Internationally renowned and award-winning recording artist, songwriter and producer, this thirty year plus veteran of Jamaican popular music continues to entertain audiences around the world today without missing a beat.
Born in Kingston’s Trenchtown district, Hopeton Lewis grew up in the Parish of Westmoreland where he started his musical career singing in church concerts. He returned to Kingston as a teen and he formed his first group named, The Regals.
He recorded his first record Shammy Back at Studio One the very same night that another young and up-coming singer named, Bob Marley recorded Lonesome Feeling and Joe Higg recorded There’s A Reward. Ironically, the Mighty Vikings Band backed all three artists and all went on to become key players in the evolution of Jamaican popular music.
Mr. Lewis left Studio One shortly after and signed with Federal Record Company where he recorded a string of hits on the Merritone Label.
One night in 1966 while in the studio, Mr. Lewis had difficulties following the band’s upbeat ska tempo and requested that they slow it down a bit. The new beat caught everyone’s attention and one of the musicians remarked how the beat was a rocking steady. The name stuck and the rocksteady era was born. From this session, Mr. Lewis recorded Take It Easy, Music Got Soul and Sounds and Pressure.
During a single weekend K.G. Record Shop in Kingston sold no fewer than 10,000 copies of Take It Easy. Within a few weeks it climbed to the top of the hit parade, followed by Sounds and Pressure at number two, Music Got Soul at number five and A Deh Pon Dem in eleventh place. Most of these hits can be heard on the first Hopeton Lewis album under the appropriate title, Take It Easy.
Leaving Federal Records, Lewis moved over to Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle Label where he continued to turn out hits on his own as well as with the likes of U Roy, Phyllis Dillon, Pat Kelly and many others.
He also began to write for other artists and dabbled in the production side of the business. It was during this time that he recorded the smash 1970 Jamaican Festival hit, Boom Shaka-Laka.
In 1971 he joined Byron Lee Dynamic Sound Label where he recorded the hit album Dynamic Hopeton Lewis. His Grooving Out on Life was a smash hit reaching gold status in 1973.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Hopeton played his trade performing on the hotel circuit in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean. He also toured the world as lead singer with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. By the late 80s, he was ready to launch a new phase in his career and he started his own record label, Bay City Music in Montego Bay.
Under this label, Hopeton wrote music and promoted young and aspiring Jamaican artists. Mr. Lewis has now returned to his first love, gospel music and continues to tour extensively throughout USA, Canada, the Caribbean and Europe delivering the message of “One Love, God’s Love”.
-- Courtesy -- (HopeKatina Entertainment) --
SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY :
Albums:
- Grooving Out On Life
- Hopeton Lewis Sings Country Gospel
- Reaching Out To Jesus
- Caribbean Gospel Jubilee
- A Holy Christmas
- This Is Gospel
- Many Moods Of Gospel
- Lay Your Hands On Me Jesus
- Inner Peace
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