Linda Lewis

British musician (1950–2023)

Linda Ann Fredericks (27 September 1950 – 3 May 2023), better known as Linda Lewis, was an English singer, songwriter and musician. She is best known for the singles "Rock a Doodle Doo" (1973) and her version of Betty Everett's "The Shoop Shoop Song" (1975). which became successful in countries such as Japan. Lewis also provided backing vocals for other artists, including David Bowie, Al Kooper, Cat Stevens, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, Rick Wakeman, Rod Stewart, Peter Bardens, Hummingbird, Joan Armatrading and Jamiroquai. She was the eldest of six children, three of whom also had singing careers. Lewis was a self taught guitarist and keyboard player, influenced by Harry Nilsson, Billie Holiday and Smokey Robinson, also drawing inspiration from others such as Joni Mitchell. Her parents were of British Guyanese and Jamaican heritage. She was raised primarily by her mother, who was a jazz singer. Lewis attended stage school and was regularly cast in non speaking television and film roles such as A Taste of Honey (1961); she appeared as a screaming fan in the first Beatles film, A Hard Day's Night (1964) and also sang to the public. She joined The Q Set, a British band who performed ska and blue beat, Jamaican style music. Polydor worried that her name, Linda Fredericks, would be confused with Linda Kendrick, who was also signed to Polydor. Fredericks used the name Linda Lewis in honour of singer Barbara Lewis. The surname would also be used professionally by her sisters, Dee Lewis and Shirley Lewis, and her mother.

During 1967, Linda Lewis formed White Rabbit with Junior Kerr moving on to replace Marsha Hunt in the soul rock band The Ferris Wheel in 1970 and touring Europe with them. She also recorded the album Ferris Wheel (1970) and the single "Can't Stop Now" with them before the band broke up the same year. Her first hit single "Rock a Doodle Doo" reached No. 15 in the UK Singles Chart in the summer of 1973, and it was followed by the album Fathoms Deep, This album established her as one of Britain's most promising young female singer songwriters and was critically acclaimed, On 5 July 1975, Lewis opened the Knebworth Festival, being followed by Roy Harper, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, the Steve Miller Band and Pink Floyd. She sings on the Go Too album, released in 1977, with Jess Roden. Three more albums followed over the next few years. In 1986 and 1987, she recorded with her sisters Dee and Shirley as Lewis, then as Lewis Sisters.

During the next decade, Lewis retreated from public life and moved to Los Angeles although, in 1984, she again appeared at the Glastonbury Festival, as well as recording for Electricity Records. In 1992 she worked on the Joan Armatrading album Square the Circle as a backing vocalist, along with her sister Shirley and Sylvia Mason James. She then returned to record Second Nature (1995), She appeared again at the 2011 Festival. Her song "Old Smokey" was used by the rapper Common, on his single "Go!" (2005), which appeared on his album Be (2005). This was produced by Kanye West and reached No. 1 on the United States R&B and Hip Hop charts. which featured a portrait by Lewis's former husband Jim Cregan In 2007, she toured with the Soul Britannia All Stars in the United Kingdom, and on 3 February 2007, BBC Four featured performances by Lewis, in a sixty minute recording of a Barbican show with the Soul Britannia All Stars. In June of the same year, she collaborated with Basement Jaxx on "Close Your Eyes", which featured in the Japanese anime film Vexille. In 2023, Lewis collaborated with UK folk funk band The Paracosmos. Their single "Earthling" featured additional vocals by Lewis. The single was released in March 2023 and was debuted on Gilles Peterson's BBC 6 Music show where he proclaimed "Linda Lewis is back". The single would be her last release during her lifetime.

Lewis had a five octave vocal range. Of Lewis's ability to sing in the whistle register, Hanson comments in her review of Lark (1972), "No longer a wild weapon that can soar from childlike lilt to screaming dog whistle without a moment's notice, she channels her range to the emotions it demands." Lewis's voice has also been compared to that of Mariah Carey. Reviewer Melissa Weber commented that her voice had similarities to that of Minnie Riperton, and that Lewis had "a wider vocal range [than Riperton], with the ability to sing in a lower register."

Lewis married fellow musician Jim Cregan in 1977, but after three years they divorced. Lewis later said: "We were apart too much – especially after Jim joined Rod Stewart's band – and we were both unfaithful." In 2004 she married music agent Neil Warnock. In her later years Lewis lived in Ramsgate in Kent. Lewis died at her home in Waltham Abbey on 3 May 2023, at the age of 72. Singer songwriter Joan Armatrading memorialised Lewis, saying "She had a beautiful voice and was a really lovely person." Tracey Thorn from Everything But The Girl and radio DJ Gilles Peterson also paid tribute. Cat Stevens tweeted: "I'm so sorry to hear of Linda Lewis passing. She was a good soul friend and fine artist", adding that Lewis was like "an amazing bird that kindly visited the window sill of our earthly house for a few days, then flew away back to her garden".

Year Album LabelUK 1971 Say No More Reprise — 1972 Lark — 1973 Fathoms Deep Raft — 1975 Not a Little Girl Anymore Arista 40 1977 Woman Overboard — 1979 Hacienda View Ariola — 1983 A Tear and a Smile Epic — 1995 Second Nature Sony — 1997 Whatever Turpin — 1999 Kiss of Life — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Year Single Peak chart positions UK US Dance ― ― ― ― ― 1971 "We Can Win" ― ― ― ― ― 1972 "Old Smokey" ― ― ― ― ― 1973 "Reach for the Truth" ― ― ― ― ― "Rock a Doodle Doo" 15 ― ― ― ― "Play Around" 53 ― ― ― ― 1974 "Sideway Shuffle" 58 ― ― ― ― "(Remember the Days of) The Old Schoolyard" ― ― ― ― ― 1975 "It's in His Kiss" 6 9 19 96 11 "Rock and Roller Coaster" 53 ― ― ― ― 1976 "Baby I'm Yours" 33 ― ― ― ― "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" 51 ― ― ― ― "Winter Wonderland" ― ― ― ― ― 1977 "Come Back and Finish What You Started" ― ― ― ― ― "Can't We Just Sit Down and Talk It Over" ― ― ― ― ― 1978 "It's Good" ― ― ― ― ― 1979 "I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You" 40 ― ― ― ― "109, Jamaica Highway" ― ― ― ― ― 1980 "Sleeping Like a Baby Now" ― ― ― ― ― 1982 "Why Can't I Be the Other Woman" ― ― ― ― ― 1983 "This Boy" ― ― ― ― ― "(Close the Door) Take Your Heart" ― ― ― ― ― 1984 "Class/Style (I've Got It)" 120 ― ― ― ― 2000 "Reach Out" (Midfield General featuring Linda Lewis) 61 ― ― ― ― 2023 "Earthling" (The Paracosmos with Linda Lewis) — ― ― ― ― "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.