Kyle works alongside Michael W. Smith and arranger/conductor David Hamilton while recording the orchestra at Ocean Way Studios Nashville for the “Worship Forever” live recording event. (Photo by Brody Harper)

Dick Clark once said that “music is the soundtrack of your life.” This sentiment aptly describes Texarkana native Kyle Lee. From his roots as a local musician to his current work producing and co-writing award-winning Christian music albums in Nashville, one could say that God and music guide Kyle’s life.

Kyle’s interest in music developed when he was young. “My grandfather Jesse was the first one to put me in front of instruments like piano, guitar, and bass when I was around 5 years old,” he remarks. Kyle’s dad was another influence who shared his love of music and broad tastes with his son. “Those two relationships became the creative bedrock on which everything else was built upon ... a deep love of all genres of music, and a hands-on experience with instruments, and how they interact to create the music we love,” Kyle states.

Kyle’s family also helped to provide a connection to his future wife, Shelly, whom he met in high school at a Bible study he led out of his home. Shelly grew up in Hooks and graduated from Hooks High School in 2000. Kyle relates, “Shortly after we met and were getting to know each other, we discovered that when Shelly was younger, she used to see a boy on a tractor across the street from the house she grew up in. We came to find out it was me!” Kyle’s grandparents owned several acres of land with cattle across the street, and he spent a lot of time out there helping them.

Matt Redman, Michael W. Smith, Kyle, and Tauren Wells backstage at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 12, 2021. This was a live recording Kyle produced for Michael W. Smith called “Worship Forever” (a 20-year anniversary of the first worship project titled, “Worship”). (Photo by Brody Harper)

While in high school, Kyle joined the Texarkana band, Pocket Full of Rocks. He stayed with the band after graduating from Pleasant Grove in 2001, ultimately deciding not to finish college and instead tour with PFOR. He and Shelly married in 2004. Pocket Full of Rocks signed a record deal with Word Records in 2005, and the Lees moved with the band to Nashville in 2006.

*This year, the Lees spent their summer vacation in Inlet Beach, Florida.*
*(Photo by Autumn Beury)*

After relocating to Nashville, Kyle decided to take a new angle with music. “Shortly thereafter, I left the band and began to pursue my other creative passions of songwriting and producing. Over the years since then, God has opened many different doors and relationships that have turned into a career.” Kyle began writing and producing songs for Christian artists. He elaborates, “My first passion was actually engineering. Engineering bled into producing locally in Texarkana. When I moved to Nashville, engineering and producing became my gateway into things that would later become bigger things. One example would be Michael W. Smith. I began working with him in 2010 as an engineer, and that transitioned into writing lyrics for that album. That was my first time to try songwriting on a large scale. That led to seven of my songs on that album, and an ensuing publishing deal.”

Throughout the years, Kyle has made a name for himself in Nashville’s Christian music scene. Kyle regards Bryan Lenox as a major influence and mentor after he moved to Nashville. He credits Bryan with having “taught me most of what I know today about making proper albums and working with artists in a complex way.” Kyle’s work has garnered him significant recognition as well as the opportunity to partner with many popular artists, such as Lauren Daigle, Natalie Grant, Leeland, TobyMac, Michael W. Smith, Micah Tyler, Phil Wickham, and CeCe Winans. He has won a GRAMMY Award as well as several Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. Kyle won a GRAMMY in 2009 for mixing TobyMac’s Best Rock Gospel Album, “Alive and Transported.” Kyle earned the 2014 Inspirational Album of the Year Dove Award for producing and mixing Michael W. Smith’s album, “Hymns.” In 2019, he was GRAMMY-nominated in the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album category for co-writing, producing, and mixing Michael W. Smith’s album, “Surrounded.”

*In 2001, Kyle performed at a Pocket Full of Rocks event in Shreveport. He was a member of the band from 2000-2006 and played acoustic/electric guitar.*

For this year’s Dove Awards, Kyle won the Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year for co-writing CeCe Winans’ “Believe for It” with CeCe Winans, Dwan Hill, and Mitch Wong. Along with co-producer Dwan Hill, Kyle also won the Gospel Worship Album of the Year for “Believe for It.” Kyle was also nominated for Children’s Album of the Year (for co-producing Gateway Kids Worship’s album “Todos Mis Dias” with Julian Collazos and Josh Alltop). In addition to this recognition, Kyle has co-written, mixed, and/or produced four #1 radio singles, including two by Micah Tyler, one by Michael W. Smith, and one by CeCe Winans.

*Shelly and Kyle were married June 12, 2004, at First Baptist Church Texarkana. (Photo by Ray Kumpe)*

Currently, Kyle works independently, contracting with record labels on a per-project basis. He travels about twice a month, usually for songwriting and producing projects with churches, and occasionally to work with individual artists. This leaves Kyle time to spend at home with his family. The Lees did spend some time working with Gateway Church in Southlake, but have since moved back to Nashville, where they are building a house, quite the process of patience.

Kyle’s greatest reward is Jesus, and his family comes in a close second. He and Shelly have twin 7-year-old boys, Jesse and Alister, who keep them active. There is nothing that Kyle enjoys more than putting Jesse and Alister to bed at night. To relax, Kyle enjoys playing golf. He also assists his local church in songwriting and music development.

Kyle considers Romans 12:1 as his life verse. His hope for the future is to continue to be a good steward of the relationships and the work to which God has called him. By sharing with the world his gifts of songwriting and producing for other Christian musicians, Kyle is certainly living the soundtrack that God has provided for his life.

Feature Stories

Sharing his Gifts With the World