Margaret Lewis (music)
Encyclopedia
Margaret Lewis Warwick, known for much of her career as Margaret Lewis (born Snyder
, Texas
, about 1941) is a country music/rockabilly singer/songwriter and music entrepreneur.
Lewis's family moved early in her life to Levelland
, Texas, where she grew up singing in the
Baptist church choir and listening to rockabilly
and r&b. In high school she formed a band, the
Thunderbolts, and they took second place in a talent show in Lubbock
in 1957. After some
guest appearances on the Louisiana Hayride
radio program, she joined the cast in 1958. In Shreveport
where the show was based she met Mira Ann Smith (1926-1989), a local guitarist and
aspiring songwriter who had her own record label, Ram Records
. Through Smith, Lewis and
her sister Rose went on to tour with local artist Dale Hawkins
and sing backup vocals on some of his
Chess Records
recordings.
Lewis continued to record on Smith's Ram Records for several years, until the label was closed down in the
early 1960s. Lewis and Smith then decided to concentrate on songwriting, and their first big success was
"Mountain of Love", a country hit for David Houston
in 1963. Lewis and Smith moved
to Nashville and signed a deal with Shelby Singleton
to write songs for his SSS International and Plantation Records
labels. They wrote a number of hits for various artists from 1967-1971, perhaps the best known being Reconsider Me
,
which has charted for at least four different artists.
Lewis continued to record at times, and she had her only chart appearance as a singer with "Honey (I Miss You Too)" (1968), which peaked at #74 on the country charts. It was an answer song
to Bobby Goldsboro
's "Honey
".
In 1981 Lewis returned to Shreveport and married Alton Warwick, a cousin of Mira Lewis. In the late 1980's she
became active in efforts to revive the Municipal Auditorium in
Shreveport, where the Hayride had performed until its end in 1960. She formed a nonprofit organization to support the
effort in 1997. She also became the chairperson of the Louisiana Music Commission, an effort by the Louisiana
state government to promote the music industry in the state.
In 1998 she released an album titled "...but I know what I like" on her own Ram Records, under the byline
Maggie Lewis Warwick & The Thunderbolts!.
Two Margaret Lewis songs were used in the episode Lassoed of The L Word
.
In 2009 Margaret Lewis Warwick received the OffBeat
magazine award for Lifetime
Achievement in the Music Business.
Snyder, Texas
Snyder is a city in and the county seat of Scurry County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,653 at the 2010 census. It is located on Deep Creek, a minor tributary of the Colorado River of Texas. Snyder is approximately 150 km southeast of Lubbock.Located in Snyder is the Scurry County...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, about 1941) is a country music/rockabilly singer/songwriter and music entrepreneur.
Lewis's family moved early in her life to Levelland
Levelland, Texas
Levelland is a city in Hockley County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,542. It is the county seat of Hockley County. It is located on the Llano Estacado, west of Lubbock. Major industries include cotton farming and petroleum production...
, Texas, where she grew up singing in the
Baptist church choir and listening to rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
and r&b. In high school she formed a band, the
Thunderbolts, and they took second place in a talent show in Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
in 1957. After some
guest appearances on the Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American music...
radio program, she joined the cast in 1958. In Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
where the show was based she met Mira Ann Smith (1926-1989), a local guitarist and
aspiring songwriter who had her own record label, Ram Records
Ram Records (US)
Ram Records was a Shreveport, Louisiana, based record label, founded by Myra Smith in 1955. The label lasted into the 1960s. The label recorded regional rhythm and blues, rockabilly, blues and country music artists. Ram's pressings were made by RCA. Ram also issued recordings on the Clif Records...
. Through Smith, Lewis and
her sister Rose went on to tour with local artist Dale Hawkins
Dale Hawkins
Delmar Allen "Dale" Hawkins was a pioneer American rock singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist who was often called the architect of swamp rock boogie...
and sing backup vocals on some of his
Chess Records
Chess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
recordings.
Lewis continued to record on Smith's Ram Records for several years, until the label was closed down in the
early 1960s. Lewis and Smith then decided to concentrate on songwriting, and their first big success was
"Mountain of Love", a country hit for David Houston
David Houston (singer)
Charles David Houston was an American country music singer. His peak in popularity came between the mid-1960s through the early 1970s.-Biography:...
in 1963. Lewis and Smith moved
to Nashville and signed a deal with Shelby Singleton
Shelby Singleton
Shelby Singleton was an American record producer and record label owner.-Early Life:...
to write songs for his SSS International and Plantation Records
Plantation Records
Plantation Records was a country music record label started by Shelby Singleton. The label is best known for the Jeannie C. Riley 45rpm single, "Harper Valley P.T.A." which was a number one pop record in 1968....
labels. They wrote a number of hits for various artists from 1967-1971, perhaps the best known being Reconsider Me
Reconsider Me
"Reconsider Me" is a country/soul ballad written by Margaret Lewis and Mira Smith. The best known version is by American country music artist Narvel Felts. Released in 1975, it was the first single from his album Narvel Felts. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart...
