Organist Lenny Dee demonstrated remarkable versatility by producing an array of instrumental timbres from his keyboard, a skill that propelled the 1955 single "Plantation Boogie" into the Top 20 while also supporting a lengthy sequence of album releases.
Born in Illinois and raised in Florida, Dee began piano lessons at age seven and later added the accordion and banjo to his abilities. In his late teens he pursued formal music studies in Chicago, where he started giving organ concerts and honed his singular technique.
Once his training ended, he launched national tours. Red Foley caught one of his Nashville performances, admired the approach, and arranged an introduction to Decca Records. A mid-1950s contract followed, yielding the debut single "Plantation Boogie," which peaked at number 19. The first album, Dee-lightful!, appeared soon afterward and climbed to number 11. Chart momentum faded rapidly, yet Dee kept issuing records and touring. He reentered the charts in 1968 with Gentle On My Mind; Turn Around, Look At Me (1969) and Spinning Wheel (1970) also registered lower-chart placements. Recording stopped by the mid-1970s.
