Gene Lees, born Frederick Eugene John Lees on February 8, 1928, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was a distinguished music critic, biographer, lyricist, and journalist. He began his career as a newspaper reporter in Canada, contributing to The Hamilton Spectator, the Toronto Telegram, and the Montreal Star from 1948 to 1955. Lees then moved to the United States, where he served as a music critic for the Louisville Times from 1955 to 1959 and as editor of Down Beat magazine from 1959 to 1962.

Lees was renowned for his contributions to jazz and popular music. He wrote English lyrics for several Bossa Nova songs by Antonio Carlos Jobim, including "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" ("Corcovado"), which were recorded by artists such as Frank Sinatra and Diana Krall. He also wrote lyrics for Milton Nascimento's "Bridges" and Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby."

In addition to his work as a lyricist, Lees was a prolific author. He published a novel, "And Sleep Until Noon," in 1967 and another, "Song Lake Summer," in 2008. His nonfiction works include biographies of Oscar Peterson and Woody Herman, as well as collaborations with Henry Mancini on Mancini's autobiography. Lees explored themes of racism in jazz in his books "Cats of Any Color" and "You Can't Steal a Gift."

Lees was also known for his Jazzletter, a monthly publication he started in 1981 that featured musical criticism. He received multiple ASCAP-Deems Taylor Awards for his writing. Gene Lees passed away on April 22, 2010, in Ojai, California, leaving behind a legacy of influential work in music journalism and criticism.