Lester Lee

Lester Lee (November 7, 1903 – June 19, 1956) was an American composer. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Original Song for the film Miss Sadie Thompson. Lee was also the co-writer of "Pennsylvania Polka". Lee died in June 1956 of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 52.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 7, 1903 (New York City), Died June 19, 1956 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, lyricist, composer, saxophone

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BVE-43361	10-in.	3/14/1928	Was last night the last for you?	Walter O'Keefe	Male vocal solo, with piano and guitar	songwriter
Victor	BVE-43362	10-in.	3/14/1928	You've got a lot to learn	Walter O'Keefe	Male vocal solo, with piano and guitar	songwriter
Victor	BS-036996	10-in.	5/29/1939	A shave and a haircut—shampoo	Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble	songwriter
Victor	BS-041408	10-in.	9/11/1939	Hot mallets	Lionel Hampton Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, saxophone
Victor	BS-042922	10-in.	10/9/1939	Chico's love song (Ma-na-ja fah-la pas-ka lah-tah)	Les Brown Orchestra ; Herb Muse	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-071696	10-in.	1/30/1942	How do I know it's real?	Freddy Martin Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with vocal	songwriter
Victor	BS-071806	10-in.	2/2/1942	How do I know it's real?	Carl Denny ; Hal McIntyre Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-073671	10-in.	4/1/1942	Pennsylvania polka	André Musette Orchestra	Instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	BS-074756	10-in.	7/20/1942	Pennsylvania polka	Art Kassel Trio ; Art Kassel ; Kassels-in-the-Air Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio	songwriter
Victor	D6VB-2931	10-in.	9/25/1946	You are so different	Singing Lariateers ; Zeke Manners Band	Vocal group, with jazz/dance band	songwriter
Victor	D6VB-2936	10-in.	9/26/1946	Inflation	Zeke Manners Band	Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-0571	10-in.	6/26/1947	Naughty Angeline	Charles Dant Orchestra ; Charles Dant ; Dennis Day	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-0572	10-in.	6/26/1947	Christmas dreaming (a little early this year)	Charles Dant Orchestra ; Charles Dant ; Dennis Day	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-1988	10-in.	11/5/1947	I wish I knew the name (of the girl in my dreams)	Herbie Fields ; Herbie Fields Orchestra	Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-2058	10-in.	11/12/1947	I'm sorry I didn't say 'I'm sorry	Deep River Boys	Male vocal quartet, with instrumental quartet	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-2196	10-in.	12/15/1947	Bride and groom polka	Earle Hagen Orchestra ; Tony Martin	Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-2690	10-in.	12/15/1947	They're out to trap ya	Zeke Manners ; Singing Lariateers ; Zeke Manners Band	Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-2692	10-in.	12/15/1947	The old piano polka	Zeke Manners ; Singing Lariateers ; Zeke Manners Band	Mixed vocal ensemble, with piano solo and instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D8VB-3440	10-in.	12/16/1948	The Humphrey Bogart rhumba	Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Martin Men	Male vocal group, with instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D8VB-3452	10-in.	12/27/1948	The bells in her earrings	Earle Hagen Orchestra ; Tony Martin	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D9VB-0134	10-in.	1/25/1949	Dreamer with a penny	Bill Lawrence ; Henri René	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D9VB-1208	10-in.	3/29/1949	Ah-bah-nah, coo-bah	Desi Arnaz Orchestra ; The Streamliners	Jazz/dance band, with vocal ensemble	songwriter
Columbia	141925	10-in.	4/6/1926	There are two sides to every story	Irving Kaufman	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist
OKeh	W400626	10-in.	4/19/1928	Was last night the last night with you?	Madeline Beatty	Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio	composer
OKeh	W400635	10-in.	4/26/1928	Was last night the last night with you?	Madeline Beatty	Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio	composer
Brunswick	E27262	10-in.	4/3/1928	You’ve got a lot to learn	Wes Thomas Cornell Collegians	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus; without vocal (take G)	songwriter
Brunswick	E18106-E18107	10-in.	2/25/1926	There are two sides to every story	Frank Bessinger	Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio	lyricist
Brunswick	E26762-E26764	10-in.	3/1/1928	My rainbow	Herbert Gordon ; Hotel Adelphia Whispering Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take E26764).	songwriter
Edison	18147	10-in.	1/3/1928	My rainbow	Palais D'Or Orchestra ; B. A. Rolfe	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Edison	S-44	10-in.	1928	My rainbow (?) - Unidentified test recording	Unidentified performer(s) (Edison Records)		songwriter

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lee, Lester," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110018.

Lee, Lester. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110018.

"Lee, Lester." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.