Aaron Lewis
Encyclopedia
Aaron Lewis, is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and founding member of the rock
group Staind
, with whom he has released seven studio albums. He has since ventured into country music
with his debut solo album, Town Line. The EP
was released on March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records
.
, then moved to the Forest Park section of nearby Springfield
from 8th grade through high school. His mother is Jewish with origins in Russia
, Poland
and Germany
and his father is Catholic
of Italian, Welsh
and English
origin. His hobbies include fishing, golf
, riding his motorcycle
and dirt bike, as well as hunting. He has worked in landscaping, cleaned hotel rooms, and played solo acoustic sets in bars, pool halls, restaurants and coffeehouses.
bandmate Jon Wysocki. An album surfaced on the internet
with nine of J-CAT's performances at Club Infinity in Springfield, Massachusetts
. The performances were recorded while Dysfunction
was being recorded. Two of Staind's popular singles—"Outside"
and "It's Been Awhile
"—were both originally performed by J-CAT with somewhat different lyrics. Lewis has been nominated for three Grammys.
In July 2010, Lewis finished recording a country music
EP entitled Town Line that was released March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records
. It features 7 tracks including 3 versions of the first single "Country Boy" featuring George Jones
, Charlie Daniels
, and Chris Young, as well as the songs "Massachusetts", "Vicious Circles", "The Story Never Ends", and a re-recording of "Tangled Up in You" originally from The Illusion of Progress
. Lewis said in a July 2011 interview that he was introduced to country music as a child by his grandfather, but his interest was recently rekindled when he toured with Kid Rock.
on their album Significant Other
. He was also featured on a remix for the song "Crawling
" on Linkin Park
's album Reanimation
(the remix is titled "Krwlng" on the album), as well as Cold
's album 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage
. He contributed vocals to the song "Follow" on Sevendust
's third album, Animosity
, and to the songs "Bleed" and "Send in the Clowns" by the band Cold
. He's also featured on Jimmie's Chicken Shack
's song "Falling Out", the only single off their 2004 album re.present
. July 2011 while promoting his Town Line
album Lewis collaborated with Corey Taylor
for a one night only acoustic
duet show covering songs such as, Pearl Jam
's "Black", Pink Floyd
's "Comfortably Numb
", and Alice In Chains
' "Down In A Hole
."
Aaron Lewis is a registered Republican. He is a constitutional conservative and opposes high taxes, but supports marijuana use. His views were expressed in the song "Country Boy".
In a five minute interview with Outdoor Life
magazine Aaron Lewis shared that he has been hunting whitetail deer since he was old enough to keep up in the woods, probably age 4 or 5. His preferred method of hunting deer is with a compound
or recurve bow
, and occasionally utilizes a muzzleloader
.
and gave all the proceeds to the music department to fund the department's expenses to buy new equipment and supplies. Lewis' main focus, however, is the nonprofit organization, It Takes a Community, where he and his wife have started to reopen their daughters' elementary school in Worthington, Massachusetts.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
group Staind
Staind
Staind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
, with whom he has released seven studio albums. He has since ventured into country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
with his debut solo album, Town Line. The EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
was released on March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records
Stroudavarious Records
R&J Records is an American independent record label specializing in country music. It was founded in May 2011 by James Stroud and Rick Carter. Stroud is a record producer and former president of Giant Records and DreamWorks Records. In 2008, Stroud had launched Stroudavarious Records and signed...
.
Early life
Lewis grew up, largely, in Longmeadow, MassachusettsLongmeadow, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,633 people, 5,734 households, and 4,432 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 5,879 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.42% White, 0.69% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.90%...
, then moved to the Forest Park section of nearby Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
from 8th grade through high school. His mother is Jewish with origins in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and his father is Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
of Italian, Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
and English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
origin. His hobbies include fishing, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, riding his motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
and dirt bike, as well as hunting. He has worked in landscaping, cleaned hotel rooms, and played solo acoustic sets in bars, pool halls, restaurants and coffeehouses.
