The Lewis Family

 Known to their many fans as “The First Family of Bluegrass Gospel,” The Lewis Family hailed from Lincolnton, Georgia. In its classic configuration, the band consisted of family patriarch Roy “Pop” Lewis on bass and his children: Wallace on guitar, Talmadge on mandolin and fiddle, Roy M. “Little Roy” on banjo, and daughters “Miggie,” Polly, and Janis on vocals.

The group got its start in 1947, as the Lewis Brothers and featured yet another brother, Esley, on bass, along with Wallace, Talmadge, and sometimes “Little Roy.” This configuration played Country Music and fiddle tunes at square dances. When the rest of the family came on board in 1951, they switched to all Gospel and remained that way throughout their career.

As their popularity increased, the Lewis Family found their performance schedule included performances farther away from their Georgia base of operations. Typical venues included high school auditoriums, civic centers, fairs, and churches. To accommodate their travel needs, they purchased a 1948 GM Silverside bus, making them one of the first Bluegrass bands to use this mode of transportation.

By the time they played their first Bluegrass festival, in 1969 at Hugo, Oklahoma, the Lewis Family had perfected their stage show. Working within the confines of Gospel music, they presented an entertaining and well-paced program. There were instrumentals, featuring “Little Roy’s” hard-driving banjo, trio selections featuring the three sisters, spirituals, popular gospel songs of the day, originals, and a healthy dose of comedy by “Little Roy”… usually at the expense of other family members! Keeping the program on an even keel was the genial emcee work of “Pop” Lewis. Visually, the group was striking on stage, with the men dressed in matching suits and the women in matching dresses, many of which were hand sewn by “Mom” Lewis.

In 1970, the Lewis Family moved from Starday to Canaan Records of Waco, Texas, then one of the leading independent gospel labels. Over a 14-year period, they released a total of 23 albums – roughly one every seven months! The group must have been selling a lot of product to justify such a frenetic release schedule. Memorable songs from this era included “Honey in the Rock,” “Joshua,” “Baptism of Jesse Taylor,” “Me and Jesus,” “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal,” and “Hallelujah Turnpike.”

In recent years, the Lewis Family recorded for the Riversong and Daywind labels. Since 1999, the group’s recordings have won 11 Dove awards for Best Bluegrass Song and /or Best Bluegrass Album. Other awards and honors have included the Lewis Family’s induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1992, “Pop” Lewis’ induction into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2000, a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 from the digital magazine SGN Scoops, the family’s induction into the Gospel Music Association’s Hall of Fame in 2005, four awards from SPBGMA, and two IBMA awards: a Distinguished Achievement Award in 2002 and induction into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

As original members have passed on (“Mom” Lewis died in 2003, “Pop” Lewis died in 2004, and Wallace Lewis died in 2007) or retired due to illness (Polly was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2005), the Lewis Family disbanded in 2009. Several offshoots quickly developed to keep the legacy alive.