An amazing read if you're looking for a star-studded biography of the forgotten pioneer of Australia’s concert history
Feature image credit: Echo Publishing
Lee Gordon was a legend of the Australian music scene in the early ‘50s. Arriving from the US, he hit the ground running and became synonymous with big names, big concerts, and big promotional tricks. He played every role – an entrepreneur, a raconteur, a salesman, and a friend to the biggest stars at the time. Passing away a decade after he began, at just 40 years of age, he has all but been forgotten – until now!
Music biographer Jeff Apter, has delivered (yet again) an unmissable biography of the man who brought such big names as Johnnie Ray, Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Laurel and Hardy, and the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra, to Australia. If the names were big, the life of Lee Gordon was bigger. He stopped at nothing to secure the best – flying back and forth from the US to do deals, bombarding capital cities with fliers from the sky, and dropping big money on people’s desks … literally!
Behind the scenes, Lee was a troubled soul, both personally and financially, but he never let his worries stop him from trying to secure the next ‘Big Show’ – even going so far as to make multiple attempts to secure the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Gordon’s story isn’t just international; he was also integral to the emergence and success of Aussie rock icons, including Johnny O’Keefe and Col Joye and the Joy Boys.
Jeff Apter has done his homework, researching the backstory of Lee Gordon — a man of as many mysteries as truths. He delivers a tale of a man who lived a life that many would shy away from and did so publicly, with his sexuality, drug experimentation, mental health issues, and ongoing financial problems making the paper.
The Lee Gordon story is told with heartfelt honesty and recognises the importance of his pioneering efforts that were in so many cases ahead of their time and have helped shaped the careers of those promoters who came after him.
As with his previous biographies, the joy of reading Apter’s works comes from his obvious passion and care for his subjects. He treats Lee Gordon’s story with a commitment to show him as he truly was – someone who should be remembered.
Reviewed by Glen Christie
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Echo Publishing
Released: July 2025
RRP: $34.99
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