Lee Michaels

Lee Eugene Michaels (born Michael Olsen, November 24, 1945) is an American rock musician who sings and accompanies himself on organ, piano, or guitar. He is best known for his powerful soulful voice and his energetic virtuosity on the Hammond organ, peaking in 1971 with his Top 10 pop hit single, "Do You Know What I Mean".

Lee Michaels
Michaels in 1968
Background information
Birth nameMichael Olsen
Also known asLee Eugene Michaels
Born (1945-11-24) November 24, 1945
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
GenresRock
Occupation(s)Musician
Instruments
Years active1960s–1970s
Labels
Associated actsThe Sentinals, The Family Tree

Career

Michaels began his career with The Sentinals, a San Luis Obispo, California-based surf group that included drummer Johny Barbata (later of The Turtles, Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship). Michaels joined Barbata in the Joel Scott Hill Trio, a group led by guitarist Joel Scott Hill. Michaels later moved to San Francisco, where he joined an early version of The Family Tree, a band led by Bob Segarini.[1] In 1967, he signed a contract with A&M Records, releasing his debut album, Carnival of Life, later that year with David Potter on drums. As a session musician, he played with Jimi Hendrix, among others.

Michaels' choice of the Hammond organ as his primary instrument was unusual for the time, as was his bare-bones stage and studio accompaniment: usually just a single drummer,[2] most often a musician known as "Frosty," real name Bartholomew Eugene Smith-Frost, who was a member of Sweathog, and whose bare handed technique was an inspiration for John Bonham,[3] or with Joel Larson of The Grass Roots. This unorthodox approach attracted a following in San Francisco, and some critical notice. (Sounds Magazine, for one, reported of Michaels that he had been called "the ultimate power organist.")[2] But Michaels did not achieve real commercial success until the release of his fifth album.

That album, titled 5th and released in 1971, produced a surprise US Top 10 hit (#6 in the fall of 1971), "Do You Know What I Mean." It was an autobiographical homage to the loss of a girlfriend. Michaels's Top 40 follow-up, a cover version of the Motown standard, "Can I Get a Witness," peaked at #39 on Christmas Day of 1971, eight years to the week after Marvin Gaye's version peaked at #22. Billboard ranked "Do You Know What I Mean" as the No. 19 song for 1971. Michaels recorded two more albums for A&M before signing a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1973. But his Columbia recordings failed to generate much interest, and Michaels had gone into semi-retirement from the music industry by the end of the decade.

In 1991, Michaels obtained full rights to all of his A&M recordings in a settlement of disputes that had arisen from A&M granting licenses to Delicious Vinyl for the use of Michaels's recordings by means of digital sampling on several Young MC recordings. Once he had regained full ownership rights, Michaels granted licenses to Rhino Records and Shout Factory to release several "best of" albums over the years. In November 2015, Manifesto Records released his entire catalog of A&M recordings on compact disc and vinyl in February 2016.

Discography

Studio albums and live album
Title Details United States
Carnival of Life
  • Release date: 1968
  • Label: A&M
  • Formats: LP
 —
Recital
  • Release date: 1968
  • Label: A&M
  • Formats: LP
 —
Lee Michaels
  • Release date: 1969
  • Label: A&M
  • Formats: LP
 53
Barrel
  • Release date: 1970
  • Label: A&M
  • Formats: LP
 51
5th
  • Release date: 1971
  • Label: A&M
  • Formats: LP
 16
Space and First Takes
  • Release date: 1972
  • Label: A&M
  • Formats: LP
 78
Lee Michaels Live
  • Release date: 1973
  • Label: A&M 2 LP
  • Formats: LP
 135
Nice Day for Something
  • Release date: 1973
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: LP
 172
Tailface
  • Release date: 1974
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: LP
 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles
Year Title Peak chart
positions		 Record Label B-side Album
US
1968 "Love" — A&M Records "Sounding the Sleeping" Carnival of Life
"If I Lose You" — "My Friends" Recital
1969 "Goodbye, Goodbye" — "The War"
"Heighty Hi" 106 "Want My Baby" Lee Michaels
1970 "What Now America" — "Uummmm My Lady" Barrel
1971 "Do You Know What I Mean" 6 "Keep the Circle Turning" 5th
"Can I Get a Witness" 39 "You Are What You Do"
1972 "Hold on to Freedom" — "Own Special Way (As Long As)" Space and First Takes
1973 "Same Old Song" — Columbia Records "Rock and Roll Community" Nice Day for Something
"Rock Me Baby" — A&M Records "Heighty Hi" 5th
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References
  1. Richie Unterberger, Liner Notes for Roxy's Roxy; Richieunterberger.com.
  2. "Mr. Piano Power". Sounds. Spotlight Publications. 28 August 1971. p. 3.
  3. Bartholomew Eugene Smith-Frost is based in Texas, where he continues to perform as Barry Smith or B.E. "Frosty" Smith. Experience Summary Archived 2008-07-03 at the Wayback Machine; Soulhat.net; Biography of Barry Smith; Frostysmith.tripod.com.
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