Meet Eric Lee | Recording & Touring Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eric Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eric, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I would say that a lot of that came from being around music as a child. My mother was a talented vocalist in her younger years and she was always singing while playing an acoustic guitar when I was a younger child. In fact, some of my favorite early childhood memories were with her singing and playing while holding me in her lap or letting me sit next to her on the living room furniture. That’s what planted the seed early on. From there, it was a matter of discovering what I was passionate about through the process of trying different instruments as well as having the opportunity to perform in a variety of settings while still in high school (being relegated to bar room kitchen storage rooms during set breaks not withstanding). Once I had gotten to a point where I was completely immersed in the idea of becoming a professional musician that was it. It had to be pursued (even though I waited until later in life to move to Los Angeles to do it). Now here I am, working full time as a freelance musician in the city of angels. I’ll say that it’s definitely not the easiest of paths to take but in spite of the struggles and hardships that come along the way, I’m happy.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love what I do. I’m not exactly sure what sets me apart but there must be something because being a working pro in a talent pool as deep as Los Angeles’ is not an easy task. From what I’ve learned the best ways to handle the challenges LA presents are to be patient, show yourself some grace when needed, don’t take things personally, keep learning/honing skills, always try to take the route of being a good person, and work hard.

Other than that, I’m a person from a small town in the Midwest that’s pursuing a non-traditional career and making it work somehow. I have a lot to be grateful for.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Hmmm…. that’s a tough one. I have a few friends who fall into this category so I would try to tailor everything around where I think aligns with their interests and preferences. I would definitely make them drink some local coffee, have some sushi, and go see some shows, though..

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ll start with my family. Along with being a wonderful support system, they’re also some of the strongest people I know. I wouldn’t have the ability to handle some of the things Los Angeles can dish out without being able to have them for examples of resilience, determination, and work ethic.

Next up would be the endless list of friends, musicians, and teachers. This list is too vast to mention everyone but I will say that there are certain ones who have been keys to my success and without them I wouldn’t be in a position to be able to be doing what I’m doing for a living. For the mentorship, patience, and belief in me, you all have my deepest gratitude.

Finally, I have to give a shout out to everyone I have come to know and work with out here. This city is a tough place and without having the fortunate luck to have found myself in the circles I have (as well as have had the chance to have befriended all of the wonderful people that I have along the way) I probably would have bowed out a long time ago or lost my mind.

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Image Credits
Jay Braley: @greysmultimedia Muita Muthee: @muita_muthee