Johnny Lee was raised on a Dairy Farm in Alta Loma, Texas. His main interest was Rock 'N' Roll, and he led a high school band called Johnny Lee and the Roadrunners, which won local and state-wide competitions.
In 1968, he began a 10-year working relationship with Mickey Gilley, both on the road and in the nightclub in Pasadena, Texas. Recording with ABC/DOT and GRT Records, had moderate success with "Country Party", new lyrics added to Rick Nelson's "Garden Party".
In 1979, Lee's first screen role was in a 1979 TV Movie, The Girls in the Office, starry Barbara Eden and Susan St. James. He was then asked to perform in the film, Urban Cowboy, which starred John Travolta and Deborah Winger, and for which he also recorded several songs used in the soundtrack. "Lookin' For Love", from that same soundtrack, became Lee's first Gold Record. The song spent 3 weeks at the top of the Billboard Country Music Singles Charts as #1, and #2 on the Pop Music Singles Charts.
He followed up "Lookin' For Love" with "One In A Million", which spent two weeks at #1, more #1 Singles during this time included - "Bet Your Heart On Me", "The Yellow Rose (a duet with Lane Brody)", and "You Could've Heard a Heart Break". His string of Top 10 hits continued with "Pickin' Up Strangers," "Prisoner of Hope," "Be There for Me Baby," "Cherokee Fiddle," "Sounds Like Love," "Hey Bartender" and "Rollin' Lonely."
During the height of his success, he appeared on Talk Shows, several network specials and series such as "Fantasy Island", "CHiPS", "The Fall Guy", "The A-Team", and "The Grande Ole' Opry". |
