Gary Lewis (musician)
Encyclopedia
Gary Lewis is an American
musician
who was the eponymous leader of Gary Lewis & the Playboys
.
and actor
Jerry Lewis
. His mother, Patti Lewis (née Esther Calonico), a singer at the time with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra, reportedly intended to name him after
her favorite actor, Cary Grant
, but clerical error led to his naming as "Gary".
He received a set of drums
as a gift for his fourteenth birthday in 1960. When he was eighteen, Lewis formed what would become Gary Lewis & the Playboys (then known as "Gary And The Playboys") with four other friends. Joking at the lateness of bandmates to practice, Lewis referred to them as "playboys
", and the name stuck. Lewis was the drummer, but at that time singing duties were held by guitarist Dave Walker. As the band started, Gary's mother was quietly funding the purchases of equipment, as they believed Gary's father would not have supported the band. This could explain why, even though he lived down the street from the Lewis family, producer Snuff Garrett
wasn't aware of Gary's band until a mutual friend, conductor Les Brown
, informed him that the band was playing at Disneyland and that Garrett should give them a listen.
to tutor him, and, more importantly, made Lewis the singer, and therefore the focal point of the group. By Lewis' own admission, his natural singing voice was not one of his strengths, and this led Garrett to employ vocal overdubbing
tricks in the studio to flesh it out.
"This Diamond Ring
", hitting number one on Billboard
magazine's Hot 100
chart
on February 20, 1965, made Lewis an instant star. Lewis was Cash Box magazine
's 1965 "Male Vocalist of the Year." Besides the Lovin' Spoonful, the group was the only artist
during the 1960s to have its first seven Hot 100 releases each reach that chart's Top 10. In addition to "This Diamond Ring
" his hits
include "Count Me In" (the only non-British Commonwealth
record
in the Hot 100's Top 10 on 8 May 1965, at #2), "Save Your Heart for Me
" (#2), "Everybody Loves A Clown
" (#4), "She's Just My Style
" (#3), "Sure Gonna Miss Her
" (#9), and "Green Grass
" (#8).
By 1966, Lewis had stopped drumming all together and was exclusively singing, replaced at drums by, among others, Jim Keltner
. His career was put on hold when he entered the U.S. Army
as a draftee
in January 1967, and he served in the Vietnam War
to 1968. He returned to performing and recording but did not recapture his earlier success and five releases by the band that year peaked from 13th to 39th. His musical career was later marketed as a "nostalgia
act" with appearances (continuing ) on his father's Labor Day
Telethons
for the Muscular Dystrophy Association
.
(1963). He also appeared in a credited role singing "The Land of Tra-la-la" with his father in Rock-a-Bye Baby
(1958), where he represented Jerry Lewis as a boy. He also was seen in the movie The Family Jewels
.
in 1971, and giving drumming lessons. A brief attempt at starting a new band called "Medecine", with Billy Cowsill of The Cowsills
in 1974 did not go anywhere. It was not until the 1980s when Lewis starting touring again, with various incarnations of The Playboys, generally featuring no original members.
Lewis and his family reside in Honeoye Falls, New York
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who was the eponymous leader of Gary Lewis & the Playboys
Gary Lewis & the Playboys
Gary Lewis & the Playboys were a 1960s rock group fronted by Gary Lewis, son of comedian Jerry Lewis. They are best known for their 1965 Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "This Diamond Ring."-Original members:* Gary Lewis - Drums and vocals...
.
Early life
Gary Lewis is the son of comedianComedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
. His mother, Patti Lewis (née Esther Calonico), a singer at the time with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra, reportedly intended to name him after
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
her favorite actor, Cary Grant
Cary Grant
Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
, but clerical error led to his naming as "Gary".
He received a set of drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
as a gift for his fourteenth birthday in 1960. When he was eighteen, Lewis formed what would become Gary Lewis & the Playboys (then known as "Gary And The Playboys") with four other friends. Joking at the lateness of bandmates to practice, Lewis referred to them as "playboys
Playboy (lifestyle)
A playboy is a modern version of a public Casanova — a man of means with ample time for leisure, who demonstratively appreciates the pleasures of the world.The term has also been applied to a flashy womanizer, such as a player, pappagallo, or Don Juan....
", and the name stuck. Lewis was the drummer, but at that time singing duties were held by guitarist Dave Walker. As the band started, Gary's mother was quietly funding the purchases of equipment, as they believed Gary's father would not have supported the band. This could explain why, even though he lived down the street from the Lewis family, producer Snuff Garrett
Snuff Garrett
Snuff Garrett is a retired American record producer whose most famous work was during the 1960s and 1970s. His nickname is a play on Garrett's Snuff, a brand of snuff....
wasn't aware of Gary's band until a mutual friend, conductor Les Brown
Les Brown
Les Brown may refer to:*Les Brown , U.S. Big Band leader, or his son, Les Brown Jr., leader since 2001*Les Brown , American author-See also:*Leslie Brown...
, informed him that the band was playing at Disneyland and that Garrett should give them a listen.
