Howard Leese

Howard M. Leese (13 June 1951, Hollywood, California - ) is an American guitarist, record producer and musical director who played with "Heart" for 22 years (1975-1997).

Leese had his first recording contract with Ed Cobb’s Sunburst label [Not Sunburst Records of Huntsville, Alabama, but a Los Angeles based company.] at the age of 15, as the band "The Zoo" with friend and drummer Mike Flicker. Later when Flicker went to work for Jack Herschorn at Mushroom Studios in Vancouver, Leese went with him as a production manager. While there he and Shelly Siegel started Mushroom Records.

It was at Mushroom Studios in 1974 that Leese helped produce a demo for the Wilson sisters (Ann and Nancy) and their band. The next year Mushroom Records signed Heart and released the group's first album "Dreamboat Annie" which Flicker produced. Leese was assistant producer on the album, and was asked to join the band later that year. He stayed with them until 1997. Leese was Heart's guitarist, backing vocalist, keyboard player and song arranger.

In 1998 he joined the "The Paul Rodgers Band".

He is also a Paul Reed Smith Guitars artist and appeared at the "Experience PRS 2008" on September 19 and 20, 2008.

Albums

All Heart albums 1975-1997, and
* "The Zoo Presents Chocolate Moose" (1968) -- by "The Zoo" [ [http://lost-in-tyme.blogspot.com/2007/07/zoo-1968-presents-chocolate-mouse.html "Lost-In-Tyme: The Zoo - 1968 - Presents Chocolate Mouse" ] ]
* "Fighting Alone" (1979) -- by Dixon House
* "Masked Madness" (1981) -- by Dixon House
* "Randy Meisner" (1982) -- by Randy Meisner
* "Thirteenth Dream" (aka "Spirit of 84'’) (1984) -- by "Spirit"
* "Dangerous Curves" (1991) -- by Lita Ford
* "There Must Be A Place" (1993 ) -- by "Bananafish"

Notes

References

* York, William (ed.) (1982) "Leese, Howard" "Who's Who in Rock Music" Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, ISBN 0-684-17343-3

External links

* [http://www.howardleese.com/apps/content/biography.asp "Howard Leese biography" The Official Website of Howard Leese]
* [http://brigade.monger.net/howie.html "Howie's Page" "BebeLeStrange's Ann And Nancy Wilson Site" by Todd Kinzey]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20050406201546/http://207.168.168.83/interviews01/howard_leese_interview.htm "Interview with Howard Leese" "Classic Rock Revisited"] from WebArchive

Persondata
NAME = Leese, Howard
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = American guitarist, music producer and musical director
DATE OF BIRTH = 13 June 1951
PLACE OF BIRTH = Hollywood, California, United States
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =