Huey Lewis

Huey Lewis began his professional music career in 1971 when he joined the Bay Area band Clover, where he played harmonica and shared lead vocals. In 1976, Clover relocated to Los Angeles and later to the United Kingdom after being discovered by Nick Lowe. The group recorded two albums produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange for Phonogram and also contributed to Elvis Costello’s 1977 debut album My Aim Is True. Clover disbanded in 1978 following lineup changes and limited commercial success.

In 1978, Lewis performed harmonica on Thin Lizzy’s live album Live and Dangerous and continued working as a session musician, collaborating with artists including Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe. Around this time, he formed a new band initially called Huey Lewis and the American Express, which evolved into Huey Lewis and the News after adding guitarist Chris Hayes and securing a record deal.

The band released their self-titled debut album in 1980, followed by Picture This (1982), which included the hit single “Do You Believe in Love.” Their third album, Sports (1983), became a major commercial success, producing multiple Top 10 singles including “Heart and Soul,” “I Want a New Drug,” and “The Heart of Rock & Roll.” Their follow-up album Fore! (1986) reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and produced hit singles such as “Stuck with You” and “Jacob’s Ladder.” The band continued success with Small World (1988) and Hard at Play (1991).

Lewis contributed harmonica and production work to other artists’ recordings throughout the 1980s, including Nick Lowe and Bruce Hornsby & The Range, and appeared on the 1985 charity single “We Are the World.” He also recorded “The Power of Love,” which reached No. 1 and was featured in the film Back to the Future (1985), in which he made a cameo appearance.

In the 2000s, Lewis performed and recorded with various artists, including Umphrey’s McGee and Garth Brooks, and continued touring with Huey Lewis and the News. In 2013, he appeared on Dancing with the Stars performing “The Heart of Rock & Roll.”

Lewis announced in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with Ménière’s disease, which affected his hearing and led to the cancellation of tour dates. He later reported significant hearing loss. In 2023, development began on the Broadway musical The Heart of Rock and Roll, based on the band’s music, with Lewis involved in its creation. In 2025, he was named the inaugural inductee of the People’s Music Hall of Fame.

Lewis also had an acting career alongside his music work. He appeared in Back to the Future (1985) in a cameo role, followed by film roles in Short Cuts (1993) and Duets (2000). He also appeared in television series including One Tree Hill, The King of Queens, Hot in Cleveland, and The Blacklist, and provided voice work for the animated series Puppy Dog Pals.