Bobby Lee "Bobby Lee Sings" (Tonka Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Gabe Tucker & Lonnie Wright)
Although here he's recording for a label in Houston, Lee was a longtime fixture on the Arizona country scene, and had cut a string of single on various labels throughout the 'Sixties and early '70s. How he got hooked up with the Tonka label is anyone's guess, though Tonka seems to have been a haven for old-timers, country dudes who had cut a couple of 78s back in the early 'Fifties, so Bobby Lee probably fit right in. This also seems to have been a songwriter's demo set, with all but one of the songs provided by Tonka's in-house company, Tata Grande Publishing, which furnished songs for several other Tonka releases and some of the same composers as well, such as Bill Bramlett, Jimmy Copeland and Sonny Hall. Lee seems to have gone in mostly for ballads, though he does cover the Bob Wills oldie, "Roly Poly," so there's a little bounce in his step as well. Unfortunately the musicians backing hm aren't identified, so it's unclear if this was his own band or some guys from Texas booked for the session.
Bobby Lee "Songs Of Bobby Lee" (Little Richie Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Little Richie Johnson)
A set of mostly new, original tunes recorded in a Nashville session set up by Southwestern country svengali Little Richie Johnson, with material drawn from a publishing company Johnson had business ties with... The sessions were anchored by steel player Lloyd Green, along with Kelso Herston on rhythm guitar, Buddy Harmon (drums), Charlie McCoy (harmonica and organ) Bob Moore (bass), Hargus Robbins (piano), Billy Sanford (lead guitar), and Buddy Spicher (fiddle).
Bobby Lee "The Best Of Bobby Lee" (D Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Various producers)
This appears to be a reissue of his late 'Sixties Musicor singles, which are listed below. This was probably issued on the sly, figuring no one was going to notice at whatever city-slicker big corporation owned the masters at the time. No liner notes or visible release date, but it looks like an early-to-mid 1980s album.
Bobby Lee (Cuca Records, 1961-?) (# J-1065) (7")
A: "It Takes Breaks" (c: Ed Keele)
B: "Connie" (c: Will Carson & Ed Keele)
(Producer not identified)
Though he had been playing country music professionally way back in the 1940s, this appears to have been one of Mr. Altendorf's earliest singles. (There are some "Bobby Lee" country 78s as well, but I'm not sure if he was the artist...) These early 'Sixties tracks showcase Bobby Lee's relationship to hillbilly singer Will Carson, who also recorded for Cuca Records around he same time, an who co-wrote a few songs with a guy named Ed Keel (aka Keele) who was apparently a truck driver by trade, and not a full-time musician.
Bobby Lee & The Rhythm All-Stars (Cuca Records, 1962) (# J-1076) (7")
A: "King Size Love" (c: )
B: "Twist It" (c: Will Carson & Ed Keele)
(Producer not identified)
Bobby Lee (Mustang Records, 1965-?) (# M-1115) (7")
A: "It's So Nice Loving You" (c: Will Carson & Ed Keele)
B: "It Takes Breaks" (c: Ed Keel)
(Producer not identified)
Bobby Lee (Ramco Records, 1966) (# 1978-A/B) (7")
A: "Now That You Got Me Where You Want Me (You Don't Want Me At All)" (c: Bozo Darnell & Howard Bowman)
B: "Stand In My Shoes" (c: Bozo Darnell & Major Luper)
(Produced by Donnie Owens & Buddy Wheeler)
The Phoenix-based Ramco label was also home to a young Waylon Jennings, and I believe that the Donnie Owens credited as producer was soon to be known as Johnny Paycheck. So, yeah. Pretty cool.
Bobby Lee (Ramco Records, 1967) (# 1996-A/B) (7")
A: "Muddy Wheels" (c: Bozo Darnell)
B: "Big Big Day Tomorrow" (c: S. Turner, C. Williams & C. Ziegler)
(Produced by Howard Bowman, Al Natterman & Buddy Wheeler)
Bobby Lee (Musicor Records, 196--?) (# MU-1346) (7")
A: "If Hearts Could Talk" (c: Eddie Noack)
B: "You've Got A Woman" (c: Eddie Noack)
(Produced by Pappy Daily)
Bobby Lee (Musicor Records, 196--?) (# MU-1356) (7")
A: "Proud To Be A Man" (c: A. Thomas)
B: "Lucky In Cards" (c: Eddie Noack)
(Produced by Pappy Daily)
Bobby Lee (Musicor Records, 1965-?) (# MU-1376) (7")
A: "It's Easy To Steal From The Blind" (c: Dallas Frazier & B. Bennison)
B: "You'll Know How Much I Lost" (c: B. Robinson)
(Produced by Pappy Daily)
Bobby Lee (Musicor Records, 196--?) (# MU-1390) (7")
A: "Doodle Bug" (c: Eddie Noack)
B: "You Always Beat My Conscience To A Draw" (c: F. Keys, L. Echols & D. Groom)
(Produced by Eddie Noack)
Bobby Lee (Musicor Records, 196--?) (# MU-1404) (7")
A: "Springtime Of My Wonder" (c: L. Leigon)
B: "A Slight Complication (Called Me)" (c: D. Carter)
(Produced by Eddie Noack)
Bobby Lee (D Records, 1970) (# 1287) (7")
A: "God Made An Angel" (c: Eddie Noack)
B: "This Is The One" (c: Ben Wilson)
(Produced by Eddie Noack (?)
Bobby Lee (Stoneway Records, 1972) (# 1074) (7")
A: "Yes'm I Am" (c: Darwin Price)
B: "Love's The Only Way To Go" (c: D. Walden & G. Brinson)
(Produced by Eddie Noack)
Bobby Lee (Stoneway Records, 1973) (# 1082) (7")
A: "Barbara Joy" (c: Eddie Noack)
B: "Love Begins Another Day" (c: J. Berkson & J. Karraker)
(Produced by Eddie Noack)
Bobby Lee & The Texas Rangers (MGM Records, 1953) (#K-11478) (7")
A: "Always Sorry" (c: Lorenz)
B: "Lightnin' Bug Blues" (c: Sweet)
(Producer not identified)
Bobby Lee & His Lee Men (Alsie Records, 19--?) (# AR-45-1016-A/B) (7")
A: "Last Call For Alcohol" (c: )
B: "Statue Of A Fool" (c: Crutchfield)
(Produced by Jack Rivers)
Not to be confused with numerous other musicians going by the stage name Bobby Lee, Robert Lee Altendorf (1924-2017) was a Kansas-born World War Two veteran who fought at the Invasion of Normandy and was later wounded in France. He was originally a hillbilly musician from the pre-war era, who had landed his own radio show when he was a teen sometime around 1940, and who went right back into music after he got discharged. According to his obituary, he toured with Little Jimmy Dickens for a while, and did some time in Nashville and perhaps also in Texas, eventually settling in Arizona where he recorded for several different labels over the years. He is sometimes mixed up with Bobby Lee Duncan, a Florida-based singer with ties to the Texas country scene -- this page is an attempt to sort the two out, which may be easier said than done!
