Softly spoken 76-year-old Crissy Lee is not your average rock and roller but she’s definitely got the makings of a rock god, as seen on her fiery Britain’s Got Talent audition. The rock chick started off by playing the iconic drum intro to Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and then transitioned into Aerosmith’s “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)”.
On the Aerosmith jam, she showed off some tight and funky grooves, as well as a tonne of enthusiasm for rocking out that quickly got the audience on her side. She closed out her audition on Europe’s “Final Countdown”, along with a cheeky drum solo outro. The crowd was on their feet and screaming for Crissy by the time she was done, as you can see in the video below.
The audition is also notable for featuring one of David Walliam’s spicer roasts on the show. The judge asked Crissy “Have you had any work done, because you look great.” With a giggle, Crissy said no, then Walliams dropped his zinger at the expense of his fellow judges, saying “Wow, someone in the room has not had work done – incredible.” This brought a grin from Simon Cowell while Amanda Holden looked somewhat less impressed.
Crissy was born on June 17, 1943, in Colchester, Essex and has been playing drums since the age of four. The then-youngster picked up an addiction to rhythm after her father brought home some drumsticks one day, and even at that young age she quickly outgrew everything he could teach her. You can watch her semi-final performance on Britain’s Got Talent below, where she tried her hand at Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Van Halen’s “Jump”.
Crissy told Britain’s Got Talent that she enjoys “spending time with my grandchildren and having a nice proper cup of tea. But don’t be fooled – I’m not your average granny. I like to rock!”
Her love for rocking out has taken her far, as she is a pro drummer and percussion teacher who has enjoyed an incredible career in the music industry. At age 14 her parents bought her first full drum kit, which she said “cost 10 Shillings a month because they couldn’t afford it outright.”
By the time Crissy turned 18, she began touring with a band. She said “I supported The Beatles on a tour of Spain and I even flew in their private jet. Touring with The Beatles was pretty awesome.” She also has the pictures to prove it, which can be seen in the second video, where a young Crissy can be seen hanging out with Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison – everyone but Ringo!
Just prior to her semi-final performance, Crissy explained that she was one of the few female drummers in the 1960s and that she was “breaking stereotypes. And I’m always surprising people. Nobody expected me to rock out on Britain’s Got Talent. And now I’m here to prove that anyone can chase their dreams – it doesn’t matter how old you are. So Britain get ready to rock.” If you would like to see more from Crissy Lee, you can also visit their official website for more information.