Pete "Guitar" Lewis facts for kids

Pete "Guitar" Lewis (born around July 11, 1913 – died September 25, 1970) was an American rhythm and blues guitarist. He sometimes played the harmonica too. Pete Lewis was most famous for being a session musician and performing with Johnny Otis in the late 1940s and 1950s. A session musician is someone who plays music for recordings or performances by other artists, often without being a permanent band member.

Pete "Guitar" Lewis: A Rhythm and Blues Star

Early Life and Discovering Music

While we don't know many details about his early life, researchers believe Pete Lewis was born Carl Lewis in Oklahoma City. He was inspired by the guitar playing of T-Bone Walker, another famous musician. Pete Lewis was discovered by bandleader Johnny Otis in 1947. This happened when Lewis was performing at a talent show at the Barrelhouse Club in Los Angeles.

Playing with Johnny Otis

After being discovered, Pete Lewis joined Johnny Otis's band. He played and recorded with them for many years, until about 1956. People who heard him play said he was amazing. He could make his electric guitar sound very smooth and jazzy, or rough and bluesy, sometimes all in the same song! His playing was clear, exact, and full of energy. It was a perfect match for Johnny Otis's exciting big band music.

Famous Recordings and Studio Work

Pete Lewis's guitar playing is a big part of many songs. You can hear him clearly on tracks like "Boogie Guitar" and "Good Old Blues." Some of the short musical phrases, called licks, that Lewis played were later used by the famous rock and roll artist Chuck Berry. In 1951, Lewis also recorded with saxophonist Ben Webster while playing in Otis's band.

Pete Lewis also worked as a session musician for record labels like Duke and Peacock. He played guitar for many other singers, including Johnny Ace, Little Esther Phillips, and Big Mama Thornton. He played on Big Mama Thornton's original 1952 recording of the famous song "Hound Dog." The songwriters, Leiber and Stoller, said that the main musical idea for "Hound Dog" came from a riff (a short, repeated musical phrase) that Pete Lewis created in the recording studio. He also recorded some songs under his own name in 1952 and 1953.

Pete Lewis's Later Years

Pete Lewis left Johnny Otis's band in 1956 after a disagreement. Another guitarist named Jimmy Nolen took his place in the band. After that, Lewis only recorded one more time, playing with singer Willie Egan. People believe he continued to perform in Los Angeles nightclubs in the early 1960s. Pete Lewis is thought to have passed away in Los Angeles in 1970.