Rush’s Geddy Lee recalls the first songs he ever heard and played

Rush bassist, keyboardist and vocalist Geddy Lee is considered one of the best musicians of all time that inspired millions of music fans all over the world. Now, the Canadian revealed in an interview with Classic Rock Magazine the first song he remember hearing.

Rush’s Geddy Lee recalls the first song he remembers hearing:

“As a teenager I worked weekends at my parents’ shop in a small town north of Toronto. On the drive there the radio was always on. I remember Motown music playing – My Girl by The Temptations – and me drumming along on the dashboard, as we’ve all done in our lives.”

He also recalled the first song he performed live

“When I was fourteen I auditioned for a band at a local high-school gym, and sang As Tears Go By – the Stones version of that song. I wasn’t very Jagger-esque, I had a much sweeter soprano voice.”

Lee also talked about his biggest disappointment

“Emerson, Lake & Palmer had a famously disappointing album, Love Beach. I was a huge ELP fan. But that one really furrowed my brow.”

Geddy Lee

Lee’s style, technique, and skill on the bass guitar have inspired many rock musicians such as Cliff Burton of Metallica, Steve Harris of Iron Maiden and Les Claypool of Primus. Besides that, along with his Rush bandmates, Lee was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on May 9, 1996. The trio was the first rock band to be so honoured, as a group.

In 2013, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after 14 years of eligibility. So they were nominated overwhelmingly in the Hall’s first selection via fan ballot. In addition, Lee is ranked 13th by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Vocalists of All Time.