About the show
Aimée Lee leads a stellar cast of musicians - 13 in all - to present a stunning tribute to The Carpenters, the biggest-selling group of the 70's. More than just the creators of beautifully crafted musical arrangements and wildly successful hit records, the Carpenters stole the hearts of an entire generation with their unique sound. This show features all of their most beloved classics, including Close To You, Yesterday Once More, We've Only Just Begun, Superstar, For All We Know, and many, many more!
Our Story
Edina Magazine - 2019
Edina's Most Musical Couple Finds Success with
Carpenters Tribute Show
Aimee and Boyd Lee's Rainy Days & Mondays – The Music of the Carpenters is performed during a three-show weekend twice
a year at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres.
“I thought it sounded silly to say I wanted to be a singer,” says Aimée Lee. “But, I always knew that I would sing.” And that still rings true to this day, as Aimée and her husband, Boyd Lee, play show after show around the Twin Cities.
Right at the start of third grade, Boyd knew he wanted to play music, and he’s been living that dream as a professional singer/songwriter since the early 1990s with a guitar as his only accompaniment (and occasionally the banjo). But Aimée started when she was much younger and had her first radio commercial by the fourth grade. She started in her first band when she was 18 and has been in countless bands since. However, when the couple met 15 years ago, at the house that’s now their Edina home, they didn’t know it was the start of a great relationship and a spectacular music career. It wasn’t until two years later that the two made a connection at a weekend-long recording session. “She was just hanging out and I’m playing this track … But she’s looking at me,” Boyd says. “I kept making mistakes on the track and had to redo it, the engineer kept saying ‘Get it together man!’”
Five days later, Aimée and Boyd went on their first date. And the rest, as they say, is history. Now, they perform in multiple groups together—Aimée Lee and the Snazzy Band, Two Girls and a Boyd, and their duet, Boyd and Aimée Lee, to name a few.
But gigs didn’t always come so easily. In 2011, one year before the couple wed, Aimée went through a vocal strain and took a vow of silence for six weeks. After the silent bout, the two decided to try an acoustic sound—and happened to find their niche.
“It’s the mainstay for all of our projects now,” Boyd says. “And our following is much more personal. We get to know the people who come to our shows [who] have an affinity for the music we love.”
And the community sure has shown an affinity, even when Boyd was unsure about their idea for a Carpenters-themed show. But they both describe themselves as “closeted Carpenters fans,” and decided to give the show a go.
“I thought no one would call us, that people would think we’re out of our minds,” Boyd says. “But it’s been the complete opposite. [The artists] were jazzed about it, and we always get a great response.”
Boyd is also quick to add that the show has brought out other closeted Carpenter fans, and the crowd isn’t what they expected. Typically, the musical show brings 30-somethings out, who bring their parents, who bring their friends. “The young kids love it,” Boyd says.
Rainy Days & Mondays–Music of the Carpenters is performed during a three-show weekend twice a year at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, once during Mother’s Day and again the weekend before Thanksgiving. “We thought it would trickle out, but it keeps getting stronger,” Aimée says. Due to demand, they’ve brought the show across other venues in Minnesota.
They also perform other theatric-musical acts, including one of their most popular, Christmas on the Prairie, among other seasonal shows. “We have lots of projects. We’re very busy,” Boyd says. But their projects aren’t always together. Though the two play together habitually, more often than not they’re playing with other Twin Cities artists—including Mary Jane Alm, the other half of Two Girls and a Boyd, who has worked with Boyd for over 20 years. But they also share drummers, players and all sorts of musical talent with other artists across Minnesota.
Aimée says, “We’re very fortunate and blessed to live here ... [the Twin Cities] is a great place to be a musician.”
Show Reviews
Was tremendously excited about this performance! Bravo!! My expectations were EXCEEDED! What a performance by the whole group!!!
Concert was phenomenal!
We love these concerts. We were impressed with the concert.
Performers were excellent! Sounded just like Karen Carpenter. These concerts provide us with a fun trip down memory lane. Thank you!
We were very impressed with the voice & musical instrument talent.
Everything about our evening was exceptional, including our server and every employee we were in contact with. Aimee Lee and the Superstars are amazing artists who connect with their audience. The performance was excellent and we definitely plan to attend again! Thank you for an such an enjoyable experience!
We've attended six tribute concerts, and the Carpenters Tribute was among the best we've listened too ... an excellent concert!
"Rainy Days & Mondays" was one of the VERY, VERY best productions that I have seen at the Concert Series, AND I have attended at least 30 in the last 7 years. Kudos to Boyd Lee for his fabulous production, AND especially to Aimee Lee for her incredible voice and song selection. Everyone on stage was AWESOME!
I'd heard wonderful reviews of this show and I had to experience it myself, as I have been a Carpenters fan for nearly 50 years! The theater is comfortable, has great acoustics, and there is not a bad seat in the house. The volume of music did not overwhelm the ears of the audience, as so many shows have a tendency to do. The volume was perfect! There was plenty of leg room, and the seats were extra comfortable. It's a very nice theater for the musical arts! Aimee Lee and her Superstars Band love and cherish the music of the Carpenters and it truly comes through in this 2 hour music fest of the Carpenter's music. No one will ever sound like Karen Carpenter, she was a once in a lifetime talent, but Aimee Lee, the lead singer, does a remarkable job of rendering hit after hit with a voice that is very pleasing to listen too. Like Karen, Aimee has a rich lower register, so she can hit those low notes and still reach for the high notes too. She has a powerful singing voice, and she obviously loves the Carpenter songs she performs. While undoubtedly a difficult task, replicating a musical legend in Karen Carpenter, Aimee Lee appears effortless in her performance. She is clearly the star of the show, and is a charming person on-stage. She was born to perform! The band is equally as good as Aimee Lee! They replicate the studio sound of the Carpenters remarkably well, which is no small task. There are 11 members in the Band Of Superstars, and they are a richly talented group. Each performer had instrument solos that were quite impressive and brought much appreciative applause. The vocal harmonies, a Carpenter trademark, were accomplished with 4 singers who really knew how to replicate the Carpenter sound to the finest of detail. The show packed in as many songs as possible in the two hours of performance. Most of the Carpenter favorites are included, and some that surprised me, such as "Bless The Beasts and the Children", and "Solitaire". Everyone in the audience wanted the show to go on and on and never end; that's how enjoyable it was. After the show, the performers greeted the audience members, which was very nice. I was able to express my deepest appreciation for the musicianship of all the performers. I am going to make this an annual event at the Chanhassen! Highly recommended!