Alvin was raised on his father's impressive collection of old blues records, so his attentions were focused on music long before he was actually aware of exactly what "music" was and how it would influence his life.
At the age of twelve his father asked him if he wanted to learn an instrument, and Alvin chose the Clarinet. After one year he eventually swapped the clarinet for a F-hole guitar. He took Jazz lessons for about one year, where he began listening to the work of John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Bill Broonzy, and so on. It was at this time he started to modify his very own style of Jazz, Blues and Rock&Roll.
Alvin's F-hole guitar, which he later had fitted out with a pickup, gave way to a succession of electric instruments: A tiny Guytone with crystal pickups, a semi-hollow Grimshaw, a Burns, and then the familiar ES-335. As a matter of fact he's still using the same ES-335.
It wasn't long until Alvin had a weekend band called the Jailbreakers. By the time Beatlemania set in, Alvin had already joined forces with Leo Lyons in a Nottingham-based group called the Jaybirds, soon to blossom into Ten Years After, with Leo Lyons on bass, Chick Churchill on keyboards, and Rick Lee on drums.
Ten Years After was formed in 1966, and in 1967 they released their first album. The big break came at the Woodstock festival with the great song "I'm going home." In 1974, Ten Years After broke up and Alvin went into various solo projects, such as: Alvin Lee & Co., The Alvin Lee Band and Ten Years Later. Ten Years After had some reunions after they split up. Now it´s time for a new reunion and we are all looking forward to hearing from Alvin again!
Keep on Rockin'
© 1997 Please feel free to E-mail me with any coments or questions.
Benny
My photos of Alvin: The Fan Club: Who is this Benny?
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