James Lee Stanley

Born in Philadelphia on April 30, 1946, James Lee Stanley first crossed paths with Peter Tork at a Virginia club in 1963. Four years later he relocated to New York City and entered the local folk scene. Military service in the Air Force filled the closing years of the 1960s and the opening years of the 1970s; after his discharge he enrolled in music studies at Cal State-Northridge. Upon graduation he began writing songs for producer Bones Howe, whose support yielded a contract with RCA’s Wooden Nickel division.

Three albums appeared on RCA in the 1970s: the self-titled debut, James Lee Stanley Too, and Three’s a Charm. Further releases came via MCA, Takoma, and Regency before Stanley launched his own Beachwood imprint to issue Live at McCabe’s in the early 1980s. He maintained a regular schedule of recordings through the 1980s and 1990s. After ex-Monkee Peter Tork’s Stranger Things Have Happened was released on Beachwood, the two began performing together. Their 1995 project Two Man Band, captured live in the studio, introduced Stanley to Monkees fans in the mid-’90s.