The Lewis Family America's First Family of Bluegrass Gospel Music
Schedule Store Discography History Photos Links		Miggie Polly Janis Little Roy Lewis

History

From a humble beginning in 1951, the Lewis Family has risen to prominence as an icon of bluegrass gospel music to untold thousands of fans throughout the United States and Canada and wherever else throughout the world the music is played.  It was October 25, 1925 that Roy Lewis used a ladder to take 15 year old Pauline Holloway from her home to elope in nearby McCormick, South Carolina.   They may have been young at the time, but their marriage lasted 77 years, ending only at Mom's death February 8, 2003.  They had eight children: Miggie, Wallace, Esley, Mosley, Talmadge, Polly, Janis and Roy (Little Roy) Lewis. 

The family had a love of music, and the children began to play instruments at a young age.  Mom Lewis taught Wallace a few chords on the guitar when he was twelve.  Little Roy began to learn to play the banjo when he was only six.  When Little Roy was eight years old, he won a local talent contest singing "Juicy Watermelon" and playing a Sears Silvertone 5-string banjo that belonged to his brother Esley.  Today Little Roy is recognized as one of the foremost five-string banjo pickers in the country.  His favorite banjoists have always been Earl Scruggs and Don Reno. 

The Lewis Family began as "The Lewis Brothers" (Talmadge, Esley, Wallace and sometimes Little Roy).  In the 1950's Esley left the group to enter military service.  Talmadge, who played mandolin and fiddle, continued about 20 more years until 1972, when he left to devote full time to his automobile sales business in Augusta.  The brothers played country songs, fiddle tunes and played for square dances.  The first performance as The Lewis Family was in 1951 when they were invited to do a gospel music program for Woodmen of the World in Thomson, GA, and it's been the Lewis Family and gospel ever since.

The Lewis Family admit to influences such as the Chuck Wagon Gang, the Louvin Brothers, Bill Monroe and Martha Carson, but their style remains uniquely their own.  Jimmie Davis told the Lewis Family a long time ago 'if you're gonna make it you have to be different and have your own style'.  Pop says they try to put the Lewis Family brand on every song they do.  Their goal is for their sound to be so distinctive that anyone hearing their records would recognize that they were listening to the Lewis Family without having to be told. 

Photo scan thanks to Doug Jones
Carter Stanley Memorial festival in McClure, Virginia, May 25, 1972
Pop, Miggie, Janis, Polly, Little Roy, Talmadge and Wallace

In the '50's and '60's the Lewis Family worked a lot of gospel concerts with major gospel groups like the Goodman Family, the Florida Boys, the Sunshine Boys, the Blackwoods, the Statesmen, Wendy Bagwell, and so many more.  Little Roy says their big break came from the Happy Goodman Family.  They worked with the Goodmans at a Baptist Church in their home county, and Rusty heard them, liked what they did, and got them on a Wally Fowler all-night singing at the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, GA.  Little Roy remembers JD Sumner picking him up and standing him on a piano stool at that concert.

Photo scan thanks to Hank and Betty Richards

When television was still new the Lewis Family was invited to appear on a TV program at WJBF-TV in Augusta, GA.  It was approximately April 1954 when they began their own TV show appearing every Sunday afternoon.  The show ran every Sunday for a national record of 38 years, ending in 1992 due to the family's demanding travel schedule.  The Lewis Family still tapes a Christmas show for WJBF each year. They enjoyed seeing TV change from black and white with one microphone to today's technology. 

Photo scan thanks to Hank and Betty Richards

The Lewis Family bought their first bus in 1960.  They found that the blessing of a bus is balanced by the curse of mechanical problems, as they had the usual amount of mishaps.   The Lewis Family gave up their day jobs in the early 1960's to sing and play full time.  In 1969, the Lewis Family played several programs in Oklahoma, and Bill Grant invited the Lewis Family to play at his bluegrass festival in Hugo, OK the following year.  That began the Lewis Family's bluegrass festival circuit. 

The Lewis Family has several dates that they play every year.  The Albert E Brumley Memorial Singing in Springdale, AR is one of their annual dates.  They've only missed one year since they began playing there.  One of the first songs the Lewis Family recorded was "My Closest Kin", a song written by Albert E Brumley.  The Brumley family wrote to the Lewis Family to tell them how much they enjoyed the recording, especially 'the 13 year old banjo picker.'

The Lewis Family first recorded in the early 1950's for the Hollywood label.  Then they had four songs recorded on two 78's for Sullivan, who was also the Lewis Family's first sponsor on TV.  The Lewis Family spent 15 years recording for Starday, and 16 years at Canaan.  After a few years at Riversong, the Lewis Family records for Daywind Records today. 

