Lee Wiley (1908-1975) was an American jazz singer popular in the 30s through the 50s. While still in her early teens, Wiley left home to begin a career singing with the Leo Reisman band. Her career was temporarily interrupted by a fall while horse-riding and she suffered temporary blindness, but she recovered and at the age of 19 was back with Reisman's band. She also sang with Paul Whiteman and later, the Casa Loma Orchestra. A collaboration with composer Victor Young resulted in several songs for which Wiley wrote the lyrics, including "Got The South In My Soul" and "Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere". In 1939, Wiley made a 78rpm album set of eight Gershwin songs with a small group for Liberty Music Shops. The set sold well and was followed by sets dedicated to Porter (1940), Rodgers/Hart (1940 and 1954), Arlen (1943) and Youmans and Berlin (1951). Wiley's career made a resurgence in 1950 with the album Night in Manhattan. In 1954, she opened the very first Newport Jazz Festival. Later in the decade she recorded two of her finest albums, West of the Moon (1956) and A Touch of the Blues (1957). In the 1960s, Wiley essentially went into retirement, Her last public appearance was a concert in Carnegie Hall in 1972 as part of the New York Jazz Festival, where she was enthusiastically received. This, however is a superb early recording made in 1933. She was accompanied by a studio orchestra, which nevertheless included the very best jazzmen of those days.
