Snow Hill native Bill Lee is known far and wide for his many talents

Snow Hill native Bill Lee.

A friend of mine recently gave me a copy of an old paperback book called, “Alabama Trivia,” compiled by Ernie and Jill Couch. Published in 1987 by Rutledge Hill Press, this 191-page book contains hundreds of Alabama-related trivia questions and answers. It’s a quick, fun read, and I also found it very educational.

Of all the questions and answers found between the covers of this book, one question in particular jumped off the page at me: What Snow Hill-born musician has written five folk-jazz operas, including the children’s opera, “Little Johnny”?

Answer: William James Edward (Bill) Lee.

I will admit that I did not know much about this famous Wilcox County musician, so I set out to learn more about him. As it turns out, there is much more to Bill Lee’s story than the tiny blurb he gets in “Alabama Trivia.” In fact, he’s the father of Hollywood legend, Spike Lee.

Sources say that Bill Lee was born in Snow Hill on July 23, 1928 to Arnold and Alberta Lee. His father was a musician, and his mother was an accomplished pianist, so I guess you can say that he was born to be a musician. As of this writing, he is 90 years old and has made a big name for himself as a musician, composer and actor.

Spike Lee, who’s real name is Shelton Jackson Lee, was born in 1957 to Bill Lee and his late wife, Jackie, and in the ensuing years Bill Lee would contribute much to his son’s famous films. According to the Internet Movie Database (IDMB.com), Bill Lee composed original music for such movies as “School Daze” (1988), “Do the Right Thing” (1989) and “Jungle Fever” (1991). Other sources say that he also composed music for “She’s Gotta Have It” (1986) and “Mo’ Better Blues” (1990).

I was also surprised to learn that Bill Lee played the bass guitar during Aretha Franklin’s first four recording sessions for Columbia Records. Franklin’s time with Columbia Records ran from 1961 through 1966, when she was in her late teens and early twenties. Her first four Columbia albums include such studio albums as “Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo” (1961), “The Electrifying Aretha Franklin” (1962), “Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin” (1962) and “Laughing on the Outside” (1963).

Bill Lee also played bass guitar on Bob Dylan’s famous 1963 album, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” one of the most famous albums of all time. In fact, in 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked this album No. 97 on its prestigious list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” That album includes Dylan’s famous song, “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and a number of other Dylan hits.

Believe me when I say that Bill Lee has led a very interesting and eventful life, and the above is just the tip of the iceberg. He was also a classmate of Martin Luther King Jr. at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and he has also acted in at least three movies, including “Mo’ Better Blues” and “She’s Gotta Have It.” In addition to Franklin and Dylan, Bill Lee has also worked closely with such famous musicians as Harry Belafonte, Duke Ellington, Arlo Guthrie, John Lee Hooker, Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens, Simon & Garfunkel and many others.

In the end, it’s safe to say that Bill Lee has come a long way from his humble roots in Snow Hill, and he has obviously lived a full life. He is arguably the most famous musical talent that Wilcox County has ever produced, and his career is something that all Wilcox County residents can be proud of. No doubt people from all walks of life have enjoyed his music throughout the years, and it’s nice to know that someone from our neck of the woods has had such a positive impact on so many music lovers.