We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessee Lee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessee , thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I hope my legacy will be that I was a hard worker that fought for the rights of songwriters and females in the music business. I hope people will know how hard I fight to stay true to who I am as an artist, unwavered by the trends. I hope I can be a pillar of strength to those who are thinking about quitting their day job in order to chase their dream. I hope my legacy, just like my great-granddad’s legacy, leaves my children and grandchildren with the desire to play music. I hope to pave my own path in the independent artist world and show that it is possible to create your own sound. I hope to spread love and light. I know I am only on this earth for a short time, so I just hope to leave this world better than I found it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Jessee Lee and I am a fourth generation musician. Although the rest of my family are Texas natives, I was born in the heart of Music City–Nashville, Tennessee. My father was a Grammy nominated, hit singer-songwriter so I was fortunate to grow up around the music business in Nashville. I always had a knack for songwriting, as I started writing songs around nine years old. My father, David Lee, really pushed me towards finding my own sound and he would say, “If you’re going to have a career in music, you need to sing your own songs and find your own style. Don’t just copy what every other person does.” I moved to Spring Branch, TX in 2015, my senior year of high school, and I saw a new world of music–Texas Music. I didn’t realize Texas had it’s own radio stations, artists that toured full time in Texas, and a huge following of devout “Red Dirt” listeners. In 2017, I started playing music full time in the Texas Hill Country. I played in smokey biker bars, restraunts, and any venue or bar that would have me. After a couple of years, I started feeling like I needed to push myself and try to kick it up a notch in my career. I moved back to Nashville, Tennessee in 2018 and began my try at the Nashville market. Unfortunately, I was only there a year before Covid hit and the whole town shut down. Still, I was able to meet so many amazing songwriters, get plugged into the Nashville scene, and have some incredibly informative meetings with labels and publishing companies. I often was told by labels, “We love what you do, but I can’t figure out where you will fit in” or “Do you have something more Country?”. I have always been told my music style is unique and different–a mix of old country, jazz, and soul music, so I had no intention of changing that. I was also told I needed to focus on my social media because artists are only being signed if they have several thousand followers. I felt blessed to have meetings that opened my eyes to the reality of where music is today. Back in the day, if you were a great musician with amazing songs, you could be signed. Now days with social media, labels do not have to build an artist. They can pick from the plethora of independent artists that post videos on Tik Tok that go viral. It’s just a different world where money is more important than actual talent. After spending some time in Nashville, I reset my game plan and decided to move back to Texas to grow my independent artist career. I have spent the last several years writing songs I believe in so in November of 2021, I recorded my first 7 song EP titled “Dive Bar Superstar” and started touring again full time in Texas. In May of 2022, I will be releasing my first single along with a music video and I am focusing on building a “grass roots grow up” fan base. Since moving back to Texas in January of 2022, I have felt a new wind in my sail. I want to be authentically me and I don’t want to sell out just to be signed. I want to sing songs that resonate with people and that are deeper than the average hit. I want to add humor and light into people’s lives while giving them a sound they can’t find on secular radio. I want to do it the way I believe in because at the end of the day, I have to be proud of the work I produce. I am so excited to finally release music this year and see where it will take me. I hope fans will feel the authenticity, blood, sweat, and tears I have poured into my work and maybe, it will inspire other artists to chase their own path outside of what is the popular trend.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Personally, I believe the most rewarding part of being an artist is taking something hard and personal and putting it into words that other people can connect with. Sometimes it’s taking other people’s stories and putting it into a tangible product. I began working with Operation Song this year, which is a program where veterans with PTSD share their stories and you put it into a song for them. It has been one of the best things I have ever been able to do with my music and one of the best forms of therapy for these veterans. It’s extraordinary how music affects people’s lives, so being able to touch even one person with a song is powerful.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Funding an independent artist career is tricky and more expensive than I ever realized. It seems like you’re spending money at every turn trying to build your brand, but I suppose it’s like that in every independent business. When I first began, I had to have a good guitar, a stage microphone, all of the chords, and a PA system for gigs. That lasted for a while, but then as the business started growing, I had to have a website, merchandise, banners, etc. to look more professional. A huge part of the music business now is your online presence and your “brand”, so that includes having to have nice clothes, microphones that hook up to your computer or phone to record videos, a ring light, and good video gear, just to name a few. The most expensive part of this business is going to the studio or shooting a music video, as I just did for the first time. A lot of people have sponsors or backers that help them fund their business, which really helps. Thankfully, I have a lot of support behind me and I have even had fans contribute to my first record. It’s a slow build, unless you have a bunch of money starting out, but it’s definetly worth it. It took me almost 6 years to record my first project and to shoot a music video. On top of putting out a record and video, you have to pay for promotion whether it’s radio promo, social media promo, or streaming promo. It’s constantly dumping the money you make right back into your business in hopes that one day, all of that money will come back to you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jesseeleemusic.com
• Instagram: @jesseeleeofficial
• Facebook: Jessee Lee Music
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqsU5s08uWieU96PTzIW-UQ
• Other: Tik Tok: @jesseeleeofficial

Image Credits
Natalie Lynn Images Chelsea Erica Smith Megan Elise Crimmins-Helton