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costume. A lover of animals, Dee often included his pet dog, a black toy poodle he owned named "Little Miss
Muffett", in his routine. The dog was trained to bark along with some of his numbers and smiled on queue. His beloved Miss Muffett lived to be 17; she had kept him company while he traveled on the road earlier in his career. Fans continued to ask him about the dog long after she had died.
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for decades. In the 1980s, he later opened Lenny Dee's King's Inn a few miles away. His supper club format — with dinner, drinks, opening acts and his musical and his comedy routines — was popular with local fans and visitors from around the world. The supper club's menu included the "One Pound Pork Chop," along with other high-end steak house selections.
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like the Desert Ranch and
Dolphin Beach resorts, Dee started his own up-scale supper club, named Lenny Dee's Dolphin Den. He held two shows each night with full bands playing dancing music between shows, and he packed the supper club nightly. Dee was a significant attraction to St. Petersburg Beach
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category), his stage act included comedy typical of the
Nashville country music entertainment genre, with jokes and changing the lyrics of songs, and routines that Dee was noted for, such as making realistic sounds of trains, whistles, and waves of water with the organ while wearing wild hats as
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Dee continued recording into the 1970s, adding a background orchestra in the late 1960s as many other easy listening performers were doing at the time. By the late 1970s, Dee was in less demand. After recording 56 albums, he was finally released from the MCA label, along with many other easy
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Dee played a variety of songs in numerous styles. He played original compositions, popular songs, and novelty tunes, and was a master of improvisation. Although his unique style was a pop/boogie-woogie blend, he also played ballads, country and western, jazz, rock, and patriotic songs.
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Dee made good, and his original composition, "Plantation Boogie" charted at No. 19 in 1955. Dee re-recorded the hit on numerous albums, and was often imitated, even plagiarized, but never duplicated. Dee wrote "Chicken in the Rough", and recorded the song as a duet with saxophonist,
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Despite his contract with Decca, Dee's first love was live performance. Dee loved people and he loved to entertain them with music and laughter. In the mid-1950s, he performed for several summers at the Lake Breeze Hotel lounge, at
Buckeye Lake, just east of
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instrumental artists of the day, he had a following that bought his albums over the years, but rarely rushed out to buy them when newly released so that they would make the chart. His recordings featured organ with other instruments, that were produced by
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Dee spent the rest of his career at his night clubs and on tour, but the demand for his music continued to decline. In 1999, Dee played on a series of cruise ship tours. He retired in 2003. He died at home on
February 12, 2006, in St. Petersburg.
285:, United States, As a child, he sang in his church's choir; he also played ukulele, banjo and accordion. As a teenager, he turned playing the accordion into a profession in his uncle's quartet, which he continued until he volunteered into the
423:, which would become the base of Dee's operations for the rest of his career. They had two children: Raymond and Georgia. Lenny Dee Jr., his drummer, was one of three children from his first marriage (Betty), daughters are Barbara and Linda.
435:. During the 1960s and 1970s, St. Petersburg Beach was a popular vacation destination, complete with an early theme park and a few luxury resorts. In 1967, after performing regularly at Davy Jones Locker, and later in hotel super clubs at
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Model A organ. He later customized this instrument with a
Hammond Solovox, a Maas-Rowe Vibrachord, and Leslie speakers (model 31-H). He also had a tape echo built into his organ, allowing him to create his trademark re-echo sound.
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organ overdubbed with his
Hammond Model A. In 1967, he started recording on a Hammond X-66; in 1972, he switched to a Hammond Concorde. In the 1970s, he also recorded on
412:. Dee played various instruments, and was influential in the history of organs and keyboards. Dee was recognized for his contribution to the field of music by
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heard him playing at the
Plantation Inn in Nashville, Tennessee, and thought Dee's unique sound would be a good contrast to the label's then prominent organist,
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listening artists. Time Life honored him for his 1950's contribution to music, including his recording of "A Foggy Day (In London Town) - Lenny Dee" on the CD
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312:. Afterward, he began playing hotels and night clubs in the south in the late 1940s to some degree of success, but no record contracts.
