Shawn Lee (born 1963) is an American musician, producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist. He is the co-founder of London-based yacht rock duo Young Gun Silver Fox, along with Andy Platts. He is known for creating the entire score for the acclaimed video game Bully. His song, Kiss the Sky, was featured in the Telltale video game Tales from the Borderlands. He is currently working on an upcoming album Janktone Productions, composed primarily of cheap and fun home-made instruments. There is no set release date. He currently lives in London, England.
Shawn Lee was born to a mother of Lebanese and American Indian ancestry and a father of Irish American ancestry.[6] Lee has relocated twice in pursuit of his career. He moved to Los Angeles in 1988 where he worked with The Dust Brothers and Jeff Buckley. After being in various bands, performing on The Tonight Show, a publishing deal with EMI and touring on Lollapolooza, Lee moved to London, England. There he signed a solo record deal with Talkin' Loud.
This resulted in an album Discomfort which was only promo released in France 1996. In 2000, Lee released Monkey BoyonWall of Sound Records. The album included Lee's song "Happiness", which was later recorded by million selling British artist Will Young.
2004 saw the release of album Soul Visa, in Japan only, on Rush Production!. Soul Visa was later released in 2006 worldwide under the BBE label. The album Harmonium was released in 2005 in Japan, again under Rush Production!.
As Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra, Lee has released 11 albums on US label Ubiquity Records and 1 under his own label Silver Fox Records: Music And Rhythm, Moods And Grooves, Voices and Choices, Strings And Things, A Very Ping Pong Christmas: Funky Treats From Santa's bag, Hits The Hits, Miles Of Styles, Under the Sun, Hooked Up Classics, World Of Funk, Reel To Reel, and Techstar.
Lee also scored UK/Swiss feature film Save Angel Hope, which is yet to be released. The 2008 surf documentary film Under The Sun also features an original Shawn Lee soundtrack released on Ubiquity Records. In 2009, his song "Kiss the Sky" with Nino Moschella was featured on the second-season finale of Life, as well as in the first-season finale of the HBO comedy Eastbound & Down and the penultimate episode of the fifth season of Nip/Tuck.
Lee continues to live in London working on an array of new albums in his studio "Trans-Yank." These include collaborations with Clutchy Hopkins, Tony Joe White, Darondo, Money Mark and Tommy Guerrero. He also frequently performs with London-based electronica band Psapp, both on record and at live performances.
In 2011 Shawn Lee collaborated on an art exhibition with French visual artist Gerald Petit in Lyon, titled "A Conversation Piece."[8]
Since 2011, Lee has collaborated with indie artist AM, whom he showcased with at the 2011 South By Southwest Music Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. After AM heard Lee's Music and Rhythm album on the radio in Los Angeles, he decided to reach out to Lee on a now defunct social networking site.[citation needed]The two became quick friends, sharing a common love for 1960s psychedelia and 1970s Italian soundtracks. AM & Shawn Lee released their debut album Celestial Electric to critical acclaim in September 2011 on ESL Music. The first single from the album, "Dark Into Light," was released on limited edition 12" vinyl on the Ubiquity label April 16, 2011 in honor of Record Store Day. When Rob Garza from Thievery Corporation heard the collaboration, he signed the debut album Celestial Electric to his record label ESL (Eighteenth Street Lounge). Due to ESL restructuring to be a digital only record label, AM & Shawn Lee brought their second album La Musique Numérique to Park The Van Records.[citation needed]
Shawn Lee has also worked with many artists such as Lana Del Rey, Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Psapp, Coldcut, Leeann Rhimes, Martina Mcbride, UNKLE, Tony Joe White, Chateau Flight, The Dust Brothers, St. Etienne, Jeff Buckley, Bomb the Bass, The Spice Girls, Natasha Atlas, Princess Superstar, Money Mark, Bei Bei, Misha Panfilov, Paul Elliot, Virgil Howe, Tim 'Love' Lee, Clutchy Hopkins, Nino Moschella and Georgia Anne Muldrow.
Most recently, he helped spawn Wild Belle.[citation needed]
Shawn Lee is also one half of Young Gun Silver Fox along with Andy Platts. They have released four albums: West End Coast in 2015, AM Waves in 2018 , Canyons in 2020 and Ticket to Shangri-La in 2022.[9]
Alex Rizzo, Elliot Ireland & Daniel Hewson – Soul Food (Tracks: "Alex Rizzo & Elliot Ireland & Shawn Lee - Butter On Ice") (Pedigree Cuts, 2008)
Alice Russell – Pot of Gold Remixes (Tracks: "Two Steps (Shawn Lee's 7 Inches of Soul Remix)") (Differ-Ant, 2009)
Broadway Project – One Divided Remix EP (Tracks: "Pages Cello (Shawn Lee Remix)") (ODS Recordings, 2009)
The Latin Project – Musica De La Noche (Tracks: "Legal (Shawn Lee Remix)") (TLP Musica Records, 2009)
The Superimposers - CDEP 1 (Tracks: "Golden (Shawn Lee Remix)", "Golden (Shawn Lee Instrumental Remix)") (Wonderfulsound, 2009)
BLUNDETTO - Bad bad things (Tracks: "Nautilus (feat. Shawn Lee)", "Ken Park (feat. Tommy Guerrero & Shawn Lee)", "La Carretilla (feat. Shawn Lee & Budos Band Horns)") (Heavenly Sweetness, 2010)
Various - Cinematic Underscores 2 (Tracks: "Hammer Time", "Blue Sky Reverie", "Death Of A Dancer", "Morning Sunshine", "From The Sky") (Pedigree Cuts, 2010)
Various - Disco Bullets (Tracks: "Disco Wristo") (Pedigree Cuts, 2010)
Various - Dope Beatz (Tracks: "Pub Grub") (Pedigree Cuts, 2010)
Blundetto - Bad bad things (Tracks: "Nautilus") (Heavenly Sweetness, 2010)
A Very Ping Pong Christmas: Funky Treats From Santa's Bag (Ubiquity, 2007)
Hits The Hits (Ubiquity, 2007)
Miles Of Styles (Ubiquity, 2008)
Under the Sun (Ubiquity, 2008)
Hooked Up Classics (Ubiquity, 2010)
World Of Funk (Ubiquity, 2011)
Reel To Reel (Ubiquity, 2012)
Techstar (Silver Fox Records, 2017)
- Singles & EPs -
Kiss The Sky EP (VS Nino Moschella) (Ubiquity, 2006)
Miles of Smiles (Ubiquity, 2008)
Kiss The Sky (Ubiquity, 2020)
Rocket Ship (Da Do Bap Music ASCAP, 2021)
- Appearances -
Thievery Corporation – ESL Remixed : The 100th Release Of ESL Music (Tracks: "A Gentle Dissolve (Shawn Lee Ping Pong Orchestra Remix)") (Eighteenth Street Lounge Music, 2006)
Dust Galaxy – Come Hear The Trumpets (Tracks: "Come Hear The Trumpets (Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra Indian Vibes Remix)") (Vivicolorsound, 2007)
Jack Arel – Chappell Recorded Music Library Works > Originals & Remixes (Tracks: "Jungle Soul (PPO Version)") (Koka Media, 2007)
Various Artists – Cinematic: Classic Film Music Remixed (Tracks: "Birdman of Alcatraz (Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra Remix)") (Six Degrees Records, 2007)
Unknown Artist – Vol. 2: Zouche Sounds (Tracks: "Rising Light (Shawn Lee & The Ping Pong Orchestra Remix)") (Universal Publishing Production Musics, 2008)