Gary Lewis & The Playboys
Seeing an opportunity to capitalize on the Lewis name, Garrett put Lewis' band into the studio to develop, still with the finances of Lewis' mother. Garrett pushed Lewis to improve his drumming skill, even getting Buddy RichBuddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
to tutor him, and, more importantly, made Lewis the singer, and therefore the focal point of the group. By Lewis' own admission, his natural singing voice was not one of his strengths, and this led Garrett to employ vocal overdubbing
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
tricks in the studio to flesh it out.
"This Diamond Ring
This Diamond Ring
"This Diamond Ring" is a 1965 pop song written by Al Kooper, Bob Brass, and Irwin Levine. The song's first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart was a bubbling-under single by Sammy Ambrose that reached #117 on January 9, 1965...
", hitting number one on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine's Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
on February 20, 1965, made Lewis an instant star. Lewis was Cash Box magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
's 1965 "Male Vocalist of the Year." Besides the Lovin' Spoonful, the group was the only artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
during the 1960s to have its first seven Hot 100 releases each reach that chart's Top 10. In addition to "This Diamond Ring
This Diamond Ring
"This Diamond Ring" is a 1965 pop song written by Al Kooper, Bob Brass, and Irwin Levine. The song's first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart was a bubbling-under single by Sammy Ambrose that reached #117 on January 9, 1965...
" his hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
include "Count Me In" (the only non-British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
in the Hot 100's Top 10 on 8 May 1965, at #2), "Save Your Heart for Me
Save Your Heart for Me
"Save Your Heart for Me" is the title of a song written by Gary Geld and Peter Udell. The song was originally written for and recorded by singer Brian Hyland in 1963...
" (#2), "Everybody Loves A Clown
Everybody Loves a Clown (song)
"Everybody Loves a Clown" is a song written by Thomas Leslie, Gary Lewis, and Leon Russell and was recorded by Gary Lewis & the Playboys for their 1965 album, Everybody Loves a Clown. The song reached #4 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1965....
" (#4), "She's Just My Style
She's Just My Style
"She’s Just My Style" is a song written by Al Capps, Thomas Leslie, Gary Lewis, and Leon Russell and was recorded by Gary Lewis & the Playboys. The song reached #3 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.-Cover versions:*The Astronauts*Cub Koda*Leon Russell...
" (#3), "Sure Gonna Miss Her
Sure Gonna Miss Her
"Sure Gonna Miss Her" is a song written by Bobby Russell and was recorded by Gary Lewis & the Playboys. The song reached #9 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.-Cover versions:*Snuff Garrett...
" (#9), and "Green Grass
Green Grass (song)
"Green Grass" is a song written by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway and was recorded by Gary Lewis & the Playboys. The song reached #8 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.-Cover versions:*Jonah Jones on his 1967 album, Sweet with a Beat*Man...
" (#8).
By 1966, Lewis had stopped drumming all together and was exclusively singing, replaced at drums by, among others, Jim Keltner
Jim Keltner
James Lee "Jim" Keltner is an American drummer known primarily for his session work. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists...
. His career was put on hold when he entered the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a draftee
Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
in January 1967, and he served in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
to 1968. He returned to performing and recording but did not recapture his earlier success and five releases by the band that year peaked from 13th to 39th. His musical career was later marketed as a "nostalgia
Nostalgia
The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.The word is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of , meaning "returning home", a Homeric word, and , meaning "pain, ache"...
act" with appearances (continuing ) on his father's Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
Telethons
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The MDA Labor Day Telethon is an annual telethon in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association . The first MDA telethon was during the Thanksgiving Day weekend of 1952 and titled Party for MDA. It has been held annually since 1966...
for the Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is an American organization which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public...
.
Film Appearances
He appeared uncredited in his father's film The Nutty ProfessorThe Nutty Professor
The Nutty Professor is a 1963 Paramount Pictures science fiction comedy feature film produced, directed, co-written and starring Jerry Lewis...
(1963). He also appeared in a credited role singing "The Land of Tra-la-la" with his father in Rock-a-Bye Baby
Rock-a-bye Baby
Rock-a-bye Baby is a nursery rhyme and lullaby. The melody is a variant of the English satirical ballad Lilliburlero. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 2768.-Lyrics:...
(1958), where he represented Jerry Lewis as a boy. He also was seen in the movie The Family Jewels
The Family Jewels (film)
The Family Jewels is a 1965 American comedy film. It was filmed from January 18-April 2, 1965 and was released by Paramount Pictures on July 1, 1965. The film was co-written, directed, and produced by Jerry Lewis who also played seven roles in the film...
.
Later life
Following his tour in Vietnam, Lewis retired from music, operating a music shop in San Fernando ValleySan Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
in 1971, and giving drumming lessons. A brief attempt at starting a new band called "Medecine", with Billy Cowsill of The Cowsills
The Cowsills
The Cowsills are an American singing group from Newport, Rhode Island. They specialized in harmonies and the ability to sing and play music at an early age. The band was formed in the spring of 1965 by brothers Bill, Bob, and Barry, then shortly thereafter added John...
in 1974 did not go anywhere. It was not until the 1980s when Lewis starting touring again, with various incarnations of The Playboys, generally featuring no original members.
Lewis and his family reside in Honeoye Falls, New York
Honeoye Falls, New York
Honeoye Falls is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 2,595 at the 2000 census. The village includes a small waterfall on Honeoye Creek, which flows through the village and gives it its name....
.
External links
- Interview http://www.classicbands.com/GaryLewisInterview.html