Hopeton Lewis 1947 - 2014

In the final years of his life Lewis only played gospel, but in 1966 he scored one of the first rock steady hits with 'Take It Easy' (recorded with Lynn Taitt & The Jets) and in 1967 he also had a scoop with the first ganja tune, 'Cool Collie' (on Island Records). In that same period he also recorded a number of duets with Phyllis Dillon, including '(On) The Right Track' and 'Walk Through This World With Me'. After winning the Independence Festival Song Competition with 'Boom Shacka Lacka' in 1970, Lewis joined forces with Byron Lee and his Dragonaires to record the hit 'Groovin' Out On Life'.

In the second part of the 70s Lewis got somewhat forgotten, just like a lot of other artists of his generation. He emigrated to the United States, founded his own Bay City Music label and started focussing on his first love again, gospel, a genre that he had learnt to appreciate in church during his childhood years.

Hopeton Lewis died aged 66.