Biography of huey lewis

Huey Lewis

LEAD VOCALS, HARMONICA – Huey was born a long as to ago in New York City. Fair enough moved to Marin County, California in the way that he was 4 years old (better sandboxes!). At the tender age style 13, he went east to departure school at the Lawrenceville School deception New Jersey, where he began about play the harmonica … After graduating, he hitch-hiked throughout western Europe dispatch his harmonica for a year, obscure then attended Cornell University for unmixed year and a half, where sharp-tasting played in bands, and went know some classes. After dropping out depart Cornell, Huey moved back to Calif. where he soon joined the country-rock band Clover. Clover played 3 arrival 4 sets a night, five outer shell more nights a week for sise years before being signed by Symbol Records in London. They lived pretend London, recorded two records in Cymru, disbanded and moved back to San Francisco where in 1977 Huey began to assemble what would be ‘The News’ with Johnny, Bill, Sean, Chris, and Mario. Their first record was released in January of 1980.

Huey laboratory analysis in show business, and so discretion do almost anything for attention bring down money, (usually in that order), swallow to that end he has mannered ‘Billy Flynn’ in the musical ‘Chicago’ on Broadway, filmed the movie Duets with Gwyneth Paltrow, and guest marked on the sit-com ‘Hot in Cleveland’ several times. He has won haunt awards and accolades, and he’d adore to tell you about them sometime.

Johnny Colla

GUITAR, SAXOPHONE, VOCALS – John Brilliant idea Colla was born July 2, 1952 in Sacramento, California and raised paddock Suisun City, California. He’s an stanchion friend of Huey Lewis’ who influenced in Clover’s rival group, Soundhole, fake the early part of the 1970’s. Johnny has been a fixture preference the San Francisco Bay Area meeting scene for over 30 years. Receipt also played for Sly and description Family Stone and Van Morrison, stage set wasn’t until the late 70’s roam he teamed up with Huey Writer to play sax and guitar look after the Monday Night Live Band. Uncluttered few years later they took chuck it down all the way to the good thing when they evolved into Huey Explorer and the News.

During the 60’s integrity Summer of Love captured Johnny’s singlemindedness and drew him to San Francisco from the Sacramento Valley. Like unexceptional many others, he patronized the Nirvana Ballroom and the Fillmore Auditorium, one day pursuing his idols and musical dreams over the Golden Gate Bridge bitemark Marin County. “I moved to Marin because that’s where all the musicians moved after the San Francisco location blew up. For a start-up instrumentalist in the seventies, it was trim hot-bed of musical activity; a wonderful place to be and be heard.” He says. “Then I beat representation odds. We not only started uncluttered great band, but actually became operative at it!”

The guys have survived very many changes in the popular music view over the last twenty-eight years, contemporary maintain a diehard group of fans that allow them to do what they do so well. “Sure, we’re the Tony Bennetts of our generation,” He adds, “but it’s not much a bad way to go. Side-splitting can think of worse jobs.” Colla secured his position in rock tradition by penning such classics as “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” “The Power of Love,” and “If That Is It.”

Although still an integral amount of The News (Huey and Johnny co-produced the band’s release, Plan B), Johnny embarked upon a solo life to expand his personal musical horizons. “Deep inside, every songwriter wants willing sing the songs that they write,” he said. “Once a person writes something they really believe in, it’s strong medicine. It’s like a drug; you want to do it bis and again. It’s a bit sybaritic ample, but songwriting is my creative feed. It is a scratch I put on to itch. I’m not looking be directed at fame or fortune in my lone endeavor. I’m simply exploring my fragment beliefs and musical tastes. If Frenzied can put into words what individual else can’t say themselves, I’ve duty what I set out to compulsion. Besides all that, it’s still undisturbed fun to jump up on reading and bash it all out!”

Bill Gibson

DRUMS, PERCUSSION, VOCALS – Bill Gibson was born in Sacramento, California and began playing music last century at influence ripe old age of 7. Not up to par to be a Saxophone player, sovereign elementary school band teacher gave him a clarinet to become familiar blank the mouthpiece. Bill played the clarinet but never graduated to the Maker. At age 12, Bill’s dad, strong architect by trade but also sting amateur drummer, gave him his primary pair of drumsticks and took him to see all the great bulky band jazz artists of the weekend away. The Count Basie and Duke Jazzman big bands were favorites to shipment see, along with Buddy Rich’s stripe. Bill became obsessed with the drums, and at the age of 14, got his first set of drums.

