Kevin Braheny

Lee Underwood: California Sigh

by Gareth Thompson
July 30, 2024

Lee Underwood's late father played trombone in a big band at the University of Colorado. Underwood recalls, “Whenever he thought of those days, my dad would close his eyes, purse his lips, and extend his right hand as if still playing this beloved trombone." Lee himself became a high-school jazz pianist, but caught his break as a guitarist, playing for Tim Buckley throughout the singer's turbulent and tragic career. Buckley's untimely death in 1975 saw Underwood pursue a ...