Career Timeline of Geddy Lee: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Geddy Lee built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Geddy Lee is a Canadian musician, renowned as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist of the rock band Rush. He joined Rush in 1968, becoming a core member alongside Alex Lifeson and appearing on every Rush album. Lee is celebrated for his distinctive high-pitched vocals and innovative bass playing. Beyond his work with Rush, Lee released a solo album, 'My Favourite Headache', in 2000, showcasing his individual musical style. His contributions have made him an influential figure in rock music.
September 1968: Joins Rush
In September 1968, Geddy Lee joined the rock band Rush at the request of Alex Lifeson, replacing Jeff Jones on bass and vocals.
1969: Rush Plays Professionally
In 1969, Rush began playing professionally in coffeehouses, high school dances, and outdoor events.
1971: Playing Original Songs
By 1971, Rush was playing primarily original songs in small clubs and bars, including Toronto's Gasworks and Abbey Road Pub.
1976: 2112 Album Release
In 1976, Rush released the successful album 2112, contributing to their soaring status as a rock group.
1977: A Farewell to Kings Album Release and Synthesizer Introduction
In 1977, Rush released A Farewell to Kings and Geddy Lee began adding synthesizers to the band's sound.
1978: Hemispheres Album Release
In 1978, Rush released the successful album Hemispheres, further cementing their status as a popular rock group.
1980: Produces Wireless album
In 1980, Geddy Lee produced the third and final album, No Static, for the Toronto-based band Wireless, which was released on Rush's label, Anthem Records.
1980: Guest on Max Webster Song
In 1980, Geddy Lee, along with his Rush bandmates, was a guest musician on the Max Webster song "Battle Scar", from the album Universal Juveniles.
1980: Permanent Waves Album Release
In 1980, Rush released the successful album Permanent Waves, continuing their streak of successful albums and worldwide tours.
1981: "Take Off" Release
In 1981, Geddy Lee was featured on the hit song "Take Off" with Bob and Doug McKenzie, from the McKenzie Brothers' comedy album Great White North, released on Rush's Anthem label. It became the highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 of Lee's career.
1981: Moving Pictures Album Release and Keyboard Magazine Award
In 1981, Rush released the successful album Moving Pictures. In the same year, Geddy Lee won Keyboard magazine's poll as "Best New Talent."
1982: Produces Boys Brigade Album
In 1982, Geddy Lee produced the first and only album from Toronto's new wave band Boys Brigade.
1984: Grace Under Pressure Album
By 1984, with the release of Rush's album Grace Under Pressure, Geddy Lee was surrounding himself with stacks of keyboards on stage.
1984: "Red Sector A" Released
In 1984, Rush released the album Grace Under Pressure, which included the song "Red Sector A." The song's lyrics, written by Neil Peart, were inspired by Geddy Lee's mother's experiences during the Holocaust, with music written by Lee.
1985: Guest Vocals on "Tears Are Not Enough"
In 1985, Geddy Lee recorded guest vocals for the song "Tears Are Not Enough" on the album We Are the World by USA for Africa.
1993: Fender Jazz Bass
From 1993's Counterparts onward, Geddy Lee began using the Fender Jazz Bass almost exclusively, returning to his trademark high treble sound.
1993: Singing the Canadian National Anthem
In 1993, Geddy Lee sang the Canadian national anthem before the MLB All-Star Game.
1996: Test for Echo Tour
By 1996, Rush's Test for Echo Tour began performing without an opening act, with shows lasting nearly three hours.
1996: Use of Tech 21 SansAmp Units
In 1996, Geddy Lee stopped using traditional bass amplifiers on stage, opting to have the bass guitar signals input directly to the touring front-of-house console to improve control and sound definition. He began using Tech 21 SansAmp units, eventually receiving signature models, including the GED-2112 rackmount.
1999: "O Canada" Recording
In 1999, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson recorded a rock arrangement of "O Canada" for the South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut film soundtrack.
