant of all.’

When I attended one of your shows last year there were two female singers in your band. You didn’t bring them along this time.

“The two female singers you’re referring to are known as Lady and were formerly in my band, that’s correct. But they’re making a career for themselves now. They are really good. You should check their album. As a matter of fact, they got a second album coming out soon.”

Are they on the same record-label as yourself? And did you in any way contributed on their album?

“They’re on Truth & Soul Records as well. But I didn’t contribute in any way on their album. Neither on the album to come.”

With Emma Jean you just released your new album. What can you tell us about that?

“With Emma Jean we wanted to make an album with songs we really like. And go into the studio to make it the best record so far. Like with my shows I approach every new album in a similar way. I want it to be the best ‘till now. When we had enough songs that makes us feel good, songs we really like, we went in to the studio and recorded it. By then we didn’t have a title for the album yet. So Leon Michels asked me, what’s most personal to you. What moves you deeply. The only thing I could come up with, were my parents.”

“With Emma Jean I wanted to make the best album so far

In honour of my mother”

So Emma Jean is named after your mother?

“Yeah, this is really in honour of my mother. Because she died first. My father was with me a lot longer. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he lived on for quite some time. With my mother it all happen so sudden, so quick. Until that moment I never had a clue and didn’t know what to expect. Besides that you always think, this won’t happen to me. This happens to others. My mother got sick and five days later she died. When she died it moved me more deeply. Her death had a profound and devastating effect on me. But I know with all my heart that she would have loved it, me naming the album after her. She was a gospel singer herself. To bename the album Emma Jean, I really honour my mother. And man, whenever I call her name, on stage or elsewhere, I can feel her breath and know that she’s with me. I can feel her resonance.”

What about the songs on Emma Jean, are they all yours?

“No, Magnolia is a great song by JJ Cale. And Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys wrote Paralyzed. He also sings backing vocals on In The Woods, a song by Leon Russel. When I first found out that Dan Auerbach offered to contribute on my new album I was delighted, honoured and thrilled. I wanted to rush to the studio at once. He’s a great man and a musical genius. And a good hearted and real genuine person. I’m sure for that reason, for being the person that he is, he’s got a lot of success with The Black Keys and a lot of his projects.”

I grew up myself with real soul music through my mother. From a very young age on I listened to real soul music on labels like Hi Records, Atlantic en Stax. And to singers like Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, OV Wright and many others. To my opinion you can devide soul music into two types, namely the more rough soul on labels like Hi Records and Stax. And the more sweet soul on Berry Gordy’s label Motown. What’s your opinion on this?

“Yeah, you’re right about that. Stax and Hi Records are more raw, or rough like you said. And Motown is different, more smooth indeed. But I love them both. Well, I love the best of both.”

“I can be raw and I can be sweet.

But I always get back raw”

I think you’re more with the rough side of soul music. Esspecially in the way you use your voice and the way you make use of the horns. On the Motown label they often use organs and strings more. That’s also a distinction between rough or raw soul and smooth soul, to my opinion.

“Well, like I told you I love the best of both. So I can also use the best of both. I can be raw and I can be smooth. But I always get back raw. And return to my base. Because I’m raw, man. That’s what I am. I always get back raw.”

I understand that you toured or perform alongside my favorite soul singer and personal hero, the great, late soul singer OV Wright.

“Yeah, that was great. I opened for OV Wright in North-Carolina and got to sing before he came on stage. I was around fifteen years of age. So that must have been in the mid-sixties. And man, he really is my idol, my hero. I love OV Wright. I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to meet him and open up for one of his shows. So that was great. He’s awesome man. Like in Eight Man, Four Women for instance. Do you know that song? It’s great. I’m telling you man, OV Wright is really my idol.”

“I met my all time soul hero and idol OV Wright

It was like being a kid in a candystore”

How did this happen, you opening for OV Wright I mean?

