Lee, Larry & the Leesures
Websites:
No
Origin:
London, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:
Larry Lee, born Lawrence Milton Broderick in London, Ontario, was one of the most enduring performers to emerge from Canada’s first generation of postwar rock ’n’ roll singers. With a warm voice and an instinct for showmanship, he built a career that moved effortlessly from teen rock clubs to Las Vegas lounges, and later into the world of soft pop under the alias Chelsea Wind.
His career began in the mid-1950s when, still a teenager, he sang on Radio CFPL in his hometown. Before long he had formed a small western group that soon shifted toward rock ’n’ roll, playing school dances, theatres, and community halls throughout southern Ontario. By 1959, Lee had gathered a steady lineup under the name The Leesures—a versatile five-piece band that could handle country shuffles, rhythm and blues, and nightclub standards with equal polish.
Through 1960 and 1961 the Leesures released their first singles, beginning with “Desire” on Destiny Records. The record, a smooth doo-wop ballad with Lee’s high tenor at the center, quickly became a local favorite and remains sought after by collectors today. Other early releases followed, including “Kentucky” and a rousing version of Johnny Burnette’s “Just a Little Too Much.” The group’s reputation as a live act spread quickly, and by 1962 they were performing in clubs across Ontario and into the northern United States, building a loyal following wherever they played.
In 1963 they issued their first LP, Number 1, a lively set of early rock ’n’ roll tunes that reflected their stage repertoire. The album captured the Leesures’ balance between R&B drive and supper-club refinement, the same mix that made them a favorite at Toronto venues and resort hotels from Reno to Seattle. Around this time Lee’s growing confidence as a bandleader drew the attention of industry veteran Buck Ram, the famed manager and songwriter behind the Platters.
Under Ram’s direction, the group signed with Columbia Records, releasing “Big Hoss Man (Part I & II)” in 1964. The record was a stomping two-part R&B workout driven by a wailing saxophone section and promoted nationally through RPM with full-page advertisements. It marked a turning point for the Leesures, blending their rock-club energy with a more mature soul edge. A Columbia LP, Club Date with Larry Lee and the Leesures, soon followed, presenting a selection of audience favorites that showcased both Lee’s smooth vocal phrasing and the band’s versatility.
By the mid-1960s, Larry and his group had become seasoned professionals, equally comfortable backing touring stars like the Everly Brothers, Johnny Cash, and Marty Robbins as they were headlining their own shows. A second album, released on Terra Records (CTLP-4016), revisited many of their signature songs, including “Yes Tonight Josephine,” “Just a Little Too Much,” and “Big Boss Man.” The liner notes by broadcaster Dean Hagopian described Lee as a “gentlemanly, humble, and sincere” performer—an image that matched his reputation among peers and audiences alike.
In the early 1970s Lee reemerged with a new identity and sound. Recording under the name Chelsea Wind, he embraced the smoother textures of adult-contemporary pop. Initially signed to Greg Hambleton’s Tuesday label, he later moved to Celebration Records, releasing the 1973 album Chelsea Wind. Produced by Hambleton and engineered by Terry Brown at Toronto Sound, the record featured songs written by Hambleton, Paul Gross, Rich Dodson of the Stampeders, and Gary Weeks and Dave Beckett of Gary & Dave. The sessions employed Sebastian Agnello’s Sound Canada studio band—one of Toronto’s most prolific groups of session musicians—and captured a more sophisticated, radio-friendly sound.
Agnello also organized a touring version of Chelsea Wind with Clint Ryan, Sonny Milne, Glenn Brown, and Yves LeConte, whose saxophone and flute work added flair to their live performances. The group’s showcase at the 1973 RPM Music Conference marked a highlight of this phase of Lee’s career, bridging his earlier showband energy with the smooth polish of contemporary pop.
Away from performing, Lee managed a booking agency and guided younger artists such as singer Linda Lane. By the mid-1970s he had relocated to Hendersonville, Tennessee, just north of Nashville, where he established Silver Jingle Music, a publishing and production company based in the MCA Building. He remained musically active into the 1980s, maintaining ties to both the Canadian and Nashville recording communities.
Larry Lee passed away in 1996, closing a career that spanned four decades and reflected the shifting currents of North American popular music—from the raw excitement of early Canadian rockabilly to the crafted elegance of 1970s soft pop. His recordings with the Leesures, especially “Desire,” “Just a Little Too Much,” and “Big Hoss Man,” stand among the most vivid documents of Ontario’s early rock scene, while his later work as Chelsea Wind captures the mature artistry of a performer who never stopped evolving.
-Robert Williston
John Del: guitar
Chuck Daniels: bass
Ray Fennell: drums
Billy Diel: piano, organ
Andy Wilson: saxophone
