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In 1964, he moved to a new label (Ru-Jac Records) and released "I'm a Lonely Stranger". When Otis Redding heard this, he asked Conley to record a new version, which was released on Redding's own fledgling label Jotis Records, as only its second release.

Conley met Redding in 1967, but after this meeting Redding took Conley under his care, and taught him the finer points of the music industry. Together they re-wrote the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" into "Sweet Soul Music", which at Redding's insistence, was released on the Atco-distributed label Fame Records. It proved a massive hit and went to the number two position on the U.S. charts and the Top Ten across much of Europe. It is said that Conley never accepted Redding's death in December 1967.

After several years of lacklustre singles in the early 1970s, he relocated to England in 1975, and spent several years in Belgium, then settled in Amsterdam [The Netherlands] in spring 1977. In de beginning of 1980 he had some mayor performances as Lee Roberts and the Sweaters in the Ganzenhoef, Paradiso, De Melkweg and the Concertgebouw, highly successful. At the end of 1980 he moved to the Dutch village of Ruurlo and legally changed his name to Lee Roberts (his middle name and his mother's maiden name). There he occupied himself with promoting new music by means of his Art-Con Productions company. He was also active as a designer of specialized tapestries and furniture.

A live performance, on 8 January 1980, featuring Lee Roberts & the Sweaters, was released as an album entitled Soulin' in 1988. He died after a long battle with intestinal cancer in Ruurlo, The Netherlands at the age of fifty seven in November, 2003.

Recordings

"Aunt Dora's Soul Love Shack", 1968, which may have inspired The Temptations "Psychedelic Shack"

"Burning Fire"

"Baby, What You Want Me To Do"

"Day-O", 1969, written by Harry Belafonte

"Flossie Mae", 1963, as Arthur & the Corvets

"Funky Street", 1968, 5 R&B, 14 pop

"God Bless", 1970,

"Ha Ha Ha"

"I Believe", 1963, as Arthur & the Corvets

"I Can't Stop (No, No, No)", 1966, written by Dan Penn

"I Got A Feeling"

'm a Lonely Stranger", 1964, solo, re-recorded in 1965

"Let's Go Steady", B-side of "Sweet Soul Music", later covered by The Rolling Stones on Claudine(album)

"Take Me (Just as I Am)"

"Shake, Rattle and Roll", 1967

"Whole Lotta Woman"

"Shing-A-Ling"

"Who's Foolin' Who"

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