SPICY SONGS FOR COOL KNIGHTS
- Specialty Records. - 1956
I was in Miami, singing at Murray Freeman's Club. Bud Freeman - then working for the Specialty label--called from Hollywood asking if I'd be interested in making an album of folk songs. Wow! Would I ever! It was my first commercial record. I left for Hollywood as soon as my gig was over.
SONGS OF COUCH AND CONSULTATION
- Commentary Records - 1957
I can't believe that this was the second album I made, complete with a huge band and several fabulous musicians. (I'm a folksinger, after all - this spoof on psychoanalysis is more like musical comedy!) It was done in Hollywood in two sessions with Bob Thompson arranger and director; Bud Freeman--with his own label now wrote the lyrics--and Leon Pober, the music. In those days the famous musicians were under contract to the big companies like Victor, Decca, Columbia, and weren't supposed to be playing for others ; but many of them worked on the side as studio musicians. As long as their names did not appear on the record jacket it was cool. Our heady crew included Andrew Previn & Joe (Fingers) Car on piano; Howie Roberts on guitar; Red Callender and Red Mitchell on base; Shelly Mann on drums; Leroy Vinegar, and another big name I can't remember on sax. I know one of the musicians was June Christy's husband at the time. I play guitar on Hush Little Sibling.
LIFE IS JUST A BED OF NEUROSES
- Victor Records - 1960
Victor Records decided they wanted to get in on the act, so they hired a bunch of popular songwriters to whip up some sick-psycho songs, then called me to do the singing. They'd obviously heard C&C. Ray Martin was the arranger-conductor. It was recorded at Victor Studios, NYC. I play guitar on 2 cuts.
THE BEST OF KATIE LEE - Live at the Troubadour
- Horizon Records - 1962
Actually, the worst. This wasn't exactly the flowering of my musical career. Nobody could figure out (agents) who, what, where I was - or if, why, when I am. I'd played the Troubadour before, but this wasn't even my best gig there. Anyhow they decided to record it. The only good thing: I got Howie Roberts and Red Callender to come help me out on a few of the songs.
FOLK SONGS & POEMS OF THE COLORADO RIVER
- Folkways Records - 1964
Compiled from my research of songs, and poems set to song, about this great river. Moe Asch of that famous folk label recorded me in their primitive New York studio and I prepared the eight page booklet of the history of these songs I'd been hunting down for ten years, adding some of my own that now are history as well. Many well known writers and river historians were contacted during that time; one amusing response stands out: "To me it seems natural that there aren't any. The river area has always been the least populated area of the country, and the people who have known it best are the Indians who don't sing in our tradition" Frank Waters.
LOVE'S LITTLE SISTERS * CD
- Katydid Books & Records - 1975
Recorded at Mickey Hart's (Grateful Dead) Studio in Novato, CA. Basically, this is a recording of a 45 minute show I was doing in concerts; many great songs strung together with two famous folk blues--The House of the Rising Sun & Sister of the Cross of Shame. Some composers, other then myself: Harry Nilsson, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Paxton, Travis Edmonson.
[Available in Katie's Store HERE...]
COLORAO RIVER SONGS
- Cassette - Katydid Books & Music - 1976
Had to change the Katydid logo - nobody made records anymore. After a sight altercation with Mr. Ash, since he was not pressing any more records, I got my copyrights back and elected to make a cassette tape for my river gang, of which I'd become a fast and furious member. I took out 3 from the old record and added 3 newer ones on the tape.
TEN THOUSAND GODDAM CATTLE * - CD
- Katydid Books & Records - 1977
Twenty-eight songs from my book of the same name, recorded also at Mickey Hart's Studio in Novato, CA., for a double LP album, with Travis and Earl Edmonson who drove there with me. David Holt, with guitar, joined us on a few songs. The session lasted nearly a week.
[Available in Katie's Store HERE...]
FENCED! * - CD
- Katydid Books & Music - 1978
These Western Folksongs were recorded in my living room, with the help of one guitarist, David Holt, and one river rat, Lew Steiger on harmonica. Most of the songs were written by my two favorite songwriters - Tim Henderson and Tom Russell. A couple by me.
[Available in Katie's Store HERE...]
HIS KNIBBS & THE BADGER With Ed Stabler * - CD
- Katydid Books & Music - 1992
After performing at many Cowboy Poetry Gathers Ed and I decided there were some wonderful songs in the poetry of famous turn-of-the-century poets, Henry Herbert Knibbs and Charles Badger Clark. We composed and set music to but two that were already well know for their melodies.
[Available in Katie's Store HERE...]
GLEN CANYON RIVER JOURNEYS * - CD
- Katydid Books & Music - 1998
Readings & Songs from my book, All My River Are Gone (now reprinted under the title Glen Canyon Betrayed.) Recorded in Jerome by Walter Rapaport, and in Prescott by Lew Steiger.
[Available in Katie's Store HERE...]
COLORADO RIVER SONGS Again! * - CD
- Katydid Books & Music - 1998
The old, the very old, and the new river tunes. All nineteen of them by river rats and songwriters. I treasure Ed Abbey's quote on one of his famous postcards to me: "Anyone who loved the living Colorado River (pre-damnation by the swine who run America) will love these songs by pioneer Glen Canyoneer, Katie Lee)
[Available in Katie's Store HERE...]
LOVE SONG TO GLEN CANYON * - DVD
- Katydid Books & Music - 2007
Images, words and songs in a movie about my ten year exploration of a canyon now drowned beneath Powell Reservoir. Glen Canyon was an Eden unequalled anywhere on earth. The lesson to not let this happen to your Eden, wherever it may be, is the driving force behind this collection of 145 rarely seen photos.
[Available in Katie's Store HERE...]
[Click HERE to view & listen to the Love song To Glen Canyon trailer]
THE LAST WAGON - VCR
- Katydid Books & Music - 1991
Presents two of the best known and loved songs of the Old West, sung by the cowboys who wrote them, along with their stories of how and why they did so. Gail Gardner wrote "The Sierry Petes" (Tying Knots in the Devil's Tail) and Billy Simon composed the music for Charles Badger Clark's famous poem, "The Border Affair" (Spanish Is the Loving Tongue) Filmed in Prescott, AZ at Billy's Horse Camp and at Gail Gardner's home.
This film received a Golden Eagle Award from the Council of International Nontheatrical Events (CINE) and was chosen to represent the USA in international motion picture events. Adapted from two chapters of my book, Ten Thousand Goddam Cattle; written, directed and narrated by me. It was filmed and edited by Harry Atwood and produced at the TV Bureau, University of Arizona.
[Amusing sidelight: I had to have 500 jackets for the VCR reprinted because my proof-reader missed a booboo in Jim Bob Tinsley's liner note. It went to the printer as: "A heartwarming tribute complete with authentic dialogue and the sounds of thundering hoofbeats, balling cattle and creaking windmills..." When I called my proofer on it, he responded: "Well, they do - look at all of 'em up there."]
