Huey Lewis, born Hugh Anthony Cregg, is a musician, singer, lyricist, and actor from the United States of America. He is the lead singer and harmonica player for the band ‘Huey Lewis and the News.’ He was born and raised in New York City and California. At a young age, he began singing and playing the harmonica. He was a member of ‘Clover,’ a band that gained popularity in the United Kingdom but disbanded following the failure of its first two albums. Following that, Lewis joined the band ‘Huey Lewis and the American Express,’ which later became ‘Huey Lewis and the News.’ The band had numerous chart-topping albums, including ‘Sports’ and ‘Picture This’. Apart from singing, Lewis has appeared in a number of films and co-starred in ‘Crusin’ with Gwyneth Paltrow. He also performed a hit duet with Paltrow for the film. He was married to Sidney Conroy for six years and they have two children together. He most recently appeared on ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’.
Childhood & Adolescence
Huey Lewis was born Hugh Anthony Cregg, Jr. and Magda Lewis in New York City. His father was an Irish-American physician, while his mother was a Polish immigrant. When he was only 13, his parents divorced.
Lewis was raised in the Marin County area of California. He attended Strawberry Point Elementary School and then Edna Maguire Junior High in Mill Valley. He graduated from the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey.
He was exceptionally bright academically and was accepted to Cornell University in New York. He declined the offer immediately and embarked on a cross-country tour of the United States, where he learned to play harmonica. He also toured throughout Europe.
Lewis enrolled in Cornell University’s engineering program upon his return. There, he met musicians such as Lance and Larry. His interest in studies waned, and he became a member of the band ‘Slippery Elm’.
Career of Huey
Lewis joined the band ‘Clover’ in 1971. Alex Call, John McFree, John Ciambotti, Mitch Howie, Sean Hopper, Marcus David, and Mickey Shine were also members of the band. For the band, he used to sing and play harmonica.
In 1976, ‘Clover’ decided to relocate from the Bay Area to Los Angeles in order to capitalize on their talent. The band began performing at notable clubs in the area and were invited to join Nick Lowe on a tour of the United Kingdom.
Around this time, ‘Clover’s’ music gained popularity in the UK, and their genre became known as ‘pub rock’. Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange produced two of their albums, but they were not commercially successful.
In 1978, the ‘Clover’ returned to California from the United Kingdom and disbanded. Lewis contributed music to Thin Lizzy’s successful album ‘Live and Dangerous’ as ‘Huey Harp’. He performed at a California nightclub and signed with Phonogram Records.
Lewis formed the band ‘Huey Lewis and the American Express’ in 1979. After a few shows, the band changed its name to ‘Huey Lewis and the News’.
In 1980, the band released its self-titled debut album, which was a commercial failure. The band’s second album, ‘Picture This,’ was a huge success upon its release in 1982. The album was certified gold, and the lead single, ‘Do You Believe in Love,’ was a huge success.
In 1983, the band released their third album, ‘Sports,’ which quickly became one of the best-selling pop albums, selling over 10 million copies.
In 1986, the band released its follow-up album, ‘Fore!,’ which was also a huge success.
Lewis produced Nick Lowe’s ‘I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock and Roll)’ and wrote the music for Bruce Hornsby & The Range’s ‘The Way It Is’ around the same time. Hornsby reciprocated Lewis’s favor by contributing a song to his subsequent album.
Lewis and his band performed the song ‘We Are the World’ for a ‘USA for Africa’ fund-raiser in the early 1990s. Two of their new albums, ‘Small Wonder’ and ‘Hard at Play’, were released during this time period.
The band released its debut album, ‘Four Chords & Several Years Ago’, in 1994. It was one of their most critically acclaimed albums. Elektra’s lack of promotion contributed to the band’s commercial demise.
The band scored a hit single for the film ‘The Power of Love’ in the late 1990s. Lewis began appearing in films such as ‘Short Cuts,’ in which he played a significant role, and ‘Sphere,’ in which he played a cameo.
In 2000, Lewis starred in another film, ‘Duets,’ in which he played a large and chunky role. He co-starred in the film with Gwyneth Paltrow and co-wrote the film’s hit single, ‘Cruisin’, with Paltrow.
Lewis stated in a 2007 interview for the podcast series ‘Stuck in the 80s’ that the band was currently writing songs for their upcoming album. He was also named ‘Musician of the Year’ by the Sacromento.
‘Huey Lewis and the News’ opened for ‘A Capitol Fourth’ in Washington, DC in 2008. It drew half a million attendees and was also broadcast on PBS.
Lewis performed at the Summer Camp Music Festival in Illinois in 2011 alongside Chicago-based jam band ‘Umphrey’s McGee.
In 2013, he appeared on the television show ‘Dancing with the Stars’, where he performed ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’ in commemoration of the band’s third album, 1983’s ‘Sports’.
Personal History and Legacies
Lewis married Sidney Conroy in 1983 in Hawaii, and the couple has two children. The couple separated after six years, but they remain amicable.
Estimated Net Worth
Huey Lewis is a singer, songwriter, and actor from the United States with a net worth of $25 million. He is best known as the lead singer of Huey Lewis and the News. He was also a member of the band Clover previously.
Trivia
When Lewis was younger, he worked in a variety of jobs, including landscaping, carpentry, and wedding planning.
He is currently making his Broadway debut as Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago.