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JACKSON, Miss. — Keyboardist James “Hot Dog” Lewis died in his sleep after a battle with lung
disease on Friday, October 23, at his home in Jackson. Lewis, who
was 60 years old, was a beloved, respected figure in the
Mississippi and international blues community.
Lewis
was best known as the keyboard player in Bobby Rush’s band, where he earned his nickname with his
zesty, freewheeling style on and off the stage for 27 years. He
played on many albums with Rush and performed internationally as
part of the Bobby Rush
Band.
Lewis’
life will be celebrated with a concert on Thursday, October 29 at
Jackson’s Metro City Complex at 7 p.m. Visitation at Jackson
Memorial Funeral Services will be from 1 to 7 p.m. on Friday,
October 30, and the funeral service will take place at 2 p.m. on
Saturday, October 31. Contributions to help pay for funeral
arrangements can be sent directly to Jackson Memorial Funeral
Services, 922 Woodrow Wilson Avenue, Jackson, MS 39213. Call
(601) 969-9457 for more information.
“‘Hot Dog’ played with
me for about 30 years,” says Rush. “He was the most
wonderful-hearted guy you would ever want to meet. He was a great
musician who played in a lot of good bands. He will be missed by
many friends and fellow band members. He was a dear friend,
musician and player. He played on 25-30 of my records and we
traveled on a lot of road together.”
“Hot Dog” was born on
May 4, 1955 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Jackson,
Mississippi when he was a child, after being adopted by his
grandparents. He grew up and attended high school in Jackson,
where he played locally with a band called Two-Three. Lewis
traveled to Japan for about a year, and when he returned to
Jackson, drummer Bruce Howard introduced him to Rush. He played
exclusively with Rush for several years following.
Lewis’
work with Rush took him across the United States, Europe and
Asia, including a performance for 40,000 people at the Great Wall
of China. He will be remembered by his bandmates as an
exceptional musician, solid friend and uplifting personality who
always made them laugh and looked out for those close to
him.
Journalist David Whiteis
recalls: “He was an excellent blues and R&B pianist,
obviously, but I’ll never forget hearing him in the green room
before various shows, sitting at a piano playing Broadway show
tunes, standards from the Great American Songbook and classical
selections for his own satisfaction and for that of the
people gathered around him.”
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