Geddy Lee: Where’d You Get That Name Again?

Yesterday, the lead singer, bassist and keyboardist for Rush turned 59.

Gary Lee Weinrib was born on July 29, 1953 in Ontario, Canada.

According to an article in Bass Frontiers magazine, Geddy Lee reveals how he got his name:

"The story goes: my mother is Polish and she has a very thick accent.

When I was about twelve years old, I had a friend who, whenever he heard my mother pronounce my name, he thought she was calling me, 'Geddy'.

He started calling me 'Geddy', and eventually, all of my friends started calling me 'Geddy', and eventually my mother started to call me 'Geddy', for real.

And eventually, I changed my name legally to 'Geddy', so that's the story and that's my name, Geddy."

O.K. We get it, Geddy!

He's a gifted musician whose voice has been described as an "astoundingly high" tenor, who's been given a slew of awards, including 6 wins for Guitar Player Magazine's "Best Rock Bass", and who can't seem to restrain himself from underscoring the origins of his weird first name as if he was the Rain Man.

Happy birthday, anyway, Geddy!