Amy Lee is an American singer-songwriter and musician who is best known as the co-founder, lead vocalist, and keyboardist of the rock band Evanescence. She has also worked on various solo projects, collaborations, and soundtracks, showcasing her versatile and distinctive voice and musical style.
She is one of the most influential and successful female rock artists of the 21st century, having won several awards and sold millions of albums worldwide.
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Amy Lynn Lee |
| Birthdate | December 13, 1981 |
| Birthplace | Riverside, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Singer, Songwriter, Pianist |
| Best Known For | Lead vocalist of the rock band Evanescence |
| Notable Songs/Albums | “Bring Me to Life”, “My Immortal”, “Fallen”, “The Open Door” |
| Awards | Two Grammy Awards with Evanescence among others |
| Education | Middle Tennessee State University (attended but left to focus on music) |
| Musical Start | Co-founded Evanescence in 1995 with guitarist Ben Moody |
| Net Worth | As of 2021, estimated to be around $12 million (figures may vary based on sources) |
| Social Media | Instagram: [@amylee] |
Table of Contents
Amy Lee Biography
Amy Lee was born on December 13, 1981, in Riverside, California, to John Lee, a disc jockey and voice-over artist, and Sara Cargill. She has two living sisters, Carrie and Lori, and two deceased siblings, Bonnie and Robby.
Bonnie died at age three from an unidentified illness when Amy was six years old, and Robby died in 2018 at age 24 after struggling with severe epilepsy for most of his life. These tragedies deeply affected Amy’s emotional state and outlook on life, and inspired some of her songs.
Amy Lee discovered a passion for the piano in early childhood, wanting to play the instrument at age six after hearing her mother play. Classical music was her first musical influence as a child, inspiring her to become a musician and composer. She was also influenced by Mozart, Danny Elfman, Björk, Tori Amos, Nirvana, and Portishead.
In her preteen years, her family moved around the country, including Florida, Illinois, and finally settling in Little Rock, Arkansas. There, she met guitarist Ben Moody at a summer camp in 1994, when she was 13 and he was 14. They began writing and playing music together, and formed the band Evanescence in 1995. They released independent EPs and a demo CD before signing with Wind-up Records in 2001.
Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Amy Lee has a net worth of $12 million as of 2021. She has earned most of her wealth from her music career with Evanescence and her solo projects. She has also received royalties from her songwriting credits and licensing deals.
Height
Amy Lee’s height is 5 feet 3½ inches (161 cm), according to Healthy Celeb. She has a slim body type and weighs around 62 kg (137 lbs).
Age
Amy Lee’s age is 41 years old as of 2021. She was born on December 13, 1981, under the zodiac sign of Sagittarius.
Career
Amy Lee’s career took off in 2003 with the release of Evanescence’s debut album Fallen, which sold more than 17 million copies worldwide and spawned hit singles such as “Bring Me to Life” and “My Immortal”. The album earned the band five Grammy nominations and two wins for Best New Artist and Best Hard Rock Performance. However, shortly after the success of Fallen, Moody left the band due to creative differences.
Amy Lee continued with Evanescence as the sole constant member and main songwriter, recruiting new members along the way. The band released their second album The Open Door in 2006, which sold more than five million copies worldwide and featured singles such as “Call Me When You’re Sober” and “Lithium”.
The band’s third album Evanescence came out in 2011, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and included singles such as “What You Want” and “My Heart Is Broken”.
In 2014, Lee announced that she had left Wind-up Records after a long legal battle over unpaid royalties and creative control. She then launched her own label under BMG Rights Management. In 2016, she released her first solo album Dream Too Much, a children’s album inspired by her son Jack Lion Hartzler.
In 2017, Evanescence released their fourth album Synthesis, which reimagined some of their previous songs with orchestral arrangements and electronic elements. In 2021, the band released their fifth album The Bitter Truth, which marked their return to their rock roots.
Apart from Evanescence, Lee has also worked on various other musical projects throughout her career. She has composed the soundtrack for the films War Story (2014) and Indigo Grey: The Passage (2015) with cellist Dave Eggar. She has also contributed songs for the films The Punisher (2004), Underworld: Awakening (2012), Voice from the Stone (2017), Blind (2020), and Black Widow (2021).
Amy Lee has also participated in tribute albums such as Nightmare Revisited (2008) and Muppets: The Green Album (2011). She has also collaborated with other artists such as Korn, Seether, Bring Me the Horizon, Lindsey Stirling,3 Dave Stewart,4 Veridia,5 Body Count,6 and Wagakki Band.
Relationships
Amy Lee has been in a few relationships in her life. She dated American singer-songwriter Ben Moody from 2000 to 2003. They met at a summer camp in 1994 and formed Evanescence together. They broke up shortly after the success of Fallen, and Moody left the band.
After that, she was in a relationship with singer Shaun Morgan from 2003 to 2005. They met through their mutual record label and collaborated on the song “Broken”. They had a bitter breakup, which inspired some of their songs, such as “Call Me When You’re Sober” by Evanescence and “Fake It” by Seether.
