Lee Aaron
Lee Aaron | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karen Lynn Greening July 21, 1962 Belleville, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Rock vocalist, jazz singer, actress |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | "Metal Queen", "Whatcha Do to My Body", "Sex with Love" |
Lee Aaron (born Karen Lynn Greening on July 21, 1962) is a Canadian rock vocalist who gained recognition during the 1980s and early 1990s with popular tracks such as "Metal Queen," "Whatcha Do to My Body," and "Sex with Love."
Early life
Born in Belleville, Ontario, Aaron began showcasing her talent in school theatrical productions by the age of five. She completed her secondary education in Brampton, Ontario.
At seventeen, she was involved in a car accident that caused a broken nose and facial bruises. Despite exaggerated claims of a full facial reconstruction, no surgical intervention was necessary; these inaccuracies were later corrected by Canadian Musician Magazine.
Career
Her musical journey started at fifteen when she performed in a music production and subsequently joined a local rock band named "Lee Aaron," a name chosen randomly from a hat. Alongside singing, she played the alto saxophone and keyboards, adopting the stage name Lee Aaron.
1980s
In 1982, Aaron released her first album, The Lee Aaron Project, under Freedom Records, which was eventually reissued by Attic Records. The record included contributions from prominent Toronto artists such as members of Moxy, Rif Raf3, Santers, and Triumph guitarist Rik Emmett. Although initially available as a UK import, she performed at the Reading Festival that same year.
Towards the end of 1982, Aaron appeared topless for OUI in New York City; she was featured on the cover and interviewed in the March 1983 issue. She later expressed regret over this choice, citing its negative effect on her musical reputation and pressure exerted by her management.
The 1984 release Metal Queen led to a multi-album contract with Attic Records. Guitarist John Albani (formerly of Wrabit) joined during the recording sessions, beginning an eleven-year songwriting collaboration with Aaron.
Between 1984 and 1992, Aaron toured extensively across Europe and also performed in Japan and the United States. She issued six albums through Attic Records in Canada, which were distributed internationally across the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy, Scandinavia, Australia, and Japan. Throughout this period, she earned three Toronto Music Awards for Best Female Vocalist and received sixteen nominations for the Junos, although she did not secure a win. Her 1985 album Call Of The Wild featured the well-known rock ballad "Barely Holdin On."
Her most commercially successful work came with the 1989 album Bodyrock, which included hits like "Whatcha Do to My Body" and achieved double platinum certification in Canada.
1990s
In 1992, Aaron parted ways with Attic Records to establish her own label, Hip Chic Music, through which she released two albums. The 1994 album Emotional Rain, distributed by A & M Canada, featured collaborations with Don Short, Don Binns of Sons of Freedom, guitarist Reeves Gabrels (known for his work with David Bowie's Tin Machine), and Knox Chandler from the Psychedelic Furs.
Her 1995 project 2preciious was created alongside members of Sons of Freedom; for this release she used her birth name Karen Greening instead of Lee Aaron. Both albums failed to achieve commercial success, and Sons of Freedom disbanded shortly thereafter.
Following this period, Aaron pursued acting studies before returning to music with performances in jazz and blues genres alongside Dennis Ziebart in Toronto.
2000s
In 2000, Aaron launched the jazz record Slick Chick under her own Barking Dog Music label, with distribution handled by Fusion 3. She promoted the album through numerous live performances at locations such as The Top of the Senator in Toronto, as well as at jazz festivals throughout Canada and Europe.
By 2002, she became a member of the Modern Baroque Opera Company, featuring in the acclaimed production 101 Songs for the Marquis De Sade, which had received the ALCAN Performing Arts Award.
Her eleventh studio release, Beautiful Things, blending elements of pop and jazz, was introduced in 2004.
While continuing to selectively engage in rock and jazz performances, Aaron made her first appearance in Sweden at the Sweden Rock Festival in 2011.
In March 2016, she independently funded and issued Fire And Gasoline, marking her return to an all-rock album after two decades, released through her Big Sister Records imprint. That same year, she was honored with induction into the Brampton Arts Walk Of Fame and performed at the Rockingham melodic/hard rock festival held in Nottingham, UK.
During 2017, Lee Aaron conducted several concerts across Germany and participated in the Bang Your Head Festivals, alongside shows in London and Wolverhampton.
Albums
| Year | Album | RPM Top 100 | SWE chart | CH chart | DE chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Lee Aaron Project | - | - | - | - |
| 1984 | Metal Queen | 69 | - | - | - |
| 1985 | Call of the Wild | 86 | - | - | - |
| 1987 | Lee Aaron | 39 | 26 | 28 | 51 |
| 1989 | Bodyrock | 32 | - | - | 36 |
| 1991 | Some Girls Do | 38 | - | - | - |
| 1994 | Emotional Rain | - | - | - | - |
| 1996 | 2preciious (with 2preciious) | - | - | - | - |
| 2000 | Slick Chick (with the Swingin' Barflies) | - | - | - | - |
| 2004 | Beautiful Things | - | - | - | - |
| 2016 | Fire and Gasoline | - | - | - | - |
| 2018 | Diamond Baby Blues | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 | Almost Christmas | - | - | - | - |
| 2021 | Radio On! | - | - | - | - |
| 2022 | Elevate | - | - | - | - |
| 2024 | Tattoo Me | - | - | - | - |
Compilations
- 1992: Powerline: The Best of Lee Aaron, Attic Records
- 2005: Museum: Videos, Clips and More 1997–2005
- 2008: Rarities, Studio & Live: 1981–2008
- 2012: Live in Sweden (DVD)
- 2012: Radio Hitz and More...
Singles
| Year | Single | Canadian chart ranking | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | "Under Your Spell" | - | The Lee Aaron Project |
| 1984 | "Metal Queen" | - | Metal Queen |
| "Shake It Up" | - | ||
| "We Will Be Rockin'" | - | ||
| 1985 | "Barely Holdin' On" | - | Call of the Wild |
| "Runnin' from the Fire" | - | ||
| "Rock Me All Over" | - | ||
| 1987 | "Only Human" | 44 | Lee Aaron |
| "Dream with Me" | - | ||
| "Power Line" | - | ||
| "Goin' Off the Deep End" | 93 | ||
| 1988 | "Do You Know What I Mean"(Myles Goodwyn featuring Lee Aaron) | 47 | Single only |
| 1989 | "Whatcha Do to My Body" | 25 | Bodyrock |
| 1990 | "Hands On" | 38 | |
| "Sweet Talk" | - | ||
| 1991 | "Sex with Love" | 55 | Some Girls Do |
| 1994 | "Odds of Love" | - | Emotional Rain |
| 1995 | "Baby Go Round" | - | |
| 2016 | "Tom Boy" | - | Fire and Gasoline |
| 2021 | "C'mon"* | - | Radio On! |
- Lead single from album released globally on July 23, 2021
External links
- 1962 births
- Attic Records (Canada) artists
- Canadian women heavy metal singers
- Canadian heavy metal singers
- Canadian women jazz singers
- Canadian jazz singers
- Canadian women rock singers
- Canadian women guitarists
- Canadian women songwriters
- Living people
- Musicians from Belleville, Ontario
- Singers from Ontario
- 20th-century Canadian women singers
- 21st-century Canadian women singers