Barbara Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barbara Lewis
Barbara Lewis in 1966
Background information
Birth name	Barbara Ann Lewis
Born	(1943-02-09) February 9, 1943 (age 82) Salem, Michigan, United States
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day
Genres	R&B/Soul
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	1962–2017
Labels	Atlantic

Barbara Ann Lewis was born on February 9, 1943. She is an American singer and songwriter. Her smooth singing style had a big impact on rhythm and blues music.

About Barbara Lewis's Music Career

Barbara Lewis was born in Salem, Michigan, USA. She began writing and recording music when she was a teenager. She worked with record producer Ollie McLaughlin, who was a DJ at a radio station in Ann Arbor.

Her first song, "My Heart Went Do Dat Da," came out in 1962. It was a local hit in Detroit, Michigan. However, it did not become a national hit. Barbara wrote all the songs on her first album, including her famous song "Hello Stranger." This song became a huge hit, reaching number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It featured a lot of Hammond organ music.

Barbara had other hits like "Straighten Up Your Heart" and "Puppy Love." Later, producer Bert Berns helped her create another million-selling song called "Baby I'm Yours." This song was written by Van McCoy. Bert Berns also produced "Make Me Your Baby" and "Make Me Belong to You," which were also popular songs.

In the late 1960s, Barbara released an album with a different, more raw sound on Stax Records.

Her Songs Become Hits for Other Artists

Over the years, many other singers found success with Barbara's songs. Her own song "Hello Stranger" was re-recorded by the Capitols in 1966. Later, in 1977, Yvonne Elliman's version of "Hello Stranger" became a Top 20 hit in the US. It also topped the US Easy Listening chart for four weeks.

In 1985, Carrie Lucas had a Top 20 R&B hit with her version of "Hello Stranger." In 2004, Queen Latifah also covered "Hello Stranger" for her album.

Barbara Lewis stepped away from the public eye after her music career slowed down in the 1960s. It was only after Yvonne Elliman's hit in 1977 that she was found by Casey Kasem for his radio show. He said that no one knew where she was, not even her agent. Barbara was hoping to be rediscovered in Michigan when he found her.

Health problems led Barbara Lewis to stop singing in 2017.

Barbara's Songs in Movies and Awards

Her song "Baby I'm Yours" was featured in the movie The Bridges of Madison County in 1995. In 2016, "Hello Stranger" was part of the soundtrack for the movie Moonlight. In 2019, "Hello Stranger" was also heard in the British TV series Giri/Haji.

Barbara Lewis received the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999. In 2016, she was honored by being inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

Barbara Lewis's Music Albums

Studio Albums

• Hello Stranger (1963)
• Snap Your Fingers (1964)
• Baby, I'm Yours (1965)
• It's Magic (1966)
• Workin' on a Groovy Thing (1968)
• The Many Grooves of Barbara Lewis (1970)

Popular Chart Singles

These are some of Barbara Lewis's songs that made it onto the music charts:

• "Hello Stranger" – May 1963 – US Pop Chart No. 3, US R&B Chart No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
• "Straighten Up Your Heart" – August 1963 – US Pop Chart No. 43
• "Puppy Love" – January 1964 – US Pop Chart No. 38
• "Baby I'm Yours" – June 1965 – US Pop Chart No. 11
• "Make Me Your Baby" – September 1965 – US Pop Chart No. 11
• "Don't Forget About Me" – January 1966 – US Pop Chart No. 91
• "Make Me Belong to You" – July 1966 – US Pop Chart No. 28
• "Baby What Do You Want Me to Do" – October 1966 – US Pop Chart No. 74
• "I'll Make Him Love Me" – April 1967 – US Pop Chart No. 72

Other Noteworthy Songs

• "My Heart Went Do Dat Da"
• "My Mama Told Me"
• "Think a Little Sugar"
• "How Can I Say Goodbye"
• "Spend a Little Time"
• "Someday We're Gonna Love Again"
• "Pushin' a Good Thing Too Far"
• "I Remember the Feeling"
• "Thankful for What I Got"
• "Sho' Nuff (It's Got to Be Your Love)"
• "Love Makes the World Go Round"
• "On Bended Knee"

See also

In Spanish: Barbara Lewis para niños