|
Hugh Anthony Cregg III, aka Huey Lewis, learned to play
the harmonica while waiting on the road as a hitchhiker in the late
1960's. After stowing a ride on a plane bound for Europe, he found
himself bouncing around and playing his harmonica in countries like
Spain and Scotland. After earning enough money for a plane ticket
back home, he enrolled in the Engineering school at Cornell University.
After meeting some other musicians at Cornell, Huey Lewis decided to
quit school and pursue music (among other things, such as carpentry and
landscaping).
In 1971, Huey joined a San Francisco band called Clover,
and then changed his name to Hughie Louis (obviously this name evolved
over time). After a few album releases in the 1970's, Clover
disbanded in 1978. After a gig playing harmonica for Thin Lizzy
(as Huey Harp) and some other small paying bits as a band called Huey
Lewis and the American Express, Huey landed a deal with Phonogram
records and "Huey Lewis and the News" was born.
Huey Lewis and the News released their
self-titled debut
in 1980, but it wasn't until their 1982 release of Picture
This that the band began hitting the charts. Many of you will
remember the Top 40 Hit "Do You Believe In Love" from this album.
By far their best selling album was 1983's
Sports, an album which ranks as one of the best selling pop
releases of all time. Hit songs from this album included "Heart &
Soul", "I Want a New Drug", "Walking On a Thin Line", "If This is It",
and "The Heart of Rock & Roll". It wasn't until 1986 that Huey
Lewis followed up with the platinum release Fore!. Many of
you will remember the hit songs "Doing It All for My Baby", "Hip to be
Square", "Stuck With You", and "Jacob's Ladder".
All in all, Huey Lewis and the News would go on to
release 14 top 20 hits. And let's not forget his contribution to
the movie Back to the Future (the songs "Back In Time" and "Power
of Love" were from this album). Since his heyday, Huey Lewis could
be found on the silver screen, on T.V., on stage, and in studio.
At the time of this writing, the Huey Lewis and the News Discography was
as follows:1980: Huey Lewis and the News
1982: Picture This
1983: Sports
1986: Fore!
1988: Small World
1991: Hard at Play
1992: The Hear of Rock & Roll - The Best of Huey Lewis and the News
1994: Four Chords & Several Years Ago
1996: Time Flies...The Best Of
2001: Plan B
2005: Live at 25
2006: Greatest Hits & Videos
2010: Soulsville |
