Lee Barber's album, "Thief and Rescue", is a labor of love paid for with bartered paintings and construction labor. It was recorded in Austin with producer Brian Beattie in 2009. Beattie has worked with Okkervil River, Bill Callahan, Daniel Johnston and Shearwater. The album was built with contributions from old friends. Longtime fan from The Barbers days, Will Sheff of Okkervil River, duets with Lee on “Darla.” Musicians on the album include: Brian Beattie, Jon Greene, Craig Ross, Matt the Electrician, Chris Vestra, Amy Annelle and Seela, among others. Lee is a seasoned songwriter and painter (the album cover is one of his). He was born in New Orleans, raised in Baton Rouge, and is now living in Austin. Lee remembers hearing “I Want To Hold Your Hand” as a top ten hit on his big sister’s transistor radio. He first performed his own songs at church in his mid teens. In '79 and '80, he fronted a soul band called The Hounds in Jackson, Ms. In ’87, along with Bruce Golden and Elaine Barber, Lee founded a 3 piece band called The Barbers. Instrumentation included guitar, drums, vibes, concert harp and pump organ. The Barbers relocated to Austin and made two albums, "The Barbers" (1997) and "You Know How It Is" (1999). "Thief and Rescue" is Lee's solo debut.
