"In Memoriam..."

Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr

May 27, 1935 - September 12, 2022

Jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, whose acclaimed musical talent entertained fans over a more than 60-year career that began with the Ramsey Lewis Trio and made him one of the country’s most successful jazz musicians died earlier this week at age 87.

Over his long and illustrious career he was a noted jazz composer, pianist, and radio personality. Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five gold records and three Grammy Awards in his career. His album The In Crowd earned Lewis critical praise and the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance.

I personally came to love his musical genius as a child. He was a favorite artist of my parents... on many occasions I can recall his albums being stacked on the spindle and played for hours on my parents Motorola Hi-Fi in our living room.  As I grew older, I too recognized his incredible talent of being able to quite literally and figuratively make a piano sing. His interpretations are some of the most recognizable piano stylings in the world.

Here is one of his many noted recordings that I remember fondly from my childhood, 1966's "Wade In the Water," performed here in his signature jazz interpretation.

If you didn't know so, you'd never guess that "Wade In the Water" is actually an old "Negro Spiritual" with lyrics of encouragement and instruction to escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad. 

Rest in peace, Mr. Lewis

Thank you for the memories.