Neville Lee

Jamaican businessman (died July 31 2018 in Kingston at age 80), producer, manufacturer and distributor who founded Sonic Sounds in 1978. He got involved in the music industry after returning to Jamaica from London (where he served in the Royal Air Force) in 1969, at the invitation of his brother Byron Lee, who just bought WIRL Studio, Jamaica and founded Dynamic Sounds Recording Co. Ltd., to be the managing director. Dynamic Sounds was a powerhouse, especially in the late 1960s and 1970s, and Neville was part of that successful period. However, a conflict of interest made Neville left and he started his own company Sonic Sounds Rec. Mfg. Co. Ltd. in 1978, operating from Retirement Crescent in Kingston. They were competitive rivals, wanting their companies to have the hit songs. His children, Stephen Lee (4), Gordon, Jason Lee (4) and Susan, worked at Sonic Sounds which had the biggest names in Reggae on its distribution roster (Bob Marley and The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs...). The company hit its stride during the 1980s by releasing some of that decade's biggest hit songs, and they were jamaican distributors for major american record companies such as RCA/EMI/Capitol, Sony/BMG and the BMG Music conglomerate. Mr. Lee was also involved in the formation of the Power House Label with producer George Phang. Neville eased out of the business in 1989 and left his son Jason Lee (4) as managing director of Sonic Sounds. Byron Lee died in 2008 at age 73. A younger brother, Paul Pablo Stewart, also pre-deceased Neville. He is survived by two brothers, Gene Lee and Willie Stewart (former drummer of Third World), his widow Winnifred, children, 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.