#139 - Tribute to a synthesizer pioneer - Don Lewis

I was so very lucky to call Don Lewis a friend, even though we only met a few years before the pandemic... and more lucky to have been able to work with him on what became his last album, Amazing Voyage. This pioneer of synthesizers was also a historian and created an album of music that tells the history of "Amazing Grace" - a classic gospel song that we all know and love. In his album Don supplies the musical journey of this song and its beginnings.

https://bluecoastmusic.com/don-lewis/amazing-voyage

I met Don and Julie Lewis (his wonderful wife) at a NARAS (Grammy) function about 2018.  We became instant friends with a shared enthusiasm for music production and common friends.  Soon after, they came to the studio for us to work on Amazing Voyage.  He sat at my Steinway to play and my immediate reaction was to have him come to record for Blue Coast Records.  Don, in his seventies then, was like a little kid with eyes wide open and a smile to match to come and play the piano.  Unfortunately, the pandemic shut everything down and we were never able to make that session happen.  He was so full of life, it's hard to believe he's gone.

Engadget offers a brief history on this great man's life who helped invent MIDI, among other things.  I encourage you all to see the movie in February.  It's delightful.

Enjoy your holidays and friends!

Cookie Marenco
Blue Coast Records and Music

From Engadget

Don Lewis, a pioneer in the worlds of synthesizers and electronic music, died on Sunday at the age of 81. In the 1970s, Lewis created the Live Electronic Orchestra. The system enabled him to control multiple synthesizers and other instruments simultaneously using custom keyboards, around a decade before MIDI became a standard.

Lewis worked on some well-known mainstream synths as well. He collaborated with Roland founder Ikutarô Kakehashi on the company's drum machines. Among those was the TR-808, which is perhaps the most important drum machine of all time. Lewis also designed sounds for the Yamaha DX7, along with Hammond and ARP instruments, as Pitchfork notes.

As a performer, Lewis took to the stage at venerated venues such as the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater. He collaborated with big-name artists including Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and the Beach Boys.

While Lewis may not have been a household name, his contributions to electronic music are critical and undeniable. For those keen to learn more about Lewis' life and career, you may be interested in checking out a documentary called Don Lewis and the Live Electric Orchestra. The film will air on PBS in February 2023.

https://www.engadget.com/don-lewis-synth-pioneer-death-tr-808-162414218.html