“A guitar player and some members of my band in these days backed OV Wright for that show and I had the privilege to open for him.”

Did you meet him? And talk with OV Wright?

“O yeah, I did. And I can tell you, I was nervous and scared man. I was like blind, cripple and crazy. I was dazed. Me talking to OV Wright! I really looked up to the guy. I was like being a kid in a candy store. Here I am talking to my idol, my hero.”

On what label was OV Wright on, by the way?

“OV Wright was on Back Beat Records. A record label for soul music.”

Let’s talk about your fabulous backing band The Expressions. They’re really great. Is this your steady backing band?

“Well thank you. They are some fine musicians indeed. I wanted these guys to be in my band for such a long time. I had to wait fourteen years for it to happen. So it took a while. And I had to wait. The lord told me it’s gonna be oke, you’re gonna get your band. But I thought it took a long time. So I said to myself, you’ve got to hold on man. I really had to be faithful. Faith, and I say this with emphasis, has got me to this stage. Thank god, they are in my band now. The Expressions are my backing band as well as my recording band. And for that I’m grateful. It’s even better than I ever thought. Nowadays I can wake up in the morning and think, God you’ve really been good to me.”

Who are these guys? They’re quite young to play that kind of old skool soul. However I’m pleased to know that this generation is into soul too and can play it like they do.

“Leon, Toby and Nick are the base members of the Expressions. Leon Michels is not with us today, by the way. He had a production to do in New York. Before The Expressions they were in a band called The Dap Kings. And prior to that in the band The Soul Providers. So there’s is a long relationship that goes back many years. In 2004 Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman founded the label and production house Thruth And Soul Records in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. And formed the steady band of Truth & Soul; The Expressions. I signed up with Truth And Soul to have a free spirit of creativity.”

Didn’t they work with Amy Whinehouse as well? Or were you involved in any way?

“Some of the members of The Expressions did work on an Amy Whinehouse project in association with Cable One. I know Leon and Nick did. And our trumpet player Dave Guy. He’s also on the Tonight’s Show of Jimmy Fallon.”

“When people say that I was more a funk singer, I’m oke with that.

But I’m a soul singer after all”

As been said you started out as a funk singer, and were often referred to as ‘Little JB’. Later on you moved over to soul, so they say. Can you explain?

“That’s more what the people make of it. Or how they wanna label you. If they say I was more like a funk singer back then, I’m oke with that. But I’m a soul singer. That’s what I am. That’s what I was. And that’s what I’ll always be.”

Last year I attended one of your shows together with another great soul singer, Charles Bradley. How did you meet Charles?

“Charles started touring about two years ago. He’s on Daptone Records and since then they promote him a lot. I brought Charles along on a tour last year. I met him through Daptone Records, the label he’s on. Truth And Soul Records affiliates with Daptone Records and other labels from Brooklyn, New York. We’re like one big family actually.”

I noticed Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings will perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam next month. Did you ever perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival?

“Yeah, I did two years ago.”

To be quite honest I didn’t know you as a singer until I heard a great and soulful voice in some house tracks by Martin Solveig. Like Jealousy and I’m A Good Man. Then I thought wow, what a wonderful voice! But who’s voice is it? Who’s the singer? I immediately checked it out and found out that you’re the singer on those tracks. This is something else. House music with a soulful voice. Can you explain me on this one?

“Man, I really liked doing that. I knew about his music. Martin Solveig called me and asked me if I was interested in working with him. I met Martin in Miami and we recorded some tracks. Like I’m A Good Man and Jealousy. I think a combination of good music not only can work out very well, it also can be transcending. And I’m open to anything. And wanna find out and be vigilant on that. Recently we considered to do a new project.”

When one of the members of The Expressions notifies mr. Fields that they have to get on the move in a few moments, we have to wrap up our nice conversation. So I thank mr. Fields once more for his music, kindness and time. But I’m sure we could have talked a lot longer.

Text: Rick Warner