 

Thanks to Matthew Neiburger for the scan.

One of the Lewis Family's best known songs was "Slippers with Wings", written by Randall Hylton, who wrote many songs for the Lewis Family, including some of their title songs "Hallelujah Turnpike" and "Good Time Get Together".  The Lewis Family likes to take songs and arrange them with their special touch.  Their projects represent a variety of songs that produce an overall good feeling of joy and optimism. 

Photo scan thanks to Hank and Betty Richards

The Lewis Family plays at more than fifty bluegrass festivals each year plus school auditorium shows, civic centers, fairs and special events, totaling to something like 200 shows a year.  They have played all over the country, as well as Canada, Mexico and cruises to the Bahamas.

Wallace's family - Karen and Travis with children Cameron and Jameson, Keith and Dawn, Tommy and Karen with son Tom, Betty and Wallace.

Mom Lewis traveled with the Lewis Family all through the years, although she did not appear onstage.  In her later years she had surgery for brain tumors and also knee and hip replacements which kept her home more.  Wallace, who played for the family for many years has also had to leave the road due to Parkinson's disease.  In 1974, Wallace's son Travis, joined the group playing the bass fiddle and also helping drive the bus.  He held that position for 30 years, leaving the road in May 2004. Janis' son Lewis Phillips, was playing "Wildwood Flower" on the banjo at the age of five for a Lester Flatt LP recorded at Pilot Mountain, NC.  When he was six he played banjo on a CBS-TV special called "Carol & Dolly In Nashville".  Lewis now plays banjo, guitar and resonator banjo in specialty arrangements with Little Roy and is featured as a vocalist.   Little Roy is the banjo master, and the entertainer of the group.  His stories and comedy routines make for never a dull moment.  Pop was best known for his classic recitation "Just One Rose Will Do".  On March 23, 2004, patriarch and group founder, Roy "Pop" Lewis, passed away at the age of 98 years old.  Pauline "Mom" Lewis had previously passed away on February 8, 2003.

Photo scan thanks to Hank and Betty Richards

The Lewis Family has their very own event, "The Lewis Family Homecoming & Bluegrass Festival" held annually the first weekend of May at the Elijah Clark State Park four miles east of Lincolnton. 

Awards and Honors:
(note: this is not a complete list)
1992 - Coca-Cola Award in Atlanta, GA
1992 - inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, located in Macon, GA
1999 - "He Still Looks Over Me" won a Dove award for Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year
Feb. 6, 2000 - 'Gospel Group - Traditional' Award at the 26th SPBGMA awards
April 20, 2000 - "So Fine" won a Dove Award for Bluegrass Recorded Song Of The Year
2000 - Pop Lewis was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Feb. 2, 2003 - 'Gospel Group of the Year - Overall' from the SPBGMA's 29th Annual Fan's Choice Bluegrass Music Awards
April 10, 2003 - Winner of two Dove Awards - Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year "Walkin' and Talkin'" and Bluegrass Album of the Year "50th Anniversary Celebration"
September 2003 - Pop Lewis was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from SGN Scoops
April 23, 2004 - Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year at the 35th Annual Dove Awards: “So Many Years, So Many Blessings”
Feb. 6, 2005 - Grand Masters Gold Award 2005 in the Gospel Group of the Year (Traditional) category (10 year winner in this category) from SPBGMA
Feb. 22, 2005 - the Lewis Family inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame
April 13, 2005 - Bluegrass Album of the Year - "Angels Gathering Flowers" - 36th annual Dove Awards
Feb. 5, 2006 - Overall Gospel Group - 32nd Annual SPBGMA bluegrass music awards
April 5, 2006 - "One Rose" the project won Bluegrass Album of the Year in the 37th Annual GMA Music Awards
September 28, 2006 - Inducted into the IBMA Hall of Honor
April 25, 2007 - "My Cross" won Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year in the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards
April 25, 2007 - "Flyin' High" the project won Bluegrass Album of the Year in the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards

Several Lewis Family items are located at the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame at Dollywood also.  Truly The Lewis Family has a rich heritage.  There have been so many blessings through the years and the 'First Family of Bluegrass Gospel Music' carries on the tradition today. 

(Lewis Family History information can be found in "The Lewis Family history/picture book - 45 years on the stages of America, a retrospective" by Lance LeRoy. Also special thanks to the Singing News and Danny Jones for information used on this page.) Read more about the legendary Lewis Family in a column written by Don Rhodes for the Augusta Chronicle by clicking here.