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Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr.

May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022

Ramsey Lewis was an American jazz pianist, composer,

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.

His best known singles include "The In Crowd",
"Wade in the Water", and "Sun
Goddess". Until 2009, he was the host of

the Ramsey Lewis Morning Show on the
Chicago radio station WNUA.

Lewis was also active in musical

education in Chicago. He founded the
Ramsey Lewis Foundation, established
the Ravinia's Jazz Mentor Program, and
served on the board of trustees for the

Merit School of Music and The Chicago
High School for the Arts.

Ramsey Lewis was born in Chicago to

Ramsey Lewis Sr. and Pauline Lewis. He
began taking piano lessons at the age of four. As a young man, Lewis played with a number of
local ensembles, such as Edward Virgil Abner's Knights of Music. Lewis would eventually join a
jazz group called The Clefs. He later formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio with drummer Isaac "Redd"
Holt and bassist Eldee Young. The trio later signed with Chess Records.

In 1956, the trio issued their debut album, “Ramsey Lewis and his Gentle-men of Swing”.
Following their 1965 hit "The In Crowd" (the single reached No. 5 on the pop charts, and the
album No. 2) and for while, they concentrated more on pop material.

In the 21st century, Lewis became a revered elder statesman of jazz, finding a career renaissance
as a composer, broadcaster, educator, and artistic director of the Ravinia Jazz Festival. Lewis was
awarded the NEA Jazz Masters fellowship in 2007. He spent his final year working with journalist

Aaron Cohen on his memoir, "Gentleman of Jazz" (to be published May 2023 by Blackstone
Publishing). (https://www.prweb.com/ retrieved 25/10/22)

Always attuned to the link between jazz and popular culture, The Ramsey Lewis Trio’s. ‘Here
Comes Santa Claus’ has been a staple on my blues radio shows at Christmas time, for many years.

Ian K McKenzie