After that, the records became somewhat spotty, though she's always worth hearing. The writing has just not been consistent.
On the other hand, she's turned out to be a particularly outstanding interpreter of popular song. She has a very good vocal instrument, and great skill and expressiveness in using it.
Whoever exactly she's working with, she's also been excellent at generating groovlicious jazz pop arrangements of classics. I particularly recommend her definitive reading of "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys." I never cared for that song before she did it.
Also in the range of classic covers, she does the unknown yet still definitive version of "Sunshine Superman." She also puts a unique personal spin to "Rebel Rebel."
She made her stage entrance doing sexy things to "Low Rider" when I saw her live, somewhere circa 1995. She was playing a small outdoor theater, touring with Lyle Lovett, whom she obviously had totally whipped. I got his sheepish behavior in her presence implicitly.
It's a good thing Lyle was eager to submit. She messed up my little mind about two thirds of the way through the show, calling out a handful of chattering idiots yammering on down front while she's playing. They needed to shut it if they were going to stay, which wasn't absolutely necessary. "If you want your money back, I'll give you your f%^*ing money back."
I'll just say that all my precious bodily fluids were in flux there for the rest of the show.
Now she's 50, and still has The Power. Drop on by her website. She's generally got some groovy free mp3s.
Happy Birthday!
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Article comments
1 - Douglas Mays
Cool. I was born in Chicago, Nov. 17, 1957. Learn something everyday. They say she lives out this way in Tacoma WA. I've always been a fan. A good energy.
2 - Mark Saleski
al, yet another reason you've gotta check out tom waits. he's definitely rickie lee's weird cousin.
also worth checking into is "Live at Red Rocks", with a killer version of 'Satellites'.
3 - Joe Barr
Happy birthday, Rickie Lee. Hope you are still clean and sober and enjoying life to the fullest. You've always been my fave, you know, and you speak more jive than an eskimo.