Lee Moses
A soul firebrand whose raw, gritty voice and searing guitar work created a cult masterpiece that outshone his brief commercial flame.
1941–1998 (age 57)·Musical artist·Birthday: March 13·The Silent Generation
Biography
Lee Moses is the quintessential 'what if' of soul music—a blazing talent who burned intensely but briefly, leaving behind a small, potent catalog that has only grown in stature. Emerging from Atlanta in the mid-1960s, Moses was a dynamic performer, a powerful singer with a raspy, impassioned delivery and a ferocious guitarist often compared to Jimi Hendrix, whom he knew from the chitlin' circuit. His sole album, 1971's 'Time and Place', is a landmark of deep soul, blending covers like 'Hey Joe' and 'California Dreamin'' with originals such as the title track, all delivered with a visceral, almost psychedelic intensity. Despite its brilliance, the album vanished upon release, a commercial failure that led Moses to retreat from the music industry, disillusioned. He spent later decades in relative obscurity in New York, occasionally performing but never recording again. His death in 1998 went largely unnoticed, but in the 21st century, crate-digging DJs and soul collectors rediscovered 'Time and Place', hailing it as a lost classic of raw, emotional power, securing Moses a poignant, posthumous reverence.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Lee was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lee Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Lee's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1998Died at 57
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
Key Achievements
- Recorded the album 'Time and Place' (1971), now considered a seminal work in the deep soul genre.
- Wrote and recorded the original version of the soul ballad 'Bad Girl', later covered by numerous artists.
- Was known for his electrifying live performances that showcased his powerful vocals and virtuosic guitar playing.
Did You Know?
He was a left-handed guitarist who played a right-handed guitar flipped upside down, similar to Jimi Hendrix.
His cover of 'Hey Joe' predates Hendrix's famous version, and he performed it in a slow, soulful arrangement.
Much of his life after the early 1970s remains shrouded in mystery, contributing to his cult status.
Original copies of his 'Time and Place' LP are among the most sought-after and expensive records for soul collectors.
“I got to sing it like I feel it, and I feel it like it is.”
