In 2022, legendary soul singer Lee Fields released Sentimental Fool. The stunning album earned the storied singer another celebrated feather in his cap and continued his victorious run of releases with the equally legendary Daptone Records. The album felt like a victory lap for an artist who has dedicated every free moment to creating music. Fields’ passion for music stretches across decades and each of those eras is carefully examined in Lee Fields: Faithful Man. From directors Jessamyn Ansary and Joyce Mishaan, the documentary explores 50 years of Fields’ life, touching on everything from family to music, and the ups and downs of both.
If you’re wondering why a documentary on Lee Fields is necessary, look no further than the first five minutes of Faithful Man. “That’s why they call it the human race, it’s a race. Not against each other but a race against time” explains Fields in the opening scene of his doc. This quickly transitions to Fields in his natural habitat, performing on stage. The 70-something-year-old can still move and that is showcased throughout this film. Tidbits of his life and past intertwined with his present, which sees Field at the pinnacle of his career. Like any good documentary, everything here is covered. From the artist’s move to New York City at 17 to the small tastes of success he tasted in the 70’s, and his inevitable and well-deserved success story after signing to Daptone Records. It is a heartwarming tale that showcases exactly what could happen with the right amount of talent and a restless drive to immortalize your creativity.
The documentary dives into the many pitfalls of the music industry as well. At the height of his success, the world was introduced to disco. Soul was pushed to the side and Fields was left without gigs and a way to pay bills. This feels like a pivotal part of Fields’ story and the documentary does a great job of exploring the in-between period. We have music and art from the times Fields found himself on top of the world, a small window into his mindset during these times. The era of his life between the 90s and his work with Daptone is a void in Lee Fields’ legacy. Thankfully, the documentary does a great job of exploring those lost years while showcasing the influence Fields continues to hold over soul music.
Lee Fields: Faithful Man explores a dedicated artist who never lost faith in himself and in turn, held faith in a world that had ultimately dismissed him. That is the hidden message underneath the stunning performance footage and emotional storyline. Fields never stopped dreaming of music and that level of passion exudes when you hear him discuss even the simplest of musical concepts. His love for art is on full display in this documentary as the directors do a fantastic job of diving deep into Field’s life and exploring the nuance of his love for what he does.
Lee Fields: Faithful Man is a story of triumphant, and suffering, and how expressing those emotions can make for the best art. Lee Fields is a living legend, the flowers he is being given not only for the powerful soul music he continues to create but for the dedication he showed to the genre and music as a whole. Seeing the musical world paying back one of its brightest yet most overlooked stars is sensationally enticing and well-deserved. Lee Fields: Faithful Man is set to be released on all major TVOD on February 27, you can preorder the film here: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/lee-fields-faithful-man/umc.cmc.48i24zve8uo0nu9f5xgyriqro
