Biography

Cyrus Hayes is definitely one of the better kept secrets on the Chicago Blues and R&B music scene. He and his wife Lady Lee are Entertainers in every sense of the word. Hundreds of people play and sing the blues all over Chicago, but not many put the energy into their show that Cyrus and Lady Lee do.

Cyrus started singin’ the blues as a 12-year-old kid in Little Rock, Arkansas, where his sister would sneak him into juke joints to compete in talent shows. He left Little Rock with some musician buddies in 1979, heading for Chicago because everyone knows that’s where you go if you’re a Blues Musician. Shortly after his arrival, he was a mainstay of west-side blues and R&B.

Cyrus was joined by Lady Lee in ‘88, played with Albert King in ‘89 and released a record in ‘90 containing Mr. President. Written by Cyrus, Mr. President is a rarity in the world of blues. This song injects humor into the hard times and showcases Cyrus’s lyrical talents. ‘94 saw the release of Right Back For More, a love song painted in blues.

Soft spoken and down to earth off stage, these two are explosive when it’s “show time”. Their show includes incredible vocals from both of them, punctuated by Cyrus’s falsetto runs, bird calls and some of the best harmonica playing in Chicago. He even plays it with his nose or puts it in his mouth and plays it no-handed.

Their repertoire includes their original music as well as a diverse collection of blues and R&B standards done, of course, “Cyrus Hayes and Lady Lee Style”.