In late 2006, she began dating her longtime friend Josh Hartzler, a therapist and former rock band member. They got married on May 6, 2007, at Amy’s house in Little Rock. They have a son, Jack Lion Hartzler, who was born on July 24, 2014. They currently live in Brooklyn, New York.
Social Media Presence
Amy Lee has a strong social media presence, with millions of followers across various platforms. She uses her social media accounts to share her personal and professional updates, as well as to interact with her fans and promote her causes. She is also active on Twitch, where she streams live performances and Q&A sessions.
Some of her social media accounts are:
- Facebook: Amy Lee Official (2.6 million followers)
- Instagram: @amylee (1.3 million followers)
- Twitter: @AmyLeeEV (1 million followers)
- YouTube: Amy Lee (1 million subscribers)
- Twitch: AmyLee33 (76k followers)
Husband
She is married to Josh Hartzler, who is also a songwriter and a therapist. They have been together since 2007 and have a son named Jack Lion Hartzler.
Movies & TV Shows
Amy Lee has not appeared in any movies or TV shows as an actress, but she has contributed songs and soundtracks for several films and shows. Some of them are:
- The Punisher (2004): She performed the song “Broken” with Seether for the film’s soundtrack.
- Underworld: Awakening (2012): She wrote and performed the song “Made of Stone (Renholdër Remix)” for the film’s soundtrack.
- War Story (2014): She composed the score for the film with Dave Eggar and performed the song “Push the Button”.
- Indigo Grey: The Passage (2015): She composed the score for the short film with Dave Eggar.
- Voice from the Stone (2017): She wrote and performed the song “Speak to Me” for the film’s end credits.
- Blind (2020): She wrote and performed the song “Love Exists” for the film’s soundtrack.
- Black Widow (2021): She performed a cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” with Lzzy Hale, Taylor Momsen, and Lindsey Stirling for the film’s trailer.
Controversy
Amy Lee has faced some controversy in her career, mostly related to her legal disputes with her former record label and bandmate, as well as allegations of child pornography cover-up by a hacker group.
In 2005, Amy Lee used her former manager David Sonenberg for financial and sexual misconduct. She accused him of withholding royalties, interfering with her creative process, sexually harassing her, and trying to turn her against Ben Moody.
In 2014, Amy Lee announced that she had left Wind-up Records after years of legal battles over unpaid royalties and creative control. She claimed that the label had neglected and sabotaged Evanescence’s career, and that she had finally regained ownership of her music.
In 2012, she was targeted by the hacker group Anonymous, who accused her of shielding child pornographers on Evanescence’s fan forum EvThreads.
They claimed that she had forced a witness to sign a contract that prevented him from reporting several offences on the site, including sexual abuse of a disabled minor and suicide attempts.10 Lee denied the allegations and said that she had no knowledge or involvement in any illegal activity on the forum.
FAQs
What is Amy Lee’s musical style and influence?
Amy Lee’s musical style is mainly alternative metal, gothic metal, alternative rock, and symphonic metal. She is influenced by classical music, especially Mozart and Danny Elfman’s film scores. She also cites artists such as Björk, Tori Amos, Nirvana, Portishead, and Depeche Mode as her influences
How did Amy Lee start her musical career?
Amy Lee co-founded Evanescence in 1995 with guitarist Ben Moody, whom she met at a youth camp. They released their first EPs independently before signing with Wind-up Records in 2002. Their debut album Fallen (2003) was a huge success, selling over 17 million copies worldwide and earning them two Grammy Awards.
What is Amy Lee’s personal life like?
Amy Lee is married to Josh Hartzler, a therapist and longtime friend, since 2007. They have a son named Jack Lion Hartzler, who was born in 2014. She is also an advocate for epilepsy awareness, as her brother suffered from severe epilepsy before his death in 2018. She is the American chairperson for the international epilepsy awareness foundation Out of the Shadows.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Amy Lynn Lee
- Date of birth: December 13, 1981
- Place of birth: Riverside, California
- Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
- Height: 5 feet 3½ inches (161 cm)
- Weight: 62 kg (137 lbs)
- Eye color: Green
- Hair color: Black
- Spouse: Josh Hartzler (m. 2007)
- Children: Jack Lion Hartzler
- Occupation: Singer-songwriter, musician, composer
- Genre: Rock, alternative metal, gothic rock, nu metal, symphonic metal, hard rock
- Instruments: Vocals, piano, keyboard, harp, guitar
- Years active: 1995–present
- Associated acts: Evanescence, Dave Eggar, Seether, Korn, Lindsey Stirling, Wagakki Band
- Awards: Two Grammy Awards, four Kerrang! Awards, one MTV Europe Music Award, one Billboard Music Award, one World Music Award, among others.
Conclusion
Amy Lee is a talented and influential singer-songwriter and musician who has achieved great success and recognition with her band Evanescence and her solo projects. She has a unique and powerful voice that can express a range of emotions and styles, from rock to classical.
She is also a creative and versatile composer who has written songs and scores for various films and shows. She is a devoted wife and mother who balances her personal and professional life with grace and passion. She is an inspiration to many fans and aspiring artists around the world.