November 14, 2000: My Favourite Headache Album Release
On November 14, 2000, Geddy Lee's solo album, My Favourite Headache, was released during Rush's hiatus after the deaths of Neil Peart's daughter and wife. It featured collaborations with Ben Mink and Matt Cameron.
2000: My Favourite Headache Release
In 2000, Geddy Lee's solo album, My Favourite Headache, was released.
2002: Use of Roland XV-5080 for Live Shows
For live shows in 2002 and 2004, Geddy Lee and his keyboard technician used the playback capabilities of the Roland XV-5080 to generate virtually all of Rush's keyboard sounds to date and additional complex sound passages that previously required several machines at once to produce.
2004: Use of Roland XV-5080 for Live Shows
For live shows in 2002 and 2004, Geddy Lee and his keyboard technician used the playback capabilities of the Roland XV-5080 to generate virtually all of Rush's keyboard sounds to date and additional complex sound passages that previously required several machines at once to produce.
2006: Appears in Music Video and Joins Supergroup
In 2006, Geddy Lee appeared in Broken Social Scene's music video for "Fire Eye'd Boy" and joined Alex Lifeson's supergroup, the Big Dirty Band, to provide songs for Trailer Park Boys: The Movie.
2010: Use of Orange Amplifiers and Cabinets
For Rush's 2010 tour, Geddy Lee used two Orange AD200 bass heads together with two OBC410 4x10 bass cabinets.
2011: Creation of Geddy Lee Scholarship
In 2011, a charitable foundation Geddy Lee supports, Grapes for Humanity, created the Geddy Lee Scholarship for winemaking students at Niagara College.
2013: Ceremonial First Pitch
In 2013, Geddy Lee threw the ceremonial first pitch to inaugurate the Toronto Blue Jays season.
2015: Release of Revised USA Model
In 2015, Fender released a revised USA model of Geddy Lee's signature bass.
2015: Peart's Retirement
In 2015, Neil Peart's retirement from touring hastened the demise of Rush's regular performances.
2015: Rush Hiatus Begins
In 2015, Rush went on hiatus, marking a break in the band's activities until 2025.
2016: Independent Film Production Plans
In 2016, Geddy Lee planned to produce an independent film about baseball in Italy.
2017: Performs with Yes
In 2017, Geddy Lee performed in place of the late Chris Squire with Yes during the band's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, playing bass for the song "Roundabout."
2018: Publishes Book of Bass
In 2018, Geddy Lee published Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass, highlighting his collection and featuring interviews with bass players and technicians.
2020: Guest Vocals and Bassist Ranking
In 2020, Geddy Lee provided guest vocals to a Canadian rendition of Bill Withers' "Lean on Me" for a benefit performance. Also in 2020, Rolling Stone ranked him as the 24th-greatest bassist of all time.
September 2021: Secret Project Revealed
In September 2021, Ed Robertson revealed a "secret project" with Geddy Lee, which turned out to be callouts for a Rush pinball machine.
2022: Guest Star on Murdoch Mysteries
In 2022, Geddy Lee appeared as a guest star playing Thomas Sawyer on the CBC period drama Murdoch Mysteries.
November 2023: Publishes Autobiography
In November 2023, Geddy Lee published his autobiography titled My Effin' Life. The book was promoted with a 19-date tour of the UK and North America.
December 5, 2023: "Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?" Release
On December 5, 2023, Paramount+ released a video series, "Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?" The series featured Lee visiting with bassists Les Claypool, Robert Trujillo, Melissa Auf der Maur, and Krist Novoselic.
April 2025: The Lost Demos Single Release
In April 2025, Geddy Lee released a 12" single titled The Lost Demos, featuring re-recordings of unpublished demos from My Favourite Headache. It achieved chart success in the UK, with "Gone" reaching 62nd on the UK singles chart.
October 2025: Rush Reunites
In October 2025, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson reunited as Rush, with Anika Nilles filling in for Neil Peart.
2025: Rush Reunion
In 2025, Lee and Lifeson reunited as Rush, with Anika Nilles filling in for Neil Peart.
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