jimmyleehoward.com

Jimmy Lee Howard was born into a very musically talented family in Texas, US, and grew up singing and playing the drums in the church and in school. Jimmy Lee Howard has numerous gospel awards to his credit, including Music NL’s award for gospel artist of the Year in 2002. He is the recipient of two Maja gospel awards in Toronto:  in Oct/03 for his original song "My God Is Able" and in Oct/04 for "Male Artist of The Year" and he has been twice nominated for the East Coast Music Awards. This recording artist’s first CD “Because He Lives” features many traditional favorites, along with original compositions.

Jimmy Lee began his music career playing in groups in the 60's and traveled throughout the southern U.S. performing in nightclubs, where he became a lead singer and soloist. Jimmy continued traveling and had the opportunity to make a record, a 45 single, in which he composed and sang "On My Way Back Home" and "The Big Let Down" which received radio play by Wolf Man Jack, and also had the pleasure of sitting in on "jam" sessions with Bobby Blue Band, B.B. King, Jackie Wilson, U.S. Bond, and numerous others. He joined other groups who backed up such notables as Little Johnny Taylor (Disco Lady), Fats Domino (Blueberry Hill), Bobby Freeman (The Swim) and others. Jimmy also performed with groups that would be openers for major stars and did open for The Pointer Sisters and Bob Hope in Las Vegas, and had the opportunity to perform at the bi-centennial for President Ford.

Jimmy's style of music has progressed, and his career took a complete change in 1985. Although he still displays the same talent, he began in that year to sing and play only Christian gospel. Jimmy became a born again Christian in 1985, and has remained devoted to Jesus since that time and so he now sings only for and to Him. Jimmy is a non-denominational Christian; therefore he is available to sing at any Christian church. Jimmy played drums and sang frequently on the Christian Channel 42, in California, for the "Coast to Coast" program. He was featured as a soloist at The Fortress Christian Center Church, frequently played drums there, and was also a part of their Mass Choir. In fact Jimmy helped pioneer the Church with Pastor R.C. Haus. Jimmy made another big change in his life when he came to live in Newfoundland (NL) in June of 2000. He has now made it his home and has used his musical talents to aid various charitable organizations including the Cancer Society, Metro Chaplaincy, Right to Life Association, and for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Celebrity Secrets concert at Mile One stadium. Also at Mile One stadium, he performed for the Badger benefit, where $375,000 was raised for the victims of a flood disaster in Badger, NL. Other venues where Jimmy has performed and taken his music ministry in NL include the Arts and Culture Centre and LSPU Hall, CLB Armory, Holy Heart Auditorium, as well as outdoor venues such as the Canadian Bible Society's Gospel Festival in Bowring Park and Corner Brook, drive-in church services in Bonavista, and for the Brigus Blueberry festival. Summer Jamboree in Windsor, NS as well as Upper Clements Park, NS, Caribbean festivals and outdoor church services in Toronto, are some other venues. Jimmy Lee also participated in "Festival 500 - Sharing The Voices" - an international festival of choral music, in St. John's, NL in the summer of 2003. He also took part in gospel showcases for the ECMAs in St. John’s, NL and Sydney, NS. For the past seven years, his music ministry has been concentrated primarily in churches in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and New York. He extends his talent as well to drum and vocal training and workshops, and has taught in NL, N.S. and Ontario. He was invited to central NL to speak to choirs there on the history of black gospel music. In addition, Jimmy Lee has been featured on CBC television, radio and internet. Other television coverage includes community channel 9 and NTV locally, as well as "Breakfast Television" (ATV) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In the past year he was interviewed by, and his music currently receives airplay, on VOAR Christian radio station in NL, as well as United Christian Broadcasters Canada radio station in Belleville, Ontario.