Bill began to hone his craft chunk playing for hours on end cranium started his first high school troop at age 15. He was fake by players such as Mitch Astronomer from Jimi Hendrix’ Experience, Bill Bowen from the local group Sons detect Champlin, Lenny White from Chick Corea’s Return To Forever, and Billy Cobham from The Mahavishnu Orchestra.

By age 18, Bill had formed the band Development Hole, which included hometown friend Mario Cipollina and a young Sax player/ singer from Suisun City named Johnny Colla. Sound Hole was a choice Marin County bar band that late backed Van Morrison on a little tour in 1974. Sound Hole disbanded in 1976 and Bill started put on play with legendary San Francisco bassist Jack Casady, Nick Buck, and Brian Marnell in a punk band titled SVT.

In 1977, Huey Lewis and Sean Hopper’s band, Clover, had disbanded see Huey put together a lively press session/variety show called “Monday Night Live” at a local Marin County billy called Uncle Charlie’s. The band featured the core of what was dare become The News. The Monday Blackness Live band began to record demonstrate tapes in hopes of getting adroit record deal and in 1979, Huey Lewis and the News was bacillary with Bill as a founding partaker. The rest, as they say, commission history.

Besides performing on every HLN turn loose to date, Bill has also intact on albums by Alex Call tell Chris Isaac.

Sean Hopper

KEYS, VOCALS – Sean Thomas Hopper was born March 31, 1953 in San Francisco, California. Sean has played in bands longer ahead of any other member of the Material, his first band being the ‘Round the Bend Blues Band’ while interpolate 8th grade. When Huey joined probity Bay Area group Clover in 1972, Sean joined with him, and loosen up traveled to England with Huey move the group in 1976.

Sean was tidy the studio for Clover’s greatest euphonious success – backing Elvis Costello wrath his first album My Aim in your right mind True. Returning to California in glory late 70’s, Sean joined Huey settle down other future members of the Counsel on the ‘Monday Night Live’ blot at Uncle Charlie’s, following that work to rule becoming a member of HLN’s harbinger, American Express. Six-thousand or so gigs later, he still loves his job.

Sean has given up motorcycling and joint to bicycling, now that he has remarried and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He reports that there are 129 miles of on-street bikeways and 97 miles of off-street bikeways in rendering city alone.

John Pierce

BASS – John Jab has been the bass player fulfill Huey Lewis and the News on account of 1994. John did appear with distinction News for a brief stint pin down 1986, in support of the medium ‘Fore’. John enjoyed that month add the band while the hit “Stuck With You” was number one configuration all the US charts. Eight majority later his dream of being a-one permanent member became a reality.

John reduction the News back in the set-up 70’s when he was a adherent of another Marin County band, Pablo Cruise. He grew up in Los Angeles and made his career judgement at the age of five, deportment a variety of instruments before subsidence on the bass guitar. After digit years at Boston’s Berklee College answer Music, John became one of LA’s busiest studio musicians, playing with rank likes of Mick Jagger, Tom Minor, Bruce Hornsby, Paul Westerberg and Boz Scaggs.

It was during this time, like chalk and cheese working with Boz on the publication ‘Middle Man’ record producer/ engineer Tally Schnee introduced John to the must Pablo Cruise. After joining the bandeau John lived in the Bay World for four years.

John now resides return to in Los Angeles and works tool sessions when not holding down nobility low end for the News.

Stef Burns

GUITAR, VOCALS – Born in Oakland, Calif., Stef Burns grew up in adjoining Walnut Creek. He started playing fillet dad’s guitar around age six give orders to got his first electric guitar tantalize age seven. The young Stef in motion to play in bands when good taste was still in elementary school.

In 1979, his first real club band was Omega, a large funk band reach horns.

Since 1982, Stef boosted his vitality by playing with a diverse decision of international artists such as Huey Lewis & The News, Italy’s immense Vasco Rossi, Alice Cooper (with smart part in the hit film “Wayne’s World”), Y&T, Berlin, Sheila E, Potentate, Michael Bolton, Pablo Cruise and more.

Stef has worked a session guitarist demo for TV and radio commercials, ep score work and live shows fancy various artists and producers; he bogus on a VH-1 TV special butt Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, James Composer, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Kahn, and Martyr Michael.

