R&B soulman Lee Fields has waited a lifetime to check 蜜柚直播 off his been-there-seen-that list of cities and towns he鈥檚 played.
And on Sunday, Sept. 3, the singer who has often been compared to James Brown 鈥 he bears a striking resemblance to the late singer 鈥 will get the chance.
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited about coming through that way,鈥 Lee said from his New Jersey home last week during a phone call to chat about his 蜜柚直播 debut at the 2017 Hotel Congress HoCo Fest. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be my first time and I鈥檓 very excited. That鈥檚 a city that I鈥檝e always wanted to play and now I get my chance.鈥
When he uses the word 鈥渁lways,鈥 Fields is referring to decades worth of always. He鈥檚 been touring around the country and world since 1969, when he recorded his first single that launched his R&B/soul music career.
People are also reading…
We caught up with the 66-year-old father of three as he was packing for a three-day trip to Paris to perform at a weekend music festival. Since we鈥檝e never seen him on a 蜜柚直播 stage, we asked him what we can expect.
鈥淲e believe in high energy. We believe in bringing just enough of everything, enough ballads and enough high-energy songs,鈥 he began, and that led to a conversation about his career, his musical philosophies and his dynamic young band The Expressions that has been with him since 2009.
Here are excerpts from that interview.
What we can expect from his show: 鈥淚 like to bring joy. I like people to feel good and be happy. I want to bring joy and happiness. I want, and I pray that people get up on their toes and enjoy the moment, go to that place called euphoria. The beauty of the trip is the trip itself, the experience of feeling happy and happier and happier until you get to that moment you feel total joy. That鈥檚 what we try to do. It鈥檚 not myself or the band that delivers this. It鈥檚 all of us, all of us becoming united in the music and the feeling. That鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about. The only thing the audience has to do is let themselves relax and enjoy the music.鈥
Yes, his band is young: 鈥淚鈥檝e always been a person with futuristic views. I felt years ago that the band would be coming. When I first started in the late 鈥60s, I always thought that someday there would be a band coming. And although it took 40 years for this band to materialize, it was well worth the wait. These young individuals understand musically what I am trying to do. And what I am trying to do musically is (connect) with people. They consider whatever energy they can possibly conjure up to make that happen. Musically we are on the same page. Everybody fits really well together and I thank God for delivering this band for me.鈥
Taking away a lesson from 2016 album 鈥淪pecial Night鈥 : 鈥淭here鈥檚 a song called (鈥榃here Is the Love鈥) about situations of the day. It鈥檚 about caring about each other, loving each other, but where did we go wrong because I see so much turmoil today. 鈥 Now it鈥檚 a lot of the 鈥榤e鈥 things today; it鈥檚 about me, me, me, but it鈥檚 supposed to be about us. 鈥 We are on a spaceship called Earth together traveling in this galactic scene not knowing what direction we are actually going in or where we are, but we鈥檙e on this ship. If we continue to demean things, the possibility of arriving at our destination is becoming less possible. But if we鈥檙e all on this ship together and it鈥檚 about 鈥榰s,鈥 the possibility of us getting to our destination is highly possible.鈥
And making life about 鈥渦s鈥 could be the secret to his 48-year marriage. 鈥淚f you have someone that stays by your side and understands what you do and people are on the same page, it鈥檚 a beautiful thing. She鈥檚 my soul mate.鈥
No plans to slow down: 鈥淚 enjoy what I do and I鈥檓 truly honored to be continually working. I鈥檓 very appreciative of that. I鈥檓 feeling very good and excited about coming to 蜜柚直播. I feel like we鈥檙e going to have a great time.鈥
And while he鈥檚 in 蜜柚直播, he will be a tourist: 鈥淚鈥檓 going to make sure that my manager knows that I want to be a tourist for a while and experience that wonderful city. I want to explore (蜜柚直播).