She has two sisters, Carrie and Lori, and one brother, Robby. They settled in Little Rock, Arkansas when she was 13 years old. She was named after the 1970s song "Amie" by Pure Prairie League. Her parents were John Lee, a disc jockey, and Sara Lee (née Cargill). She won the 2012 Revolver's Golden Gods award for best vocalist, and was named the 2012 "Rock Goddess of the Year" in the Loudwire Music Awards.
She was listed by as one of the greatest female rock artists. She was #49 in VH1's "100 Greatest Women in Music". Lee ranked at #69 in Hit Parader's list of "Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time". She was chosen as the 2012 recipient of the Luella Bennack award at United Cerebral Palsy's 11th annual Women Who Care luncheon for her community projects and social impact. She advocates for the " To Write Love on Her Arms" organization. She started a campaign called "Out of the Shadows". Lee is the spokesperson of the Epilepsy Foundation. As of mid-2007, she is the only original band member who is still in the band. Lee is the main lyricist and composer in the band and won the National Music Publisher's Association's Songwriter Icon Award in 2008 for her achievements as a songwriter. Lee is musically influenced by musicians and artists of different genres, from classical artists such as Mozart to modern artists like Björk, Portishead, Danny Elfman, Korn and Tori Amos. She is also a classically trained pianist and a multi-instrumentalist. She is the lead vocalist and co-founder of the rock/metal band Evanescence. Amy Lynn Hartzler (née Lee born December 13, 1981) professionally known as Amy Lee, is an American singer and songwriter.