Amos Lee
A Philadelphia singer-songwriter with heartfelt lyrics and finespun vocals.
From his humble beginning teaching elementary school and slinging cocktails (non-simultaneously, of course), Amos Lee has catapulted himself into the international music scene — all while never losing the stark vulnerability that made his music so well-loved. Over the course of his nearly two-decade long career, Lee’s alluring vocals and thoughtful lyrics have placed him among a pantheon of singer-songwriters that includes Bill Withers, Joni Mitchell, John Prine, and Norah Jones. Born and based in Philadelphia, PA, Lee’s music reveals a soft heart and introspective mind.
Described as ‘Philadelphia’s Anonymous Hit-Maker’ by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Amos Lee found his beginnings at Open Mic Nights hosted in local coffee houses — both in his college town of Columbia, SC. and his hometown of Philadelphia, PA. His big break undoubtedly occurred when Norah Jones heard one of his demos through the Blue Note Records company. The artist immediately invited Amos Lee to join her on her 2004 tour as the opening act.
The following year, Amos Lee traveled as an opening act for Bob Dylan and released his debut album, Amos Lee. It was widely praised, with critics across the U.S. and Europe noting Lee’s impressive vocal control. Since his first album, Amos Lee has released eight studio albums and two live albums. His most recent release, My Ideal, is a tribute to the album Chet Baker Sings (1954). Along with the artists mentioned above, Amos Lee has collaborated with Adele, the Zac Brown Band, and even Elvis Costello.
Overall, Amos Lee's fans love him hard — his reviews, comment sections, and Facebook pages are consistently flooded with people thanking the universe for Lee’s melodious voice and raw lyrics. Lee’s subject matter ranges from city life and stormy romances to mental health advocacy. As he did in the early days, he still writes the majority of his songs. However, Lee's recent release entitled “Invisible Oceans” was co-written with Ethan and Bianca Gruska, Lee's two close friends. Bianca Gruska is a nurse, and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee felt her story needed special focus. Amos Lee’s post-COVID interviews have seen him expressing a desire to “make people feel better” with his music.
