Lee Greenwood
USABiography of Lee Greenwood
Born on October 27, 1942, in South Gate, California, Lee Greenwood is an American country musician. Over the course of his career that began in the early 1980s, Greenwood has released more than twenty albums on major labels, along with over thirty-five singles that consistently topped the country charts.
Early Life and Musical Career
After his parents' divorce, Lee Greenwood spent much of his childhood living with his grandparents, who owned a poultry farm in Sacramento. At the age of seven, he began playing the saxophone and, two years later, became a member of a local music collective. In 1962, Greenwood founded his own group called Apollo. Changing the name to Lee Greenwood Affair, the band predominantly performed at casinos in Las Vegas. While earning money from these performances, the Lee Greenwood Affair recorded their first demo on the Paramount label in Los Angeles. However, the group disbanded a couple of years later.
In 1969, Greenwood joined the Chester Smith Band and made his first television appearance. However, his time with this band was short-lived, and within a few months, he was performing with renowned country artist Del Reeves. In the 1970s, Greenwood moved to Las Vegas, where he worked as a casino dealer during the day and performed in the evenings.
Rise to Fame and Patriotism
In 1979, Greenwood met Larry McFadden, the leader and bassist of the Mel Tillis band, in Reno, Nevada. After collaborating on several demo recordings, Greenwood signed a contract with MCA Records, with McFadden becoming his manager. His first single, "It Turns Me Inside Out," immediately entered the top twenty of the American charts. Greenwood later revealed that he had originally written the song for Kenny Rogers, who declined it. His next song, "Ring On Her Finger, Time on Her Hands," reached the top ten in the country music charts at that time.
In the early 1980s, Greenwood gained widespread popularity with his patriotic song, "God Bless the USA." This song later became a symbol of Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and regained its relevance after the events of September 11, 2001. A few weeks after these events, the song entered the top 20 of the American charts. Following this success, Greenwood frequently performed at various public events and actively advocated for the anti-terrorism operation in Afghanistan. He openly expressed his support for the Republican Party of the United States.
Other Endeavors
Aside from music and politics, Lee Greenwood also had a passion for theater. In 1996, he established the Lee Greenwood Theater, which produced shows for five seasons in Sevierville, Tennessee, where he lived with his family. However, due to its location away from popular tourist routes, the theater had to close. Today, the former theater building is a place of worship.
