Rob Lewis (musical director, arranger)
| Rob Lewis | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Lyndel Lewis |
| Also known as | Young Q |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Genres | Pop, Gospel, R&B, Jazz, Soul, Hip Hop |
| Occupation(s) | Musical director, music arranger, record producer, music composer, pianist |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Details Music Management, Inc., Rob Lewis Enterprises |
| Associated acts |
Christina Aguilera Babyface Toni Braxton New Kids On The Block Donnie Wahlberg Brian McKnight Fifth Harmony Backstreet Boys Boyz II Men TLC Patti LaBelle Diddy Nick Lachey Making The Band Big Morning Buzz Live Here II Praise |
Robert Lyndel Lewis (born March 17, 1976) is an American music arranger, music composer, record producer, musical director, film composer, musician, entrepreneur and philanthropist. In his 20 years in the music industry, Lewis has worked on several Grammy Award winning singles and albums, and his production, songs, and arrangements have been featured on #1 albums, gold and platinum albums, films, live productions, and television shows.
His studio experience include works with Babyface, Rascal Flatts, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Christina Aguilera, Diddy, and many more. Lewis participated in three seasons as an on-air personality and musical director for the morning show Big Morning Buzz Live with host Nick Lachey on VH1, and has been featured on the reality TV shows Wahlburgers, Donnie Loves Jenny and Braxton Family Values.
Lewis was born on the south side of Chicago, the youngest child of Anna Lewis, a school teacher, and Robert Samuel Lewis (both deceased). Wanting a life better for her son, Anna enforced education early on. Lewis' mother put him in piano lessons at 5 years of age with acclaimed pianist Tom Stevens. Until 9, Lewis began learning the techniques of reading music and of the piano, although he didn't favor classical music. Later in life, Lewis would acknowledge that his objection to classical music at that age was probably because "it had rules, with very little freedom to express anything different". Upon arriving to Mr. Stevens' home early one week, Lewis heard Mr. Stevens practicing a different style of piano, and when he went upstairs for his lesson, he asked Mr. Stevens to show him what he had been playing. This was Lewis' first discovery of jazz, and where Lewis found a love for the piano. So Lewis' mother extended his lesson time from one half-hour to an hour: a half-hour on classical, and half on jazz.
Lewis' mother was heavily involved in church. Lewis, his mother, and his sister, Samantha (deceased), began attending Christ Way Baptist Church under the strict guidance of Rev. Consuella York (who was the first African-American woman to be ordained a Baptist minister in Chicago, and was also the first female chaplain of the Cook County Jail.) Lewis played for all of the services during the week, guided by York's son and Minister of Music, Thomas Alvin Keel, and often played solos. Because Lewis' mother taught school on the north side of the city, she would drop Lewis off at the church early in the morning, and Lewis would stay there until it was time for school, everyday practicing on the church's Steinway and Sons grand piano. At age 10, Lewis then transferred to the Allen Studio Of Music, under the training of Mrs. Lorraine Allen and her son, Ernie Allen, Jr., who was a masterful Hammond organ player. Lewis learned how to play the Hammond organ, although his legs weren't quite long enough to reach the pedals, and by age 12, was teaching at the school. Lewis was looked at as a child prodigy, simply because of how he applied his classical techniques on the Hammond Organ, and because he was teaching choirs at such a young age.
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