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organists of the 1950s through the early 1970s. His signature hit, "Plantation Boogie", charted as a Top 20 hit in 1955. He also had a
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of the 1970s and 1980s. He was nearly always backed by percussion; depending on the song, he also recorded with guitarists,
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organs. Other keyboards he used include the
Hammond Piper, which he used for its trumpet and harpsichord sounds, and the
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244:, was an American virtuoso organist who played many styles of music. His record albums were among the most popular of
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Dee recorded dozens of albums for Decca which sold moderately well although only three of them managed to hit the
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When Dee married his second wife, Hendrica, in 1960, the couple settled down in
Sarasota and eventually
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When he toured on a cruise ship towards the end of his life, he played a Hammond-Suzuki Elegante.
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for what Dee described as "bringing the organ out of the church and into mainstream music".
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It was not until the early 1950s that Dee was signed up to Decca after country singer
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Double Star Series Featuring Lenny Dee & Earl Grant, MCA Special Products 734702
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Although he was not a country music performer per se (his work fell more into the
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Dee ventured into recording albums for Decca starting in 1954 with his first LP,
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Model A organ, one of the earliest of its kind. With money from the
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Remember When, MCA MAP 1131 (mono), MAPS 1131 (stereo) Released 1970
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was released in 2006 and features 48 tracks on two discs, including
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The Best Of Lenny Dee Vol.II, MCA MCA2 4084 (Double Record Set)
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Turn Around, Look At Me, Decca DL 75073 charted #199 on Hot 200
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Upon his return from service, Dee spent his Navy earnings on a
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The Best Of Lenny Dee, Decca DL DXSB 7199 (Double Record Set)
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240:(January 5, 1923 – February 12, 2006), better known as
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Since his death, three compilation CDs have been released.
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Lenny Dee page at theatreorgans.com, including an obituary
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Lenny Dee page, including discography, at spaceagepop.com
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Treasury Of Favorites, Suffolk Marketing, Inc. SMI I-74
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Spinning Wheel, Decca DL 75152 charted #189 on Hot 200
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This article is about the organist. For the DJ, see
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Lenny Dee Featuring I'll Play For You, MCA MCA 2162
835:Melodies Of Love, Suffolk Marketing, Inc. SMI I-75
757:Gentle On My Mind, Decca DL 74994 charted #196 on
340:" to Dee's "Chicken in the Rough" is often noted.
848:, Good Music Record Company MSD2 37209 (2-CD Set)
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772:Here's Lenny Dee At The Organ, Vocalion VL 73782
516:After his discharge from the Navy, Dee bought a
483:. Dee even had his own show in the mid-1950s on
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885:, Showcase Productions SP 111 (video, 95 min.)
451:His television credits include appearances on
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952:The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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700:Dee-Frosting, Decca ED 2613 (45 EP Album)
660:Learn how and when to remove this message
502:Instrumental Favorites - Around the World
87:Learn how and when to remove this message
805:Steppin' Out With Lenny Dee, MCA MCA 455
709:Lenny Dee Plays The Hits, Decca DL 78857
50:This article includes a list of general
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724:Lenny Dee In Hollywood, Decca DL 74315
718:Golden Organ Favorites, Decca DL 74112
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524:In the early 1960s, Dee recorded on a
739:Sweethearts On Parade, Decca DL 74632
715:Songs Everybody Knows, Decca DL 78978
694:Dee-Beat! Decca ED 2552 (45 EP Album)
293:in 1943 aboard the aircraft carrier,
1069:20th-century American male musicians
907:""Mr. Entertainment' dies at age 83"
727:Lenny Dee Down South, Decca DL 74365
703:Dee-Latin Hi-Fi Organ, Decca DL 8718
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563:issued two additional compilations.
