(via Wikipedia)
Say it isn’t so, as the title of one of his songs go. But it’s true, Tony Lewis, lead vocalist and bassist of the iconic pop-rock 80s band, The Outfield, died recently. His cause of death was undisclosed. He was 62.
Lewis was a known English singer-songwriter for their band The Outfield, a British band based in London, which took the mid-80s by storm primarily because of their hit single “Your Love” which gained the 6th spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart in 1986. With Lewis, he had his best friend the late John Spinks, as guitarist and percussionist Alan Jackman. Their hit albums include Play Deep (which reached triple platinum status), Bangin’, and Voices of Babylon. When Jackman left, Lewis and Spinks continued to perform as a duo and recorded Diamond Days, Anytime Now, and Replay (where Jackman came back with the group). Lewis started performing by himself and released his first solo album Out of the Darkness in 2018. To date, Lewis’ and the band’s hit single Your Love has hit 300 million views on YouTube.
Lewis grew up in a rough lower-class neighborhood and his love for music became the only bright light in his life. He always listened to the radio and loved the 1960s classics, that by age 9 he was already a huge fan of The Beatles. Later on, he discovered T. Rex, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, and other glam rock bands of the 70s and got hooked. These were his greatest influences.
It was during secondary school when he pursued his lifelong dream and formed a band with Jackman; Spinks joined in a few years later. Their first band was called Sirius B until they disbanded in the early 80s. Lewis began doing gigs around London when Spinks ran into him again and they formed The Baseball Boys, touring around UK and spreading their signature pop-rock music. Because they have this distinct “American sounding” vibe to their music, American company signed them in as The Outfield and released their first album, Play Deep.
His best buddy and music partner Spinks died in 2014 and Lewis was so heartbroken that he stopped playing for two years until his wife encouraged him to get back on his feet again and do what he loves doing. Eventually, Lewis found out that his wife has this songwriting talent, so he teamed up with his wife and they started a project together. In 2017, they signed up with Madison Records and released Out of the Darkness, carrying the lead song Into the Light. In this new one-man-band, Lewis played the instruments, sang, produced, and recorded everything by himself.
Just recently an official statement was released: “It is with great sadness and sorrow to announce that Tony Lewis has unexpectedly passed away. He was a beautiful soul who touched so many lives with his love, his spirit, and his music. He loved his fans dearly and enjoyed every opportunity he had when meeting all of you. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.” – Team TL
It has been decades since Lewis started touching the hearts of people around the world through his music. And so his music will live on.