News
Albert Lee: TUFR’s New Ambassador
30 Oct 23
Albert Lee, one of the most respected guitarists in music history, has become a Turn Up For Recovery Ambassador!
Turn up for Recovery (TUFR) is a charitable movement aiming to raise awareness of abstinence-based recovery, tackle the stigma of addiction and help make treatment affordable to people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. It was founded by Melia Clapton in 2019 as she wanted to tackle the stigma around addiction and alcoholism and raise awareness about the power of abstinence based recovery. It’s a topic very close to her heart, having supported family members throughout their recovery. Her vision is for an inclusive community of artists, music lovers and those affected by addiction coming together to have a good time, talk about recovery and raise money for others to get the help that they need at Crossroads Centre Antigua. TUFR was launched in 2019 and had a significant presence at Eric Clapton’s 2023 Crossroads Guitar Festival in September.
On becoming a TUFR Ambassador, Albert said, ““A symbol of addiction is that of a large stone being thrown into a calm pond. Its effects ripple far and wide, not only hurting the addict, but also bringing sadness and suffering to family and friends. The journey to recovery begins with the giant step in believing in yourself. The step-by-step progress one can make day after day can result in renewed strength and resilience. I proudly stand with TUFR as an ambassador to support those who are just stepping into recovery and those who are already on their way.”
About Albert Lee:
Albert was born in Herefordshire, England just before Christmas 1943, and grew up in Blackheath, London. He began formal piano lessons at 7 and in 1958, he picked up his first guitar, a Hofner President acoustic archtop. He quit school in 1959 to become a professional musician playing with a succession of bands throughout the 1960s.
Moving to Los Angeles in the early 70s, he pursued session and road work for artists like the Crickets, Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, and more and garnered a reputation as one of the fastest players in music.
He joined Eric Clapton’s band in early 1979 and remained until March 1983. He can be heard on Eric’s albums Just One Night, Another Ticket, and Money & Cigarettes. On 3 August 2002, he was reunited with Eric for the Ferrari-Maserati Festival at Brands Hatch Racetrack. He also took part in “The Concert For George” (a tribute concert in George Harrison’s memory) on 29 November 2002 for which Eric was musical director. In August 2004 they both played at a one-off concert by The Crickets at the Los Angeles House of Blues. He has appeared at Eric Clapton’s 2007, 2010, 2013, 2019 and 2023 Crossroads Guitar Festivals.
CLICK HERE to visit Turn Up For Recovery’s Website