The night was indeed magical as Lee Fields and The Expressions performed selections from his latest album “Special Night,” Saturday at the 2720 Cherokee Performing Arts Center for their most recent return to St. Louis.
A classic soul artist who has been sampled by today’s hip-hop artists, Fields is recommended listening to season one’s musical taste.
I was introduced to Fields by way of J. Cole’s “Warm Up” album – which featured selections from Fields’ My World. The music compelled me to discover Fields and The Expression in their own right, and I ultimately became a fan.
Fields knew music was his passion at a young age. His career dates back to 1967, when he left his home state of North Carolina for his current home in New York City. Since then his 50-year career span includes releases on twelve different record labels and tours around the world. Today Fields musical talents are being resurrected by Truth & Soul Records and his soulfully expressive band. Music writer, scholar, and DJ Oliver Wang citied Field’s resurgence for NPR saying, “In a curious case of musical evolution, the older Fields becomes, the closer he gets to perfecting the sound of soul that he grew up with as a young man.”
Before Field’s took the stage at 2720, he shared some thoughts and experiences from his life in music with The American.
What were your experiences growing up in North Carolina?
Lee Fields: I remember back in the Civil Right Era there was a lot of racial tension growing up in Wilson, North Carolina. A few months after Martin Luther King Jr. was slain I left North Carolina. North Carolina was just like any other experience in the United States at that time due to the racial tension. Soon after MLK’s death racial tension sort of went away. My childhood was great, especially for people of small means who were able financially live good. I have a lot fond memories of my earlier years in North Carolina.
How did your experiences on the East Coast differ from your life in the South?
Lee Fields: Around the New York area people were more aggressive. In the 1960’s people in the north were more promiscuous. It was stunning in the beginning, but then I realized a lot them were like myself and I needed to keep my belief in God. The big city introduced me to more people of all walks of life. I adapted well because I kept my faith – I believe one must keep his or her beliefs.
What kind of effect did soul music have on the Civil rights Era? How does that sound differ from today?
Lee Fields: Soul music of the 60’s had a lot of songs to inspire people, to generate courage and words to uplift a person’s personality. The difference now is most of the music is made to sell. There is a disregard of what artist will put into their songs lyrics. Matter of a fact its dangerous thing cause look what took place after the Civil Rights Era. During The Civil Right Movement, blacks were constantly escalating in regards to social power and economic power. Our social foundation began crumble after music was released that had no regard for the love of God. I wonder if the prison system correlates with the disrespect for God. The minority has become the majority in the jail. There’s no reason why all these jails are mainly populated with people of color but we continue to fall into the traps. I look at the music which highlights being a gangster. I wonder does that have any dealing of why we fill jails today. I don’t think young folks today understand what the man of color went through in this society. When I was a kid my superhero was superman – so I walked around in a cape. Today’s kids’ heroes are gangsters – and well the kids are gonna want to grow up to be gangsters. I don’t want to put music out that affects people of color negatively. I try to write words to incorporate words and qualities so that the impressionable minds would understand. The young artist holds a responsibility of keeping the elements of vulgarity hidden from the impressionable. Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars do a good job at that.
How have you been able to attract a new age of listeners?
Lee Fields: There’s a group of people who are not tricked by the mirrors and smoke. I think there is a young base of people that are coming into music really looking for the truth and trying to make society better, so the future looks brighter than ever. They want quality in the songs they listen to – and quality is more than having a nice voice, hitting the right notes and the stories aren’t making any sense. Nonsense brings on a negative consequence. I think they gravitate to me because I try to write something that is meant to be beneficial and says something positive. Nonsense is something that doesn’t bring you closer to your love ones. Songs are not just for pure pleasure and folly. In the Bible, there’s a book of Psalms that references that. Back then people wrote to inspire people.
The young folks listen to me because I write positive stuff. On the radio, daily, you have two kinds of radio: informative radio and nonsense radio. And the more the masses choose nonsense, the more the people with the money steal the money. There shouldn’t be poverty with all money and weaponry the United States has. These times should involve people being enlightened, because our decisions affect the future generations. You don’t want to see 30 years from where times are worse than now.
You’ve been sampled by numerous hip hop acts, how do you feel about sampling?
Lee Fields: It’s highly flattering when an artist samples me. I don’t mind, financially it is beneficial. I just hope when someone samples they say something positive. I really want to be sampled by someone who is saying something positive and not in a grossly way, but I have no power over their mind or contract.
What would you recommend to beginning artist in the music industry? How does that differ from when you got your start?
Lee Fields: If they are informed in the loopholes that’s good but there are a lot of loopholes in the music industry. There is a lot of entitlement that artists should get but don’t because they didn’t take the time to evaluate the contract. Artists should take time or get a professional to look at contracts. [One difference is that] Mass social media has cut the station DJ and music industry from cookie cutting the records that are played. People are buying music that would have bought ten years ago. Listening to top 40 music, most of it sounds the same. Thanks to social media – it made music more fair, because the people choose what they want to listen from there iPhone or social medias.
