Johnny Lee Ham
(born July 3, 1946, in Texas City, Texas) is an American Country Music Singer. His 1980 single, "Lookin' for Love," not only spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard country singles chart in the second half of 1980 (and, by the way, became the #1 country song for that aforementioned year) but also went to the Top 5 on the Pop charts, and Top 10 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary survey. He racked up a series of country hits in the early and mid-80s.
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JOHNNY LEE TICKETS
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Biography
Lee grew up in Alta Loma, Texas on a dairy farm. In high school he formed a
rock n' roll band, "Johnny Lee and the Roadrunners". After school, Lee enlisted in the
United States Navy and served a tour of duty on the
USS Chicago, a guided missile cruiser. After his discharge, he played cover tunes in
Texas nightclubs and bars through the 1960s.
Lee worked 10 years with
Mickey Gilley both on tour and at
Gilley’s Club in
Pasadena, Texas. The 1980 hit movie
Urban Cowboy
was largely shot at Gilley's club. It was the soundtrack from the movie that catapulted Lee to fame. The record spawned several hit singles, one of which was Lee's "Lookin' for Love."
Lee had five songs reach the top of the
Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart. In addition to "Lookin' For Love," those songs are "One in a Million" (1980); "Bet Your Heart on Me" (1981); "The Yellow Rose" (1984, a duet with
Lane Brody and the theme song to the
NBC TV-series of the same name); and "You Could Have Heard a Heartbreak" (1984). His other major hits include "
Pickin' Up Strangers" (1981), "Prisoner of Hope" (1981); "Cherokee Fiddle," "Sounds Like Love" and "Hey Bartender" (1983); and "Rollin' Lonely" and "Save the Last Chance" (1985).
Lee married
Charlene Tilton in 1982 but the marriage only lasted three years. Their daughter Cherish was born in 1982. He has a son from another marriage. Lee and his son live in
Branson, Missouri. Lee tried a stage act in Branson, but prefers to remain a touring act. An attempt at a comeback in the late 1980s was short-lived.
In the fall of 2008, Lee returned to Branson to perform shows to rave reviews.
Discography
Albums
Year
| Album
| US Country
| RIAA
|
1977
| For Lovers Only
| —
| —
|
1980
| Lookin' for Love
| 8
| Gold
|
1981
| Bet Your Heart on Me
| 9
| —
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1982
| Sounds Like Love
| 32
| —
|
1983
| Hey Bartender
| 15
| —
|
Greatest Hits
| 41
| —
|
1984
| Til' the Bars Burn Down
| 23
| —
|
1985
| Keep Me Hangin' On
| 36
| —
|
Workin' for a Livin
| 23
| —
|
1989
| New Directions
| —
| —
|
1990
| The Best of Johnny Lee
| —
| —
|
1995
| Country Party
| —
| —
|
1996
| Ramblin' Rose
| —
| —
|
1999
| Live at Gilley's
| —
| —
|
2001
| At His Best
| —
| —
|
2002
| Live At Billy Bob's Texas
| —
| —
|
2003
| The 13th of July
| —
| —
|
Greatest Hits
| —
| —
|
2005
| Santa Claus Is Lookin' for Love
| —
| —
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2006
| Country Candy Store
| —
| —
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Singles
Year
| Single
| Chart Positions
| Album
|
US Country
| US
| CAN Country
|
1976
| "Sometimes"
| 59
| —
| —
| Live at Gilley's
|
"Red Sails in the Sunset"
| 22
| —
| —
| Country Party
|
1977
| "Ramblin' Rose"
| 37
| —
| —
| Country Party
|
"Country Party"
| 15
| —
| 50
|
"Dear Alice"
| 58
| —
| —
|
1978
| "This Time"
| 43
| —
| —
|
1980
| "Lookin' for Love"A
| 1
| 5
| 18
| Lookin' for Love
|
"One in a Million"
| 1
| —
| 8
|
1981
| "Pickin' Up Strangers"
| 3
| —
| 4
|
"Prisoner of Hope"
| 3
| —
| 4
|
"Rode Hard and Put Up Wet"
| 52
| —
| —
| Urban Cowboy 2
|
"Bet Your Heart on Me"
| 1
| 54
| 5
| Bet Your Heart on Me
|
1982
| "Be There for Me Baby"
| 10
| —
| 5
|
"When You Fall in Love"
| 14
| —
| 46
|
"Cherokee Fiddle"
| 10
| —
| 24
| Sounds Like Love
|
1983
| "Sounds Like Love"
| 6
| —
| 9
|
"Hey Bartender"
| 2
| —
| 1
| Hey Bartender
|
"My Baby Don't Slow Dance"
| 23
| —
| 13
|
1984
| "The Yellow Rose" (with Lane Brody)
| 1
| —
| 1
| Til the Bars Burn Down
|
"One More Shot"
| 42
| —
| 26
|
"You Could've Heard a Heart Break"
| 1
| —
| 2
| Workin' for a Livin
|
1985
| "Rollin' Lonely"
| 9
| —
| 9
|
"Save the Last Chance"
| 12
| —
| 12
| Keep Me Hangin' On
|
"They Never Had to Get Over You"
| 19
| —
| 57
|
1986
| "The Loneliness in Lucy's Eyes"
| 56
| —
| —
| single only
|
1989
| "Maybe I Won't Love You Anymore"
| 59
| —
| —
| New Directions
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"I'm Not Over You"
| 69
| —
| —
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"I Can Be a Heartbreaker Too"
| 53
| —
| —
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"You Can Fly Like an Eagle"
| 66
| —
| —
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- A"Lookin' for Love" also peaked at #20 on the RPM
Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and #54 on the RPM
Top Singles chart in Canada.
References