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Hailing from Waterbury, CT, Lee-Ann Lovelace has been everything from a Division One soccer player, to an elementary school teacher, a coach, a drummer, a poet and a visual artist. However, the talent that has evoked the most emotion in both herself and others is her voice. Her unapologetic stage presence and vocal talent is reminiscent of Janis Joplin, Etta James, Bonnie Rait, Eva Cassidy and Aretha Franklin. Yet, she adds her own color to a canvas of contemporary artists like Amy Winehouse, Susan Tedeschi, Jennifer Nettles and Beth Hart. She is her own voice, her own style, and she is determined to overcome all obstacles that come her way.
Her father, a small appliance repairman who constantly played the records of Dave Brubeck, Frank Sinatra, and Harry James, sparked her musical obsession. As a child, she would sit in the backyard and record stories and songs onto dozens of cassette tapes- and that was the extent of her formal voice training. When her father finally pulled out his old drum set, she taught herself how to play by breaking every cymbal and old drum head. Weeks later, she started a garage band. However, she gave up the dream of being in a band when she went to college in 1998, and it wasn't until November of 2004, when Phil Beach discovered her at an open mic in Southbury, CT, where she was reading prose and singing a capella, that she was given an opportunity to become a professional singer.
Through her experiences with Beach's band, Veloray (Phil Beach, Lee-Ann Zarrella, Fred Krug, Bob Csugie, Chris Fogelstrom, Paul Bilodeau), and through the encouragement of her first producer, Fred Krug, she finally took the risk and gave up teaching in order to become a singer.
In no more than 2 years, Veloray played shows throughout New England and even as far away as Tempe, AZ. They played the Block Island Music Festival, were runners up at the Mohegan Sun Battle of the Bands in the summer of 2006, won the Western CT State University Battle of the Bands in 2006, and they won the I95.1 Garage Band Challenge, landing them an opening spot for Orleans at The Taste of Danbury. With Veloray, she performed live on I95.1, opened for Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, and Veloray received a variety of positive press.
When Veloray decided to take a break in April of 2007, producer Paul Leka (Reo Speedwagon, Gloria Gaynor, Harry Chapin, Steam, The Lemonpipers) took an interest in Lee-Ann's voice, and he inspired her to take her singing to the next level.
Lee-Ann has been writing and collaborating with various musicians ever since.
More recently, she sang background vocals for Aidan Nolan's upcoming album with internationally known producer Stephen Lightbody. She and Fred Krug also opened as an acoustic duo for Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ronnie Spector in August of 2008.
You can feel the power of Lee-Ann's voice when you are simply listening here, but there is nothing like experiencing her soul in the same room. Lee-Ann's never ending quest to perform has led her to the latest chapter in her career. In December 2007 Lee-Ann joined the local funk band FBI (Funk Brokers, Inc.) and the 11 piece Rubber City Blues Band. FBI won the Hartford Advocate's Grand Band Slam for best funk band in 2008 and best cover band in 2009, and she was a nominee for best female vocalist both years. She joined 80's cover band, Plastica, and she is currently playing shows with all three bands while working hard on her own material Some venues L-A has performed: Symphony Space - NY, NY The Red Door-Watertown, CT All Asia - Boston, MA Cafe 9 - New Haven, CT Toad's Place - New Haven, CT The Peddlar's Daughter - Nashua, NH Rudy's - New Haven, CT Jimmy's Seaside - New London, CT Captain Nick's - Block Island Music Festival, RI Harbor Park - Middletown, CT The Empress Ballroom - Danbury, CT Marbledale Pub - Marbledale, CT Oliver's Taverne - Essex, CT The Last Exit - Tempe, AZ Black Eyed Sally's - Hartford, CT Main Pub - Manchester, CT The Monkey Bar - Danbury, CT Chute Gates - Terryville, CT The Yucca Tap Room - Tempe, AZ The Georgetown Saloon - Georgetown, CT Daniel Street (Milford Oyster Festival) - Milford, CT The Taste of Danbury 2006 - Danbury Green Westover School - Middlebury, CT Rookie's - Cromwell, CT Sunset Ribs - Waterford, CT Quassy Amusement Park Mayor's Inaugural Ball-Naugatuck 2009 Outdoor Summer Venues include - Watertown Summer Festival, Thomaston Summer Concert Series, Torrington Summer Festival, East Hampton Old Home Days Festival, Naugatuck Summer Concert Series, Wallingford Summer Concert Series, Beacon Falls Summer Concert Series |
