Detroit publicist Matt Lee dies at 68: Music scene celebrates his life
Publicist Matt Lee dies at 68
He was 68 years old, and people hadn’t heard from him for a few days, which was unusual for Matt. He was special to a lot of people and Detroit was special to him. His friends say Matt Lee was Detroit to the bone.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit’s music scene is mourning the loss of publicist Matt Lee. Matt was a familiar face at FOX 2, setting up interviews with bands, restaurants, and anything that celebrated Detroit culture.
Life of Matt Lee:
He was 68 years old, and people hadn’t heard from him for a few days, which was unusual for Matt. He was special to a lot of people and Detroit was special to him. His friends say Matt Lee was Detroit to the bone.
Lee was a publicist and a father with a passion for music and a love for the Motor City. Attorney David Lee is Matt’s identical twin brother.
"He was Detroit to the bone, and no one loved Detroit music and art and culture and food as much as he did," David said. "To have him as a brother, and to do the great things we did, and all the shows, both big and small, all the ball games, all the friends, and all the fun. It will, I know, as bad as I feel today, be always the greatest thing in my life."
Matt’s life was one well lived. He saw Bruce Springsteen in concert more than 100 times. He collected antique radios, and he discovered a love of jazz through his father. In his younger years, he learned guitar and started a band.
"Matt was one of the first guys I met when I came to Detroit, and at the time he was playing in a band, The Suspects," said music journalist Gary Graff. "He had, like, shrubbery hair growing out, and just, you know, we became instant friends, really out of a mutual love of music."
After his stint in a rock band, he became a publicist, connecting his clients with interviews and gigs around the clock.
"His company was Drumbeaters, and he beat the drum for a lot of people," said friend Tim Castaneda. "He was a caring guy. He wanted everybody to do well."
"He was loved, and the reason he was so loved was that he gave love," said friend Tino Gross. "He encouraged you. He would always tell you that what you’re doing deserves support, and he did it for everybody. I just want to say, thank you, Maddie, for all your friendship. God bless you, man. We’ll see you on the next one. And you really are a winner, dude, because you left with nothing but love, and that’s a well-lived life."
There are plans in the works to celebrate Matt’s life in the near future, and those celebrations will include music.