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taking up piano and violin for a bit, but then that scene, you know, fell by the wayside and it was
just singing was all I wanted to do. So I just would perform at any opportunity. I did a lot out of
school. I used to gig. You know, I was about 12 when I started gigging. Really supportive family,

bought me my first PA and my dad was like my roadie, you know, and he'd come to all the gigs
with me and yes, I was just out there cutting my teeth, really. Learning what it's all about by doing
it and just always followed it through.

BiTS: And tell me, what was your love in music then? I mean, I know you go by the name of
Cherry Lee Mewis, but is rock
and roll your thing? Is that Jerry
Lee?

CLM: Lee is a middle name, and
it was an old manager I used to
work with. I used to just go by
my first name in the early days,
Cherry, and then he saw my full
name on a contract, and he said
you should use your full name.
So it tied in quite well when I
started working with Max
Milligan, my guitarist and co-
writer because I was changing
genres of what I'd previously
been doing, I added on my
middle name and my surname
or my maiden name, Mewis and
then I was Cherry Lee Mewis.

But yes, a lot of people asked me
was I named after Jerry Lee, but
I wasn't, I actually wasn't. Mum
and dad didn't even realise until
my christening, apparently and my uncle pointed it out [laughs]. I do love him, though as well.
He's passed now, hasn’t he? But I did actually meet the guy a few years back in Mississippi, and
that was pretty, pretty special.

BiTS: Oh, that's right. What do you think was your outstanding, let's say, contribution before
you had the baby? What do you think was the best thing you've done?

CLM: Oh, so many highlights, you know. I’ve been so fortunate to travel the world. Which is
another thing I always wanted to do and that was, you know, by singing, doing these jazz tours
on ships. So I was able to see so much of the world. Highlights, it was working with Bernie
Marsden on his album a few years back now. We recorded at Abbey Road Studios, which is on
most musicians' bucket list, singing at Morgan Freeman’s Blues Club in Mississippi, Ground Zero.
But you know, all that's great, but having my band, my consistent band throughout the years,
12/13/14 years, has been just the cherry on top if you like because we just get on so well and
they add to it because if you've got a band and you don't get on and it's drama, you know, then
you can't enjoy the rest of it, and we are genuine friends.

BiTS: Is there any place that you played in where you kind of had a sudden moment where you
thought to yourself, what on Earth am I doing here? This is absolutely wonderful.