The Lee Boys

Comments (0) By Bob Ruggiero Wednesday, Apr 15 2009

"Say Yes" to sacred-steel Floridians the Lee Boys.

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With Del Castillo and All In Your Head, Friday, April 17, Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel, 713-225-5483 or www.warehouselive.com.

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Long an instrument associated mostly with Western swing groups, the horizontally placed pedal steel guitar has also had a long history in "sacred steel" bands — groups performing a unique form of hard-driving gospel music with tinges of soul, funk and blues. Played mostly for parishioners in the largely African-American House of God churches, it wasn't until the 1990s that most listeners outside of the pulpit ever heard the genre. Relix-friendly artists like Robert Randolph and Ben Harper have brought the instrument to jam-band audiences, with Florida-based The Lee Boys also riding that wave. The real-life family group includes three brothers: Alvin (guitar), Derrick (vocals), Keith (vocals) and their nephews, Roosevelt Collier (pedal steel), "Little" Alvin Cordy (bass) and Earl Walker (drums). And they come by their musical pedigree honestly: Father/grandfather Rev. Robert E. Lee — yes, that's his actual name — was a pastor and steel player himself. After another brother, Glen, died in 2000, Alvin decided to take the band and its music outside church walls. But this is not music to sit or kneel by — tracks like "Let's Celebrate," "Say Yes" and "You've Got to Move" certainly got the crowd testifyin' at Bonnaroo. The Lees' last record label release was 2005's Say Yes!, but they have since self-released It Is No Secret. With a sound as big as their physiques, The Lee Boys' music is anything but kid stuff.