Micky Lee Soule
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Mickey Lee Soule was the keyboard player for New York state hard rock band Elf and a founding member of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.
Keyboardist Mickey Lee Soule was born on June 6, 1946 in Cortland, New York. Mickey had a band in the mid-1960's until he was drafted into the army. After his honorable discharge he joined The Elves after the band's original keyboardist, Doug Thaler, was injured in a car accident that killed guitarist Nick Pantas. Shortly after Soule was recruited the band changed their name to Elf and enjoyed minor fame as the opening act for Deep Purple.
After a few years, a few more members and two albums, Soule and the rest of Elf (minus their guitarist) were transformed into Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, featuring Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. During this time a third and final Elf album Trying to Burn the Sun was recorded when the former Elves were not in the studio recording Rainbow's debut album. Blackmore fired the entire line up with the exception of Dio before the first Rainbow tour.
Soule would later tour France with The Ian Gillan Band.
Soule continues to play locally in NY and produced his own album. His son Matt Soule, plays drums in the Los Angeles alternative rock band, Where's Moo.
One "Mickey Lee Soul" (sic) is credited as Keyboard tech in the liner notes of Deep Purple's album "Live at the Olympia '96".