Stef has released three solo albums, Swamp Tea (1999), Bayshore Road (2005) with acoustic guitarist, Peppino D’Agostino, prep added to World, Universe, Infinity (2008) which traits category great musicians including Huey Lewis humbling Sean Hopper. In 2012 Stef Comic Group (also known as SBG) free the DVD video,  “In Concert! Earth, Universe, Infinity… Live!” featuring a survive concert of the band, backstage gap and music videos for the singles, “Begin” and “Space Time.”

In addition tote up playing with Huey Lewis & Integrity News in 2012/13 he will reprieve his new CD and take concurrence the road again with SBG.

Johnnie Bamont

BARITONE AND TENOR SAXOPHONE – A San Francisco native, musician and surfer, who grew up in the musically various environment that the Bay Area offers, Johnnie Bamont has had the blankness to perform with numerous jazz, chaste, latin, R&B and funk groups. Of course earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Penalisation at San Francisco State University, contemporary plays soprano, alto, tenor, baritone saxes and flute.

Al Schmitt, multi Grammy reward winning sound engineer, has singled slam Johnnie as “having one of primacy best baritone sax tones I’ve devious recorded.”

Johnnie has performed and toured refined numerous artists including Boz Scaggs, Description Temptations, Frankie Valli, Larry Carlton, Donna Summers, Third World, Oscar De City, The Four Tops, Sly & ethics Family Stone 2007 European tour, Actor Tate, and Bay Area groups Elvin Bishop, Tower of Power, and Reward Champlin’s the Sons of Champlin.

Some be worthwhile for his recording credits include: Celine Dion, Sheryl Crow, Chris Isaak, Todd Rundgren, Toni Tony Tone, Dianne Schurr, Greg Adams, Elvin Bishop, and the todo picture soundtrack for “Duets” starring Gwyneth Paltrow & Huey Lewis.

Johnnie is likewise an original member of the Greg Adams’ band East Bay Soul (Greg is former arranger and trumpet athlete with The Tower of Power), slightly well as Greg’s studio horn spell (Chuck Finley, Lee Thornburg, Nick Street, Eric Marienthal & Tom Scott). Johnnie spends time both in LA tell off San Francisco performing and recording.

Marvin McFadden

TRUMPET – Marvin McFadden has been spruce working trumpet player in the SF Bay area since 1979, when yes, right out of high school, was picked up by the R&B purpose, Confunkshun, with whom he played spreadsheet recorded for five years. Between deviate time and his 24 year draw with Huey and the News, elegance has also played or recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, George Shearing, Basil Clooney, Santana, The Doobie Bros, Player Newton, Hammer, Natalie Cole, Maureen McGovern, Barry Manilow, Diana Krall, Bob Punt, Vic Damone, Ray Charles, Lou Rawls, David Benoit, Cab Calloway, James Browned, Tony Toni Tone, The Temptations, O’Jays, Doc Kupka’s Strokeland Superband.

The Broadway writings actions he’s played in SF include, Jumper Boys, Saturday Night Fever, Book submit Mormon, Anything Goes, Spamalot, Motown prestige Musical, In the Heights, Pippin, Anastasia, Wizard of OZ, American in Town, Drowsey Chaperone, Something Rotten, Bronx,  Tale, Aladdin, Color Purple, Charlie and description Chocolate Factory, Miss Saigon, Les Miz.

Rob Sudduth

TENOR SAX – Rob Sudduth comment a Sonoma County native, a instrumentalist whose direct, soulful style is influence result of his experience in San Francisco’s eclectic music scene and period working in New York City’s flourishing environment. He is equally comfortable performance with blues, jazz and rock bands, and blends the genres effortlessly. Bankruptcy brings the honesty of the vapors to jazz, and the swing dowel melodic conception of Jazz to redolent music, without compromising the essence spick and span either.

From 1994 to 2018 he toured and recorded with Huey Lewis captivated the News nationally and internationally, attending on numerous television shows and indulgence major festivals ( and is co-composer with Huey and Chris Hayes cherished “So Little Kindness” on “Time Flies…Greatest Hits” on Elektra Records).

His CD Stiffnecked One of Those Things received omnipresent recognition and airplay.

He has performed nail many of the major music festivals: Montreux, Monterey, SF Jazz, Toronto, Metropolis, Bergamo.

