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Biography
It all started with a song that Dan Gallagher and I wrote, called “Flower On Your Grave.” It is a song about coming to terms with the death of a loved one, which in this case is my grandmother. The song took on a country tone reminiscent of the music I had grown up on. I felt that writing in the genre of alternative country allowed me to be much more honest and open than I had been with other projects. So I kept writing about personal issues that I was dealing with and began to demo the songs as I finished them. I wanted to share them, and a friend suggested I post them online. So I posted the demos under the assumed name that I took straight from the source of my inspiration. Pairing my grandmother’s nickname and middle name, the concept of Booker Lee was born. Due to the deep inspiration, musical maturity I achieved and the desire to explore my musical roots, the project took on a life of it’s own.
During this time I was recording an album with the band Colab whose members included Dan Gallagher, Joe Mason, Aaron Baker and myself. I was approached about doing a show at a local venue as Booker Lee, but Booker Lee did not yet have a band. I asked the guys from Colab if they wanted to put some songs together and play the show. Dan and Joe were available, but Aaron had other obligations, so I enlisted my brother Dan Fidler to fill in on bass guitar. The band clicked right away and The County Fair was born. The show was a great success and everything just felt right. After a few more shows we realized it was time to start work on our first album.
We continued to play shows for all different age groups and crowd sizes, always with the same warm reception as the first show we played together. We produced and recorded the thirteen track debut album entitled Journal over the next six months and finished in February of 2007. The album was self released in April of 2007 to much acclaim from both fans and critics alike. The record got us into the semi-finals of the independent music world series and a nomination for Alternative Country album of the year award by the independent music awards association, an international organization recognizing independent artist.
After Joe Mason was replaced on the drums by Jack books we started work on the second album. over the next year we wrote and demoed and wrote some more. After accumulating over twenty new songs it was time to enlist the help of producer/engineer Jason Rubal. In the month of August 2009 the new eleven song record (”For The Commonwealth”) was recorded at Seventh Wave Studio in Harrisburg, PA. The new album was released on October 11th 2009 to a near sold out crowd at the Majestic Theatre in Gettysburg, Pa. We are all very proud of the new album and the direction in which we are headed and look forward to the years to come.
-Booker Lee
REVIEWS:
There was a glut of Alt. Country bands a while back, a lot of them decent. But like other underground crazes, now that the revival that meant to save us from Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Etc. has receded slightly, many groups remaining are in it because they genuinely love it. Case in point, this Gettysburg, PA (a place that knows heartbreak) foursome debuting here. I have pleasant memories of The Long Ryders listening to Journal, in the best countrified jangle-rock way. Like that groups Sid Griffin, they seem to venerate Gram Parsons, as “House (not a home)” closely resembles his Sweethearts of the Rodeo Byrds song “The Christian Life.” But like Griffin and pals, they also do sighing ballads, hard outlaw western twang, strumming C&W, and lap-steel crying all so well, with such bonhomie spirit, that this is infectious.
-Jack Rabid/
The Big Takeover
From the opening notes of "Adeline" (My wife Sharon's favorite song) you get the sense that this CD is something special. I have had this CD for about a month and I have can not stop listening to it. The two main song writers Booker Lee and Dan Gallagher have a special way with a pen. "House(Not a Home)" is a gripping duet that paints a very vivid picture of love lost. "Far Fall from Grace" is pure country through and through. Dan's "Never Unlock Your Door" is a truly unique look at relationships (or lack thereof). The "Let It Rain" to "Lyin in Las Vegas" segway is a truly marvelous way to lead from one great song to another great song and gives the audience a snippet of some other great performers that are out there. WOW...."Price We Pay" really hits home and is an awesome piece of writing and musicianship. All of the other tunes are well though out and well put together. For me......the one song that is truly at the top of the heap is the song that started Booker Lee and that is "Flower On Your Grave". This song is EMOTIONAL! I have hard this song a thousand times and still...every time I hear it I feel like it is the first time. It does what a truly terrific song should. It grabs you and paints a picture in your mind that you can't forget. Simple story really but presented in such a way that you feel like you are there sharing the emotions and memories through Booker Lee. THANK YOU BOOKER LEE!!!!! for giving me my new favorite song. BRILLIANT!!!
-Pete Morgan/Taken From CDBaby reviews
"This album is great from start to finish. Solid songwriting, musicianship and production. I'm not into the "alt-country" thing that much but this cd does it for me and i'm not just saying that because i've slept with the lead singer and several of his pets.?"
*****'s
luther
"a vivid picture of love, death and loss. sometimes gloomy, but always a hint of redemption and optimism"
Rootstime.be
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