Aquarium Drunkard is a longtime supporter of Cactus Lee, calling it “superb” and “soulful”
“Like stumbling upon a dusty treasure chest of Texas melancholy, where every melody holds the faded charm of a Gene Clark ballad and every lyric carves with Townes Van Zandt-like precision.” – New Commute
“The songs are twilit gems coming at you from all angles…a sweet-sounding lesson in human connection.” – Paste
For years, Cactus Lee has quietly built a singular body of work, playing honky-tonks around Austin while releasing records at a steady, self-driven pace. Lee’s Dream, his second album for Western Vinyl, feels like the natural distilla- tion of that journey—written on the road, refined at home, and shaped by the push and pull between devotion to music and devotion to family.
Conceived during a monthlong solo tour through the Midwest and South, the songs began as sketches written in vans and motel rooms, sparked in part by a visit to Guy Clark’s reconstructed basement at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Returning home to personal upheaval, Kevin Dehan turned inward, writing songs that balance restlessness with resolve, longing with responsibility.
Recorded at Fort Horton Studios with producer Billy Horton, Lee’s Dream leans into classic country forms and Sun-era sensibilities, guided by touchstones like John D. Loudermilk, Glen Campbell, and early Gordon Lightfoot. Finished with contributions from a close circle of collaborators, the album feels communal and lived-in—joyous and melancholy in equal measure. Rooted in Texas imagery and country folklore, Lee’s Dream plays like a familiar fever dream, honoring tradition while quietly bending it to Dehan’s own unmistakable voice.
