BARBARA LEWIS

Barbara Lewis is a purveyor of “smooth soul” who wrote several of her own hits.

She was born in South Lyon, Michigan, on February 9, 1944. Her parents each had an orchestra. Lewis’ father played the trumpet, her mother and uncle played the saxophone, her aunt was a music teacher, and her cousin, Sheldon Brooks, was a songwriter known for “Some of These Days” and “The Dark Town Strutters’ Ball.” By age nine, Lewis herself was playing the guitar, piano, and harmonica, as well as writing songs.

As a teen-ager, she was managed and produced by Ollie McLaughlin, a black D.J. at WHRV (now WAAM) in Ann Arbor, who had previously discovered Del Shannon (“Runaway,” 1961). McLaughlin recorded Lewis on his Karen label, named after his daughter. Her first session took place at the Chess studios in Chicago in March 1962. It consisted of two Lewis originals: “The Longest Night of the Year” and “My Heart Went Do Dat Da.” The latter became a strong enough local hit that Atlantic approached McLaughlin with a distribution deal, which would last until 1968.

Lewis’ second session occurred in July 1962, but it wasn’t until her third go-round that things really began to happen. Her January 1963 session included three more Lewis originals: “Hello Stranger,” “Think a Little Sugar,” and “Puppy Love.” The Dells were on hand to provide back-up vocals. You can hear them on “Hello Stranger” chanting, “Shoo-bop shoo-bop, my baby, ooo.”

Atlantic was hesitant to release “Hello Stranger,” thinking it sounded too much like the current hit, “Our Day Will Come” by Ruby & The Romantics. But the label relented and put the song out, whereupon it hit #1 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues chart and #3 pop. “Think a Little Sugar” was the B-side, while “Puppy Love” (not the Paul Anka song) came out in December 1963, just cracking the pop top forty. (The flip side, “Snap Your Fingers,” also charted.)

As far as the music charts go, 1964 was a relative dry spell for Barbara Lewis. However, she still played many live shows on the strength of “Hello Stranger.” In January 1965, Lewis and McLaughlin stepped into the Atlantic studios in New York City for the first time to record three songs, including “Baby I’m Yours.” Written by Van McCoy (“The Hustle,” 1975) and boasting a lush string arrangement, the single shot to #5 on the R&B chart and #11 pop.

By now married and living in New York, Barbara Lewis continued to record and tour. In July 1965, she returned to the Atlantic studios to record “Make Me Your Baby” with producer Bert Berns. It boasted full orchestral accompaniment that perfectly augmented Lewis’ aching, sweet-soul delivery. And it became her third-biggest hit.

By the time Ollie McLaughlin’s distribution deal with Atlantic ended in 1968, Barbara Lewis had essentially been off the charts for two years. In 1969, McLaughlin got his charge signed to Stax Records. In Chicago, he produced fifteen tracks on Lewis. The result was an adventurous LP, The Many Grooves of Barbara Lewis, and two additional singles, all released on Stax’s Enterprise imprint. However, none of it was commercially successful.

By 1971, Barbara Lewis had returned to Michigan and quit the music business. She would, however, subsequently perform in “oldies” package shows featuring ‘50s and ‘60s rock and roll acts.

In 1977, a remake of “Hello Stranger” by Yvonne Elliman got to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. (By then, Lewis had fallen into such deep obscurity, her agent didn’t know where to send the royalty checks for the Elliman cover.) In 1985, Carrie Lucas’ version reached #20 on the R&B chart. And in 2004, Queen Latifah recorded the song for The Dana Owens Album.

In 1995, Lewis’ 30-year-old recording of “Baby I’m Yours” was included in the film, The Bridges of Madison County. In 1999, she received the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s prestigious Pioneer Award. And in 2016, Lewis was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

Health issues forced Barbara Lewis to retire from singing in 2017.

Rock critic Dave Marsh included both “Hello Stranger” and “Make Me Your Baby” in his 1989 book, The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.

Charted singles:

“Hello Stranger” (1963) R&B #1 (2 weeks), Pop #3
“Straighten Up Your Heart” (1963) Pop #43
“If You Love Her” (1963) Pop #131
“Snap Your Fingers” (1963) R&B #21, Pop #71
“Puppy Love” (1964) R&B #14, Pop #38
“Spend a Little Time” (1964) R&B #26, Pop #119
“Someday We’re Gonna Love Again” (1964) R&B #34, Pop #124
“Pushin’ a Good Thing Too Far” (1964) R&B #47, Pop #113
“Baby I’m Yours” (1965) R&B #5, Pop #11
“Make Me Your Baby” (1965) R&B #9, Pop #11
“Don’t Forget About Me” (1966) Pop #91
“Make Me Belong to You” (1966) R&B #30, Pop #28
“Baby, What Do You Want Me to Do?” (1966) Pop #74
“I’ll Make Him Love Me” (1967) Pop #72

Other noteworthy Barbara Lewis recordings include “My Heart Went Do Dat Da,” “Think a Little Sugar,” “Someday We’re Gonna Love Again,” “Sho’ Nuff (It’s Got to Be Your Love),” and “Baby, That’s a No-No.”