Maxayn Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maxayn Lewis
Background information
Birth name	Paulette Parker
Also known as	Maxayne Moriguchi Maxavne Moriguchi Maxayane Lewis Maxanne Lewis Maxayne Lewis Maxann Lewis
Born	Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Genres	Soul, R&B, funk, pop, rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician, producer
Instruments	Piano
Years active	1960s – present
Labels	Duke Records
Associated acts	Maxayn, The Ikettes, Ike & Tina Turner, The Gap Band

Maxayn Lewis is an American soul singer, musician, songwriter, and producer. She started her music journey in the 1960s. Back then, she was known by her birth name, Paulette Parker. She was a member of the Ikettes, a singing group that performed with Ike & Tina Turner.

In the 1970s, Maxayn became the lead singer of her own band, Maxayn. Her band was named after her! People said her voice was like a mix of Aretha Franklin and Roberta Flack. Maxayn Lewis has also sung backup for many famous artists. These include The Gap Band, Donna Summer, Ray Charles, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, and Ricky Martin.

Maxayn Lewis's Early Life and Music Journey

Maxayn Lewis was born Paulette Parker in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was the oldest of four children. Growing up in a neighborhood called Greenwood, she loved listening to music. Some of her favorite artists were Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.

When she was in fifth grade, Paulette started her very own all-girl singing group. They called themselves The Continentals. She also learned to play the piano and became very good at it. She even went to Oklahoma State University. There, she studied interesting subjects like sociology and psychology. She left college after a challenging time. Soon after, she got a chance to sing in a nightclub act called "Night and Day."

Joining Ike & Tina Turner

While performing, Paulette got a call from Ike Turner. He wanted her to try out for a spot as an Ikette. She auditioned in 1967 when Ike & Tina Turner were in Independence, Kansas. She was hired right away! Ike Turner even met with her parents to get their permission for her to go on tour.

Paulette spent over a year as an Ikette. She learned a lot about the music business from Ike and Tina Turner. She said Ike was a great businessman. He would explain their contracts to them, making sure they understood everything. This helped her learn how the music industry worked.

Forming the Band Maxayn

After touring with the Ikettes, she went on a blues tour with Bobby "Blue" Bland. She released two songs under her birth name in 1969. Through Bobby Bland's bandleader, she met musician Andre Lewis. She decided to form a band with Andre instead of working with a famous producer.

She changed her name to Maxayn Lewis, and her band was named Maxayn. Her uncle had called her "goddess of the wind" when she sang. She learned that in Mayan culture, there was a wind goddess named Maxayn. She was also inspired by Tina Turner to have a unique, single name.

The band Maxayn included Maxayn Lewis as the lead singer, Andre Lewis on synthesizers, Marlo Henderson on guitar, and Emry Thomas on drums. They released three albums: Maxayn (1972), Mindful (1973), and Bail Out for Fun! (1974). Later, Andre released disco albums under the name Mandré, and Maxayn helped write songs for them.

Singing for Other Artists and Movies

Maxayn Lewis also wrote songs for other artists. She co-wrote "So Much More" for Ramsey Lewis and "We Belong Together" for Rockie Robbins. Both songs became popular on the Billboard R&B charts.

She toured as a backup singer for many stars, including Gino Vannelli, Donna Summer, and Rufus. She also sang background vocals for the movie soundtrack of Grease (1978). Maxayn has lent her voice to albums for artists like Steve Marriott, Sammy Hagar, The Gap Band, Rita Coolidge, and B.B. King.

More recently, she sang the song "Turn You On" for the movie Peeples (2013). She also did most of the singing for the character Ma Rainey in the film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020).

Maxayn Lewis has lived in Tokyo and now lives in Los Angeles.

Images for kids

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  Maxayn Lewis, a talented singer, songwriter, and producer.