The R&B of Smiley Lewis

Born Overton Amos Lemons on 5 July 1913 in DeQuincy, Louisiana, Smiley Lewis was another early rocker promoted as rhythm and blues for the black audience. Lewis composed titles like 'Dirty People' and 'Where Were You' in 1950. Lemons had hopped a freight train as a teenager which took him to New Orleans where he adopted the name "Lewis" which was that of those with whom he found boarding. Missing front teeth, he began using the name "Smiling Lewis" upon beginning his professional career in the clubs of the French Quarter and tan bars of the 7th Ward. Among his early professional associations were pianist, Isidore Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Ernest Mollier. His debut plate was 'Here Comes Smiley' / 'Turn on Your Volume' (DeLuxe 1099) in 1947, two other titles from that session left unissued. Not until 1950 did Lewis record again, assisted by Dave Bartholomew in getting him signed up with Imperial Records toward 'Tee-Nah-Nah' and 'Lowdown' gone down in March toward Imperial 5067. April of 1951 brought 'Bee's Boogie' and 'My Baby Was Right' toward Imperial 5124.

'Turn On Your Volume, Baby'   Smiley Lewis (guitar)

C Aug 1947   Issued Oct 1947 on DeLuxe 1099

Piano: Isidore "Tuts" Washington   Bass: Papa John Joseph

Composition: Leo Frank

Spontaneous Lunacy

'Here Comes Smiley'   Smiley Lewis (guitar)

C Aug 1947   Issued Oct 1947 on DeLuxe 1099

Piano: Isidore "Tuts" Washington   Bass: Papa John Joseph

Composition: Leo Frank

Spontaneous Lunacy

'Don't Jive Me'   Smiley Lewis (guitar)

1951   Matrix IM-275   Colony C106

Composition: Lewis

Lewis and Bartholomew coauthored Lewis's first title to chart on Billboard: 'The Bells Are Ringing' at #10 in R&B in 1952. They collaborated on 'Down the Road' in 1953. Bartholomew had written numerous titles for Lewis such as 'Gumbo Blues' (1952) and 'Blue Monday' (1954). It was Bartholomew who composed Lewis' overall best-selling title, 'I Hear You Knocking', which charted at #2 on Billboard's R&B in 1955. Bartholomew wrote 'One Night' which Lewis sent to Billboard's #11 tier in R&B in 1956. Lewis rode Bartholomew's 'Please Listen to Me' to #9 on the R&B chart the same year.

'The Bells Are Ringing'   Smiley Lewis (electric guitar)

3 June 1952 in New Oeleans   Matrix IM-451   Imperial 5194

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew   Alto sax: Joe Harris / Lee Allen

Tenor sax: Clarence Hall / Lee Allen

Piano: Salvador Doucette   Guitar: Ernest McLean

Upright bass: Frank Fields   Drums: Earl Palmer

Composition: Bartholomew / Lewis

Spontaneous Lunacy

'Down the Road'   Smiley Lewis (electric guitar)

14 Dec 1954 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-670   Imperial 5268

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew   Alto sax: Joe Harris

Tenor sax: Herb Hardesty / Lee Allen

Composition: Bartholomew / Lewis

'Blue Monday'   Smiley Lewis (electric guitar)

14 Dec 1954 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-671   Imperial 5268

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew   Alto sax: Joe Harris

Tenor sax: Herb Hardesty / Lee Allen

Composition: Bartholomew

'Jailbird'   Smiley Lewis (electric guitar)

11 Nov 1954 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-796   Imperial 5325

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew

Composition: Bartholomew

'Bumpity Bump'   Smiley Lewis (electric guitar)

23 May 1955 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-872   Imperial 5356

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew

Composition: Bartholomew

'I Can't Believe It'   Smiley Lewis (electric guitar)

23 May 1955 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-873   Imperial 5470

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew

Composition: Bartholomew

'I Hear You Knocking'   Smiley Lewis (electric guitar)

23 May 1955 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-874   Imperial 5356

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew

Composition: Bartholomew / Pearl King (wife)

'Come On'   Smiley Lewis

26 Oct 1955 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-940   Imperial 5372

Dave Bartholomew Orchestra w Lee Allen (tenor sax)

Composition: Bartholomew / Pearl King (wife)

'One Night'   Smiley Lewis

26 Oct 1955 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-942   Imperial 5380

Dave Bartholomew Orchestra w Lee Allen (tenor sax)

Composition: Bartholomew / Pearl King (wife)

'Please Listen to Me'   Smiley Lewis

20 March 1956 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-1032   Imperial 5389

Dave Bartholomew Orchestra

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew

Tenor sax: Clarence Hall / Herb Hardesty / Lee Allen

Piano: Salvador Doucette   Guitar: Ernest McLean

Bass: Frank Fields   Drums: Earl Palmer

Composition: Bartholomew

'Someday You'll Want Me'   Smiley Lewis

4 Aug 1956 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-1096   Imperial 5404

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew   Tenor sax: Lee Allen

Composition: Bartholomew / Pearl King (wife)

'Shame, Shame, Shame'   Smiley Lewis

11 Aug 1956 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-1100   Imperial 5418

Trumpet: Dave Bartholomew   Tenor sax: Lee Allen

Composition: Ken Hopkins / Ruby Fisher

'School Days Are Back Again'   Smiley Lewis

26 Sep 1957 in New Orleans   Matrix IM-1417   Imperial 5478

Dave Bartholomew Band

Tenor sax: Clarence Hall / Herb Hardesty   Piano: Edward Frank

Composition: Bartholomew

'Oh Red!'   Smiley Lewis

1960   Matrix IM-2554   Imperial 5662

Composition: Bartholomew / Pearl King (wife)

'I Want to Be with Her'   Smiley Lewis

1960   Matrix IM-2556   Imperial 5662

Composition: Bartholomew / Gene Gilmore

'Walkin' the Girl'   Instrumental by Smiley Lewis

1965   Matrix HX70064   Loma 2024

Composition: Naomi Neville (Allen Toussaint)

In 1965 Lewis was diagnosed with stomach cancer, of which he died the following year in New Orleans on October 7, only 53 years of age.

Recordings: Discographies: 45 Cat   Discogs   Rocky 52   RYM