Barbara Lewis
| Barbara Lewis | |
|---|---|
Barbara Lewis in 1966
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| Background information | |
| Born |
February 9, 1943 Salem, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | R&B/Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Labels | Atlantic |
Barbara Lewis (born February 9, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter whose smooth style influenced rhythm and blues.
Lewis was born in Salem (Salem Township is a general law township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located northeast of Ann Arbor). She was writing and recording by her teens with record producer Ollie McLaughlin, a black DJ at Ann Arbor radio station WHRV, now WAAM.
Lewis' first single release in 1962, the uptempo "My Heart Went Do Dat Da," did not chart nationally, but was a local hit in the Detroit, Michigan area. She wrote all of the songs on her debut LP, including the hit "Hello Stranger" which reached #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and featured extensive use of the Hammond organ. Lewis had moderate follow-up hits with "Straighten Up Your Heart" (#43) and her original "Puppy Love" (#38) before Bert Berns produced her million-seller "Baby I'm Yours" (U.S. #11), written by Van McCoy. Berns also produced the followup "Make Me Your Baby" (U.S. #11) which had originally been recorded by the Pixies Three, and Lewis' final Top 40 hit "Make Me Belong to You" (#28 in 1966), written by Chip Taylor and Billy Vera.
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