PORTLAND — When Edward Lester took the stage, people noticed.

He was the lead singer and guitarist for several popular rock bands in Portland in the 1970s and 1980s. He had a reputation for putting on a phenomenal show.

“When Eddie was on, there was no equal,” said Scott Shuster, who played keyboards in the bands Magnum and Poor Boy Symphony. “He was considered the best rock ‘n’ roll singer in town. He had a natural God-given talent. This is a sad and tragic end to a life that had so much promise.”

Mr. Lester died Sunday. He was 57.

He grew up in Portland and, when he was 15, discovered his passion for music. He began making his mark on Portland’s music scene.

Mr. Lester was the lead singer and guitarist for several bands, including Magnum, Poor Boy Symphony, El Cid, Hair of the Dog and the Ed Lester Band.

Shuster said they played regularly at the Free Street Pub in Portland and traveled across New England to perform. Mr. Lester covered songs by anyone from Elvis Presley to Paul McCartney to Freddie Mercury of Queen.

“He could emulate Freddie Mercury to the letter,” Shuster said. “That style of music really spoke to Eddie. He could sing rock ‘n’ roll with all the guts it required. … Eddie loved the attention and being in the spotlight. The whole nine yards. He loved to sing and perform for people.”

Steve Luttrell, who played drums in two bands with Mr. Lester, said Tuesday that he was a great guy and a fine musician.

“He was unquestionably one of the finer male rock vocalists to come out of this state,” Luttrell said. “He was a local legend.”

He was married to Joanne Lester for 15 years. He leaves two children, Elizabeth Lester, 15, and Nicholas Lester, 12, both of Saco. He also leaves a daughter from a previous relationship, Amber Sinclair, 23, of Oceanside Calif.

“He was a good dad,” his former wife said Tuesday. “He did everything he could to get in contact with them and see them.”

The Lesters owned and operated a karate school, Red Dragon Kempo, in the Biddeford-Saco area in the 1990s.

Joanne Lester said he was a master of shaolin kempo and practiced many other styles of martial arts. He taught many students.

“He loved it. He loved teaching and interacting with people,” she said.

In recent years, Mr. Lester worked for Portland’s parking division, doing general maintenance. He worked for the city from the late 1990s to around 2005.

In the past couple of years, his health took a downward turn. He was living at Lafayette Square Apartments on Congress Street at the time of his death. A friend who went to visit him Sunday discovered his body. An autopsy will take place.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at Good Shepherd Parish/Most Holy Trinity Church in Saco.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. For more information about his tribute, send an email to b3122@juno.com.

Staff Writer Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at: mcreamer@pressherald.com