James Lee Stanley brings his finely crafted tunes to Boulevard Music this week, a venue that he knows very well. He spoke to the News about what he has in store for Culver City…
When did you start playing and performing?
I had my first recording contract at 16. LeGrand Records. The home of Gary US Bonds (New Orleans – “I said a hey hey hey hey yeah,” in case you forgot) and Jimmy Soul (“If You Wanna Be Happy”).
What have you been up to in the couple of years since we last spoke?
Since we last spoke, I have gone through a physical challenge, in that I fell off the roof and broke my back and had spinal fusion surgery, but I’m just fine. The only thing that I can’t do is a crunch sit-up, but I never liked those anyway. It did slow me down and then COVID happened.. That also slowed me down, all of a sudden for the first time since high school, I was home for two years in a row. I must tell you, I loved being home. COVID was dreadful and handled abysmally by the Trump administration, but I made the best of it. I live on top of Bear Mountain, a few hours from L.A. Just worked on my home, my studio and wrote a ton of songs.
Tell us about The Day Today… Where recorded, who with…
Which brings us to my latest CD The Day Today. Over the lockdown, I wrote about 25 Songs. I paired them down to 20, and then to 17 with the original intent of making an album of 10 or 11 songs, but two years of writing and recording and rewriting and recording left me with a fondness for all 17 songs that I put on the album. The people are calling in my White Album, because there are so many songs, and they’re all so different. A lot of political awareness, a lot of love, a lot of heartache, a lot of personal life philosophy, but all in very musical settings. Speaking of which, I have some great performers on this recording. Laurence Juber (Paul Mccartney & Wings) Chad Watson (Janis Ian, Delaney & Bonnie) Rick Ruskin (Olivia Newton-John) Kenny Lyon (The Lemonheads) Corky Siegel (Siegel-Schwall) John Batdorf Chris Conway Gary Katz and the ladies–Pamala Stanley Sandra Young and Melissa Greener. All stellar musicians and singers. I was thrilled and it was an honor to have them on the recording.
Also, due to the fact that this was recorded during COVID at my studio in Bear Valley Springs. I ended up playing a lot of the instruments myself, but the whole collaborator effort is something I’m extremely proud of.
Have you performed at Boulevard before? Any memories?
Yes, many times and many shows there. I remember Peter Tork joining me on stage and thrilling the crowd. Also John Densmore of the Doors sitting in on some percussion when we did All Wood and Doors.
What else do you have coming up?
We have hired two different promotion firms to promote the album at radio, and I am touring throughout this year to support The Day Today. I am also considering that this is the final CD I will be creating as the format seems to be going away. No CD, players in cars, people mostly listening on streaming, so I’ll probably move to that format exclusively in the coming years. Given that I turned 79 a couple of months ago, that’s an optimistic statement. I also have been really getting into oil painting. I don’t know how it happened, but I find it satisfying, and I seem to be good at it. And the musical I wrote, Straight From the Heart, is now in consideration for a workshop with the theater group here. I’m very excited about that. The other musical that I wrote with Corky Siegel was done in Chicago, by the University of Illinois, and at Stanford University in Menlo Park. It was thrilling to see something that you create come alive on stage with other actors and other musicians. I’m looking forward to watching this happen again.
The new CD The Day Today is out now. We are just beginning to chart nationally. Also here is a link to the trailer of the award winning documentary that they did on me.
James Lee Stanley performs at 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 28 a Boulevard Music. More info on the show at boulevardmusic.com. More info on the band at jamesleestanley.com.
Elsewhere this week
Culver City’s music venues have a full calendar of entertainment over the next four weeks. For the Cinema Bar, that includes the Hot Club of Los Angeles (every Monday), Open Mic Night every Wednesday, Ed Romero, Tom Gramlich, Captain Danger, Patrolled By Radar, and more. For more information, go to thecinemabar.com.
The Culver Hotel will be hosting the likes of Sylvia & the Rhythm Boys, and Scotty Bramer. Go to culverhotel.com for more info.