,
which has charted for at least four different artists.
Lewis continued to record at times, and she had her only chart appearance as a singer with "Honey (I Miss You Too)" (1968), which peaked at #74 on the country charts. It was an answer song
Answer song
An answer song is, as the name suggests, a song made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as a response song. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s...
to Bobby Goldsboro
Bobby Goldsboro
Bobby Goldsboro is an American country and pop singer-songwriter. He had a string of Pop and Country hits during the 1960s and 1970s, including his signature #1 classic "Honey," which sold well over one million copies in the United States.-Early life:Goldsboro was born in Marianna, Florida...
's "Honey
Honey (Bobby Goldsboro song)
"Honey," also known as "Honey ," is a song written by Bobby Russell. He first produced it with former Kingston Trio member Bob Shane...
".
In 1981 Lewis returned to Shreveport and married Alton Warwick, a cousin of Mira Lewis. In the late 1980's she
became active in efforts to revive the Municipal Auditorium in
Shreveport, where the Hayride had performed until its end in 1960. She formed a nonprofit organization to support the
effort in 1997. She also became the chairperson of the Louisiana Music Commission, an effort by the Louisiana
state government to promote the music industry in the state.
In 1998 she released an album titled "...but I know what I like" on her own Ram Records, under the byline
Maggie Lewis Warwick & The Thunderbolts!.
Two Margaret Lewis songs were used in the episode Lassoed of The L Word
The L Word
The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
.
In 2009 Margaret Lewis Warwick received the OffBeat
OffBeat (magazine)
OffBeat is a monthly music magazine in New Orleans, Louisiana first published in 1988. It mainly focuses on the music scene of New Orleans and Louisiana. It covers wide range of local music including R&B, blues, brass bands, jazz, cajun music, zydeco, to rock....
magazine award for Lifetime
Achievement in the Music Business.
Songwriting hits
All of these are credited to Margaret Lewis and Mira (or "Myra") Smith.- "Mountain of Love" - David Houston, #2 Country, 1963
- "I Almost Called Your Name" - Margaret WhitingMargaret WhitingMargaret Whiting was a singer of American popular music and country music who first made her reputation during the 1940s and 1950s.-Youth:...
, #4 Adult Contemporary, 1967 - "I Am the Grass" - Dee Mullins, #64 Country, 1968
- "The Girl Most LikelyThe Girl Most Likely (song)"The Girl Most Likely" is a single by American country music artist Jeannie C. Riley. Released in November 1968, it was the first single from her album Yearbooks and Yesterdays. The song peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart...
" - Jeannie C. RileyJeannie C. RileyJeannie C. Riley is an American country music and gospel singer. She is best known for her 1968 country and pop hit "Harper Valley PTA" , which missed becoming the Billboard Country and Pop number one hit at the same time...
, #6 Country, 1968 - "There Never Was A Time" - Jeannie C. Riley, #5 Country, 1968
- "Reconsider Me" - Johnny AdamsJohnny AdamsLaten John Adams , known as Johnny Adams, was an American blues, jazz and gospel singer, known as "The Tan Canary" for the multi-octave range of his singing voice, his swooping vocal mannerisms and falsetto...
, #8 R&B, 1969; Ray PillowRay PillowRay Pillow is an American country music singer who has also worked as a music publisher and A&R representative. In his career, he has charted eighteen times on the Billboard country singles charts, with his highest-peaking song being the #9 "I'll Take the Dog," a duet with Jean Shepard...
, #38 Country, 1969; John Wesley RylesJohn Wesley RylesJohn Wesley Ryles is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1968 with the single "Kay", a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, and the title track to his debut album for Columbia Records.Ryles later recorded one album, Reconsider Me, for the Plantation label,...
, #39 Country, 1971; Narvel FeltsNarvel FeltsNarvel Felts is an American country music singer. Known for his soaring tenor and high falsetto, Felts enjoyed his greatest success during the 1970s, most famously 1975's "Reconsider Me."-Career:...
, #2 Country, 1975 - "I Can't Be All Bad" - Johnny Adams, #45 R&B, 1969
- "The Wedding Cake" - Connie FrancisConnie FrancisConnie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
, #33 Country, 1969 - "Soul Shake" - Peggy ScottPeggy Scott-AdamsPeggy Scott-Adams is an African-American soul and R&B singer. She is sometimes known by her former name as Peggy Scott, and billed as 'The Little Lady with the Big Voice'....
and Jo Jo Benson, #27 R&B, 1969; Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, #43 Pop, 1970 - "The Rib" - Jeannie C. Riley, #32 Country, 1969
- "My Man" - Jeannie C. Riley, #60 Country, 1970
- "Country Girl" - Jeannie C. Riley, #7 Country, 1970
- "Oh Singer" - Jeannie C. Riley, #4 Country, 1971