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871:Mr. Entertainer: The Lenny Dee Show
769:Little Green Apples, Decca DL 75112
730:By Popular Dee-Mand, Decca DL 74429
691:Mr. Dee Goes To Town, Decca DL 8497
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1074:20th-century American keyboardists
820:Take It To The Limit, MCA MCA 2200
793:Organ Varieties, Vocalion VL 73819
778:Easy Come, Easy Go, Decca DL 75196
745:My Favorite Things, Decca DL 74706
742:The Lenny Dee Tour, Decca DL 74654
712:The Lenny Dee Show, Decca DL 78913
587:. The second Jasmine compilation,
555:, a two-disc set, was released by
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56:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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787:Where Is The Love, Decca DL 75366
733:Something Special, Decca DL 74498
1034:Military personnel from Illinois
883:Lenny Dee: The Man And His Music
790:Organ Special, Vocalion VL 73817
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829:Organ Celebration, MCA MCA 2370
736:Most Requested!, Decca DL 74572
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854:, Jasmine JASCD 427 (2-CD Set)
721:Happy Holi-Dee, Decca DL 74146
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238:Leonard George DeStoppelaire
131:Leonard George DeStoppelaire
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989:Discography with commentary
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784:Easy Loving, Decca DL 75320
781:Remember Me, Decca DL 75255
748:In The Mood, Decca DL 74818
635:. The specific problem is:
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751:Moving On!, Decca DL 74880
706:Mellow-Dee Decca, DL 78796
682:Dee-Licious, Decca DL 8275
679:Dee-Lirious, Decca DL 8165
504:(A Time Life Collection).
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489:Ladies' Day with Lenny Dee
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826:Organ Magic, MCA MCA 2301
487:in Tampa, Florida called
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823:Misty Blue, MCA MCA 2236
808:City Lights, MCA MCA 476
754:Relaxin', Decca DL 74946
697:Dee-Day!, Decca, DL 8628
688:Hi-Dee-Fi, Decca DL 8406
685:Dee-Most!, Decca DL 8308
433:Fort Lauderdale, Florida
1039:American male organists
421:St. Petersburg, Florida
372:and developed into the
363:album chart; like many
166:St. Petersburg, Florida
71:more precise citations.
1064:20th-century organists
1029:Musicians from Chicago
802:Lenny Dee, MCA MCA 379
799:Lenny Dee, MCA MCA 334
474:The Lawrence Welk Show
121:Background information
1049:Decca Records artists
846:Golden Organ Memories
553:Golden Organ Memories
999:Lenny Dee recordings
860:, Jasmine (2-CD set)
642:improve this section
631:to meet Knowledge's
601:Mr. Dee Goes to Town
437:St. Petersburg Beach
957:Guinness Publishing
547:Posthumous releases
1079:American organists
955:(First ed.).
877:Mr. Entertainer II
759:Billboard Hot 200
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454:Toast of the Town
361:Billboard Hot 200
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115:Lenny Dee in 1974
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1024:2006 deaths
1019:1923 births
865:Videography
858:In Dee-Mand
644:if you can.
607:Discography
589:In Dee-Mand
581:Dee-Licious
577:Dee-Lirious
512:Instruments
495:Later years
459:Ed Sullivan
392:; a backup
386:Chet Atkins
378:country pop
353:Dee-Licious
349:Dee-Lirious
326:Ethel Smith
273:Early years
254:gold record
69:introducing
1013:Categories
890:References
398:saxophones
338:Yakety Sax
209:Instrument
199:Occupation
142:1923-01-05
127:Birth name
52:references
918:23 August
593:Hi-Dee Fi
585:Dee-Most!
559:in 1998.
557:Universal
526:Wurlitzer
469:Jack Paar
414:Time Life
402:trombones
357:Dee-Most!
322:Red Foley
306:G.I. Bill
268:Biography
242:Lenny Dee
103:Lenny Dee
840:Reissues
626:require
406:trumpets
382:Les Paul
283:Illinois
277:Born in
203:Organist
1001:at the
628:cleanup
597:Dee-Day
518:Hammond
485:WFLA-TV
302:Hammond
289:during
279:Chicago
149:Chicago
65:improve
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599:, and
583:, and
534:Thomas
530:Yamaha
394:chorus
355:, and
219:Labels
173:Genres
168:, U.S.
54:, but
467:with
457:with
410:banjo
223:Decca
193:swing
961:ISBN
920:2021
532:and
390:bass
384:and
376:and
287:Navy
248:and
156:Died
136:Born
538:ARP
227:MCA
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