Biography
Born in 1966 in London, England, Lee Davis relocated to Jamaica at age three and spent her formative years in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine. Like countless Jamaican vocalists, she first developed her voice through the local church choir. While she performed capably as a chorister, exposure to country, R&B, pop and reggae tracks during neighbourhood shows left a lasting impression. In 1981 she entered the sound-system scene, aligning herself with Ghetto Sound in St. Catherine and appearing both as a singer and in DJ style; her adaptability soon earned her a following and established her reliability on stage shows as well. After moving back to the UK she secured her first studio opportunity when soundman Vego Wales introduced her to DJ Jah Walton. She contributed uncredited chat to the Fashion Records number-one smash “No Touch The Style,” issued under Joseph Cotton’s name. Recognition followed swiftly with her credited solo release “Never Gonna Let You Go” on Flash. Returning to Fashion in 1987 she cut “Two Timing Lover,” whose B-side “Call Me An Angel” showcased her DJ abilities under the alias Shako Lee. Philip Leo penned that track and went on to collaborate with her on the vocal-DJ pairings “I’m Gonna Make You Happy Again” and “I’m In Love.” High Power sessions yielded the simultaneous single “Prisoner Of Love.” In 1990 she topped the reggae charts alongside C.J. Lewis with a revival of Keith And Enid’s 1960s favourite “Worried Over You.” The resulting profile brought a four-album deal with Island Records, though no full-length project appeared; the label did issue “Spoilt By Your Love” and “Pleasure Seekers.” Barry Boom oversaw those recordings and subsequently produced “Just The Lonely Talking Again,” “Love Is Alive,” “Never Say Never” and the enduring “Hello Stranger.” After his work with Deborahe Glasgow, Gussie Clarke enlisted Lee Davis for backing vocals on Cocoa Tea’s Authorised and issued her own hit “Oops There Goes My Heart.” Disappointed by the major-label experience, she returned to Fashion confident she could reach broader audiences without sacrificing reggae credibility. By 1992 she dominated the UK lovers-rock field, maintaining a steady chart presence with “Ooh Baby Baby,” “Big Mistake,” “Ready To Learn” and the number-one duet with Tippa Irie, “Baby I’ve Been Missing You.” Another combination, this time with General Levy, reworked Joya Landis’s Treasure Isle classic “Moonlight Lover.” In 1994 the Fashion singles plus new self-penned material appeared on Missing You, which remains a benchmark lovers-rock album. The following year British Reggae Industry honours named her Best Female Singer and awarded Best UK Album, while the Black Arts, Sports And Enterprise Awards presented the Bob Marley Award for Best Female Singer. By 1997 she stood on the verge of wider international acceptance and was widely hailed as the queen of contemporary lovers rock. A project uniting her with Mr. G Spot, Wayne Marshall and Barry Boom underscored her songwriting, vocal and DJ talents while reinforcing her reputation for diligence and professionalism.
Albums
Singles