Jonathan Lee (musician)

Jonathan Lee Chung-shan (Chinese: 李宗盛; pinyin: Lǐ Zōngshèng; born 19 July 1958) is a Taiwanese musician and producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential and respected figures in the world of Mandopop music.

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Lee.
Jonathan Lee
Lee in 2014
Born (1958-07-19) 19 July 1958
Beitou, Taipei, Taiwan
OccupationRecord producer, singer, songwriter
Years active1979–present
Spouse(s)
Rosita Chu
​
(
m. 1988; div. 1997)

​
(
m. 1998; div. 2004)
Children3
AwardsGolden Melody Awards – 3rd GMA (1991) – Best Album Producer
12th GMA (2001) – Best Album Producer
21st GMA (2010) – Judges Award
22nd GMA (2011) – Best Lyricist
22nd GMA (2011) – Best Composer
22nd GMA (2011) – Song of the Year
25th GMA (2015) – Best Album Producer
25th GMA (2015) – Song of the Year

Musical career
Also known asLee Chung-shan
GenresMandopop
InstrumentsGuitar, piano
LabelsRock Records, B'in Music
Associated actsSuperband

Life and career

Lee started in the music industry in the 1970s, during Taiwan's popular "campus folk song" era. He was a member of the "Wood Guitar" band. In 1983, Lee made his debut as a music producer for the album Light Rain Just Comes in Time by Zheng Yi, which became an instant hit. The self-titled single "Light Rain Just Comes in Time" ranked No. 1 for 13 consecutive weeks on Taiwan's main music chart; while the first single written, composed, and sang by Lee entitled "End", a duet in the album, also became a huge hit.

In 1994, Lee joined Rock Records, and has been credited with catapulting Rock Records into one of the foremost independent music labels in Asia. He helped pave the way for the golden era of Chinese pop music in the 1990s and 2000s, during which he wrote and produced many classic hits popular until today, setting impressive sales records, plus winning numerous accolades, such as Sarah Chen’s "Dream to Awakening" (夢醒時分), Jackie Chan’s "The Sincere Hero" (真心英雄), Wakin Chau’s "You Make Me Happy and Sad" (讓我歡喜讓我憂), Jeff Chang’s "Love is Like Tidal Wave" (愛如潮水), Sandy Lam’s "It Doesn't Matter Who I Am" (不必在乎我是誰), Winnie Hsin’s "Understanding" (領悟), Karen Mok’s "Overcast" (陰天), and many more, which have all been hugely popular. As such, Lee has been hailed as the "million-dollar" producer, and deemed as the Godfather of Mandopop music, reaching and touching hundreds of millions of Chinese-speaking music fans around the world. He has been and remains one of the most successful and sought-after record producers in Chinese pop music scene. Given his iconic status in the Chinese music world, Lee's songs have influenced artists across Asia..[1]

More than music production, Lee has also been involved in movie theme songs and OST projects, and having collaborated with many famous directors, including Hou Hsiao-hsien, Sylvia Chang, Jackie Chan, Chen Kaige, plus others.

In 2002, he founded his own guitar brand "Lee Guitars", and has been personally involved in the design and production of hand-made guitars ever since.

In 2009, Lee formed "Superband" with three other popular artists from Rock Records: Wakin Chau, Luo Dayou and Chang Chen-yue.

Lee also occasionally produces solo albums for himself and have recorded duets with many artists. His own songs "Jonathan's Song" in 2011 and "Hills" in 2013, both won "Song of the Year" and "Best Lyricist" awards at the 22nd and 25th Taiwan Golden Melody Awards respectively.

From 2013 to 2015, Lee embarked on his Even If Youth Is Never Lasting world tour, which kicked off in Taiwan, then toured on to China, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the U.S., and U.K., etc., covering dozens of cities around the world, including two consecutive performances at Lincoln Center in New York, a first for a Chinese-speaking musician. He also held a concert at the famed Royal Albert Hall in London, also a first for a musician from Taiwan.

Lee also served as Chief A&R Consultant for Sony Music in Greater China from 2013 to 2016. In addition, Lee was also a driving force in introducing the renowned Blue Note Jazz Club to Beijing, China. In September 2016, Lee was joined by famous American jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea, for the grand opening of Blue Note in Beijing. His hope is to introduce the great American jazz music and culture, plus the many great jazz musicians, to the Chinese-speaking world.

