Jona Lewie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jona Lewie
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Lewie in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Lewis |
| Born | 14 March 1947 Southampton, England |
| Genres | Pop, rock, blues, new wave |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboards, guitar |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Labels | Stiff Records, Sonet Records, Union Square Music |
| Associated acts | Keef Trouble Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts, Bob Hall, Wreckless Eric, Lene Lovich, Wilgar Campbell, Martin Stone, Jools Holland |
Jona Lewie (born John Lewis; 14 March 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his popular songs in 1980, "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" and "Stop the Cavalry". He plays many instruments, including keyboards and guitar.
Contents
Jona Lewie's Music Journey
Starting Out in Music
Jona Lewie started his first music group, the Johnston City Jazz Band, in 1963 while he was still in school. By 1968, he was known as a blues and boogie-woogie singer and piano player. In 1969, he wrote and recorded songs for two different music albums. At that time, he was a solo artist and still used his birth name, John Lewis.
Joining Brett Marvin and Terry Dactyl
In 1969, John Lewis met a blues band called Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts. He joined them as a singer and piano player. After they all finished college in 1970, the band became professional. They performed on TV in several European countries. In 1971, they even played with famous musicians like Son House and supported Eric Clapton's band, Derek and the Dominos.
Lewie stayed with Brett Marvin until 1973. During this time, he wrote a big hit song called "Seaside Shuffle". This song was released under a different band name, Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs. It became very popular in 1972, reaching number 2 on the UK music charts. Another song he wrote for Terry Dactyl, "On a Saturday Night", also made it onto the UK chart in 1973.
Becoming a Solo Star
In 1974, John Lewis decided to change his stage name to Jona Lewie. He did this because his birth name was the same as a famous shop and another jazz musician. He wanted to have a unique name for his music career.
After leaving Brett Marvin, Jona Lewie continued to write and record songs as a solo artist. He released songs like "Piggy Back Sue" and "The Swan". These songs were often played on BBC Radio London. He also helped start a band called the Jive Bombers, which played at famous London music venues.
Jona Lewie also played blues piano for other artists. He performed with well-known blues musicians like Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup and Juke Boy Bonner. He also joined piano parties with other boogie-woogie players, where they would share music and ideas.
In 1977, Jona Lewie signed with Stiff Records. This was a big step for his career.
Big Hits and Famous Songs
In 1980, Jona Lewie had a huge solo hit with his song "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties". He wrote this song with his old bandmate, Keef Trouble. The song became a Top 20 hit in the UK. His next song, "Big Shot – Momentarily", was popular in Germany.
Later in 1980, he released "Stop the Cavalry", which became his biggest hit in the UK. It was also very popular in many other countries. In 1981, his song "Louise (We Get It Right)" reached number 2 in Australia. Both "Kitchen at Parties" and "Stop the Cavalry" remained very popular in Germany for many years. Jona Lewie even performed these songs on a German TV show in 2010 and 2011.
Later Performances and Tours
In the 1990s, Jona Lewie toured the UK as a special guest with the Blues Band. He played at many theaters and civic centers. He also made occasional appearances on radio and television. In 2005, he was part of a TV show called Bring Back...The Christmas Number One. In 2009, he performed at the London Ukulele Festival. The next year, he joined Captain Sensible on his British tour.
Jona Lewie's Life Story
Jona Lewie was born on 14 March 1947 in Southampton, England. He grew up in a Jewish family. His grandmother was a classical pianist who played the piano for him when he was young. He loved to sing Elvis Presley songs. When he was eight years old, his stepfather introduced him to the music of Fats Domino. Today, Jona Lewie lives in Streatham with his wife and child.
Jona Lewie's Albums and Songs
Albums
- Alias Jona Lewie (Sonet, 1975)
- On the Other Hand There's a Fist (Stiff Records, 1978) (re-released in 1980 with a different track listing including the 1980 songs "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" and " Big Shot... Momentarily")
- Gatecrasher (re-release of 1975 album Alias Jona Lewie, Sonet, 1980)
- Heart Skips Beat (Stiff Records, 1982)
- Optimistic (New Rose Records, 1993)
- Are You Free Tuesday ? (Jona Lewie Music, 2024)
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | AUT | BEL | FRA | GER | NLD | NZL | SWE | SWI | ||
| 1976 | "Cherry Ring" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1978 | "The Baby, She's on the Street" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| "Hallelujah Europa" (withdrawn, not released in UK) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1979 | "God Bless Whoever Made You" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980 | "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" | 16 | 21 | 5 | 22 | – | 23 | 30 | 3 | 7 | – |
| "Big Shot – Momentarily" | – | – | – | – | – | 73 | – | – | – | – | |
| "Stop the Cavalry" - BPI: Gold | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 4 | |
| 1981 | "Louise (We Get It Right)" | – | 2 | 14 | 22 | 27 | 30 | – | 24 | – | – |
| "Shaggy Raggy" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| "Re-arranging the Deckchairs on the Titanic" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| "I Think I'll Get My Hair Cut" | 71 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1983 | "Love Detonator" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007 | "Stop the Cavalry" (re-issue) | 48 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2010 | "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" (re-issue) | 71 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
See Also
In Spanish: Jona Lewie para niños
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- List of Christmas hit singles (UK)
- Be Stiff