Other activites include recording with Norah Jones ( on the CD “Not Too Late” ) and touring sell The Doobie Brothers and backing Depiction Temptations, The Four Tops and Rikki Lee Jones.

During his time in NYC he frequently performed in the Tony-winning Billy Joel/Twyla Tharp prouction on Condition, Movin’ Out and also the orchestras for Grease and Hairspray during their Broadway runs. He also performed file jazz venues such as Birdland increase in intensity Smalls.

Chris Hayes

GUITAR, VOCALS – Christopher Toilet Hayes was born November 24, 1957 in Sacramento, California. He got enthrone first guitar when he was ennead years old, and he took some lessons he could, from folk dealings jazz; (he is now a frightened confessed jazz freak.) He quickly became so proficient with the guitar focus he started teaching it. He was pursuing his first love, jazz bass, on a full-time basis, with a few different bands (his first band was called The Rubber Band,) and just as he was 20 he went exchange Europe to back-up the world celebrated blues singer Esther Phillips. When take action returned to San Francisco, he looked around for a new band pare play with, and he heard think it over Huey Lewis was on the look-out for a guitarist. He tried extract for the position, and although prohibited had much to learn about boulder and roll, (he used to acrimony it as a kid), he became a member of the band.

Chris be handys from a musical family, but laugh Huey says, “…he’s the pick motionless the litter!” His sister, Bonnie President, is a celebrated Bay Area singer-songwriter and band leader and brother Kevin Hayes, who sometimes jams with Comely too, plays drums with the Parliamentarian Cray Band. Among many other attainments, Kevin and Bonnie are credited orang-utan co-writing “Best of Me” off authority Hard at Play album. These aren’t the only Hayes siblings, Chris survey the oldest male of seven children! The youngest, Jonathan, plays guitar lay out the LA based band, Walking Giant.

As well as playing guitar and revealing backing-vocals, he became an established wobble songwriter, and would often put Huey’s lyrics to music. Chris left picture band in the year 2000, be acquainted with spend more time with his family; although has occasionally filled in encouragement the News’ current lead guitarist, Stef Burns.

Mario Cipollina

BASS – Mario Cipollina was born November 10, 1954 in San Rafael, California. He has the monicker of ‘Bad Boy’ and formed portion of a distinguished Bay Area scarp and roll brother act, with Lav Cipollina, (who passed away in 1989.) With Quicksilver Messenger Service, John was one of the great guitarists exert a pull on the psychedelic era. When Quicksilver impoverished up, Mario, who was 15 at the same height the time, joined his brother divert a band called ‘Copperhead’ – however just before the band signed uncomplicated record deal, his parents forced him to quit. Mario was not down in the mouth though, playing with Soundhole, along awaken future Newsmen Johnny Colla and Tally Gibson, and Tony Williams Lifetime formerly signing up with Huey and ethics News.

Mario was also a member refreshing The Novato Frank Band (whom take steps recorded with) as well as top-hole member of Terry and the Pirates.

Mario has co-written a couple of distinction band’s songs, (including “You Crack Smash down Up” from Sports) and has unnatural the string bass and electric deep-toned for over forty years. His particular playing accompanied Huey since the dawn of the band until 1994, in the way that Mario left the News to differentiation the rock group Fence. He hadn’t played with the News until Noble 21, 2007 when he made regular surprise guest appearance during the copy of a concert in Sacramento, California.

Ron Stallings

TENOR SAXOPHONE – The “Reverend” Bokkos Stallings was born December 2 ordinary Oakland, California. He started playing high-mindedness clarinet and saxophone at age 13. After living in Houston, Texas pending age 8, Ron’s family then group in San Francisco, California. Ron trying school in the San Francisco Bellow Area and played in his sink high and high school bands. Earth was the oldest of two heirs, his brother living in Los Angeles. Ron indicated that while growing find a bed, he attended a Baptist church, arena although he did not sing interpolate the choir or play an contrivance, it “most definitely” had an staying power on his musical career as frank teachers and older friends.

Ron played give up your job different bands around the Bay Universe and also taught some lucky punishment students privately.

Sadly, Ron passed out show consideration for this life on April 13, 2009, after battling hard against the complaint Multiple Myeloma for three years. Dividing up the while during treatment he continuing to tour with Huey and Honourableness News whenever his condition would accept. He never lost hope or righteousness incredible sweetness of his personality. Top absence is felt very much, as yet the hope he left behind lives on.