In September 2017, it was announced that the Tony-winning Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, will help develop "Road to Heaven: The Jonathan Lee Musical", an original Chinese musical — in both Mandarin and English, based on music written by Lee. Adapted from the novel by Li Xiuwen, the original musical will feature music by Lee with English lyrics by Tony Award winner Richard Maltby Jr. (Ain't Misbehavin', Miss Saigon, Fosse) and a book by John Dempsey (The Pirate Queen, The Witches of Eastwick). The musical will then be translated back into Chinese for a world premiere in Shanghai in 2018. English-language productions are also planned for New York and other cities throughout the U.S. following the Chinese premiere.[2]

Discography

Key productions
YearAlbumArtist
1983Light Rain Just Comes in Time 小雨來的正是時候Zheng Yi
1984Rock’n Roll Stage 搖滾舞台Xue Yue
1985Busy and Blind 忙與盲Sylvia Chang
1986New Love/Old Love 舊愛新歡Michelle Pan
1987Direction of the Heart 心的方向Wakin Chau
1988Heart of a Woman 女人心Sarah Chen
1989Talk to You, Listen to You 跟你說 聽你說Sarah Chen
1991The First Time 第一次Jackie Chan
1993Worrying 心事Jeff Chang
1994Understanding 領悟Winnie Hsin
1995Scar 傷痕Sandy Lam
1999Growing Up' 一夜長大 Fish Leong
2000Twelfth Floor 十二樓Karen Mok
2001Day Lilies 忘憂草Wakin Chau
2002Princess-D OST 想飛OSTVarious
200420/30/40 OST 女人二十三十四十OSTVarious
2009North Bound (EP) 縱貫線北上列車EPSuperband
2010Go South (EP) 縱貫線南下列車EPSuperband
2011Pure 原色Aska Yang
2014What's Next 接下來是什麼Ann Bai
2017Still An Outlander 仍是異鄉人Li Jian Qing

Discography
YearAlbum/Single
1986The Spirit of Life 生命中的精靈
1989 Works of Jonathan Lee 1984–1989李宗盛作品集
19932 X Man Life / Jonathan Lee & Lowell Lo 李宗盛＆盧冠廷／我們就是這樣
1994Reluctantly 李宗盛的音樂旅程-不捨
2013"Hills" 山丘 (single)

Film theme songs/score productions

Television theme songs productions
  • 1991 Farewell" (TV Drama) – theme song / TTV (Taiwan Television Enterprise)
  • 1991 Eternal Love Like Ocean (TV drama) theme and ending credit songs – "Ordinary Man" and "Eternal Love Like Ocean/TTV
  • 1992 The Last Emperor (TV drama) theme song – "Infatuation"/TTV
  • 1993 Young Heroes (TV drama) theme song – "Happy Like Gods"/TTV
  • 1993 Happy Building (TV drama) theme and ending credit songs/CTS (Chinese Television System)
  • 1994 Chivalry Under the Blue Sky (TV drama) ending credit song/TTV
  • 1996 The New Longmen Roadhouse (TV drama) ending credit song/TTV

Songs for advertisements/commercials
  • 1986 Little Cook Instant Noodles – Beef Flavor
  • 1987 Laurel Frozen Dumpling
  • 1989 Sprite and Coca-Cola
  • 1990 PECOS Soy Milk
  • 1991 FUJI COLOR Fuji Films
  • 1992 Yamaha Corporate Song
  • 1992 China Airlines
  • 1992 Paolyta-B (energy drink)
  • 1993 HeySong Sarsaparilla Drink
  • 1993 BMW
  • 1993 Maxwell House Coffee
  • 1999 Suntory Whisky
  • 2016 Apple China – Send you a Spring Festival Song

Filmography

Film
  • 1983 Growing Up 小畢的故事
  • 1983 The Boys from Fengkuei風櫃來的人
  • 1984 Ah Fei 油麻菜籽
  • 1985 My Favorite Season 最想念的季節
  • 1986 The Lock of Hearts 心鎖
  • 1987 Listen to Me 我有話要說
  • 1988 Friendly Shock (Yaya) 天崩地裂

Television
  • 1985 What/TTV
  • 1990 Sunday Fever – Apocalypse (variety show)/TTV

Concerts
  • 2006–2009 Sense and Sensibility World Tour (11 Shows)
  • 2009–2010 Superband World Tour (58 Shows)

Radio programs

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1991 3rd Golden Melody Awards Best Album Producer Marching Forward – Lin Chung Won
1997 Singapore Hit Awards Best Lyricist "Infatuation" Won
Outstanding Musician of the Year Won
2001 12th Golden Melody Awards Best Album Producer Twelfth Floor – Karen Mok Won
2001 The Association of Music Workers in Taiwan Awards Ten Best Album of the Year Twelfth Floor – Karen Mok Won
Ten Best Songs of the Year Won
2003 5th CCTV-MTV Music Awards (China) Special Outstanding Contribution in Music Award Won
2011 The Association of Music Workers in Taiwan Awards Ten Best Songs of the Year "Jonathan's Song" Won
2011 22nd Golden Melody Awards Best Lyricist "Jonathan's Song" Won
Best Composer Won
Song of the Year Won
2012 The Association of Music Workers in Taiwan Awards Ten Best Album of the Year Pure – Aska Yang Won
Ten Best Songs of the Year Won
2014 The Association of Music Workers in Taiwan Awards Ten Best Songs of the Year "Hills" Won
2014 25th Golden Melody Awards Best Album Producer Hills Won
Song of the Year Won
2018 29th Golden Melody Awards Best Lyricist "Hometown" (from Still An Outlander) Nominated
Best Album Producer Still An Outlander Won
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References
  1. Jonathan Lee to perform in Great Hall of the People – China Economic Net
  2. “Road to Heaven: The Jonathan Lee Musical” – The Washington Post
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