The projected shell model has been employed to study the energy levels and alignment frequencies of the normally deformed bands of light lutetium isotopes. Band head spins and configurations have been reproduced for all the positive parity bands of 161−165Lu isotopes and negative parity bands of 163Lu. The theoretical aligned angular momenta reasonably reproduced the observed backbends and their corresponding rotational frequencies for all the experimentally observed normally deformed bands. Moreover, I = 7/2− state is predicted as band head spin for negative parity yrast bands of 161,165Lu. The negative parity yrast bands of 161,165Lu are predicted to have 1π1h11/2[523]7/2− configuration. Further, the calculated B(E2) values of 165Lu show reasonable agreement with the available experimental data. The dip predicted in the B(E2) values may be interpreted due to the alignment of a pair of neutrons in the neutron 1i13/2 orbital of all yrast bands of 161−165Lu.