Lee Rea comes from a family deeply embedded in the fabric of New Orleans’s musical and entrepreneurial culture. His father- a country boy from North Carolina- and his mother- an immigrant from Sri Lanka- founded Peaches Records and Red Hot Records in New Orleans. Over the years, his family has given local talent exposure, not just throughout New Orleans but to a national audience, including assisting Cash Money Records execute a deal with Universal Records. Lee has continued to develop the businesses his parents began, managing Peaches Records. During his time managing Peaches, Lee guided the business through the advent of digital music distribution. Peaches now stands as the largest music retailer in the Gulf South and operates a 14,000 square foot retail space on Magazine Street.
Outside of the music business, Lee has further developed his entrepreneurial passion by investing in real estate and is tied to many business startups from hospitality to tech. He owns several rental properties in Uptown New Orleans as well as a 40,000 square foot warehouse near the Fairgrounds.
When he’s not working, Lee is a true culture vulture. He can be found at the city’s best restaurants and live music events. He looks forward to also devoting his spare time to assisting with Loyola’s mentorship program.