Career
Lewis was, before Staind, in a band known as J-CAT with Tori Sands, Chris Ballini, and StaindStaind
Staind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
bandmate Jon Wysocki. An album surfaced on the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
with nine of J-CAT's performances at Club Infinity in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. The performances were recorded while Dysfunction
Dysfunction (album)
- Personnel :*Johnny April – bass, backing vocals*Gregory Burke – artwork, design, concept*John Burton – mixing assistant*Terry Date – producer, engineer, mixing*Fred Durst – producer*Aaron Lewis – vocals*Roger Lian – mastering...
was being recorded. Two of Staind's popular singles—"Outside"
Outside (Staind song)
"Outside" is a single by the alternative metal band Staind. It is the first single released off their 2001 album Break the Cycle.-Background:...
and "It's Been Awhile
It's Been Awhile
"It's Been Awhile" is a single from 2001 off the album Break the Cycle by the alternative metal band Staind.The song is probably the band's best-known song, becoming a #5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, their only song to reach the pop Top 10...
"—were both originally performed by J-CAT with somewhat different lyrics. Lewis has been nominated for three Grammys.
Solo career
Lewis has been performing solo acoustic shows since he was 17 and still does today. He has written and performed many songs that have never been officially released such as "Angel", "Something Like Me", "Bonghits for Breakfast" (originally performed with J-CAT), "Anywhere but Here", and "Sleeping at the Wheel".In July 2010, Lewis finished recording a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
EP entitled Town Line that was released March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records
Stroudavarious Records
R&J Records is an American independent record label specializing in country music. It was founded in May 2011 by James Stroud and Rick Carter. Stroud is a record producer and former president of Giant Records and DreamWorks Records. In 2008, Stroud had launched Stroudavarious Records and signed...
. It features 7 tracks including 3 versions of the first single "Country Boy" featuring George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
, Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
, and Chris Young, as well as the songs "Massachusetts", "Vicious Circles", "The Story Never Ends", and a re-recording of "Tangled Up in You" originally from The Illusion of Progress
The Illusion of Progress
-Bonus tracks:# "It's Been Awhile" – 4:49 [Limited edition]# "Devil" – 5:18 [Limited edition]...
. Lewis said in a July 2011 interview that he was introduced to country music as a child by his grandfather, but his interest was recently rekindled when he toured with Kid Rock.
Collaborations
He was featured on the song "No Sex" by Limp BizkitLimp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
on their album Significant Other
Significant Other
Significant Other is the second album by American nu metal band Limp Bizkit, released on June 22, 1999. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling 834,000 copies in its first week and received a Grammy Award nomination later in the year of its release. The RIAA certified it 7x platinum in...
. He was also featured on a remix for the song "Crawling
Crawling (song)
"Crawling" is a song by the American rock band Linkin Park. It is the fifth track from their debut album Hybrid Theory. It was released in 2001 as their second single and won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2002...
" on Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
's album Reanimation
Reanimation (album)
Reanimation helped the many underground hip-hop artists that it featured reach a larger audience, as well as changing the nature of the work so significantly that it could be considered an entirely new album...
(the remix is titled "Krwlng" on the album), as well as Cold
Cold
Cold describes the condition of low temperature.Cold may also refer to:*Common cold, a contagious viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system*Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...
's album 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage
13 Ways to Bleed on Stage
13 Ways to Bleed on Stage is the second studio album by American post-grunge/alternative metal band Cold, released in 2000. With four popular singles, it gained substantial commercial success, achieving gold status, and landed Cold in the mainstream rock scene.-Background and recording:About a year...
. He contributed vocals to the song "Follow" on Sevendust
Sevendust
Sevendust is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group...
's third album, Animosity
Animosity (Sevendust album)
Animosity is the third studio album by Sevendust, released on November 13, 2001 through TvT Records. The album appeared on the Billboard 200, remained there for thirteen weeks and peaked at 28 on December 1, 2001. Animosity was certified gold on March 11, 2002 through the Recording Industry...
, and to the songs "Bleed" and "Send in the Clowns" by the band Cold
Cold (band)
Cold is an American post-grunge band, formed in 1996 in Jacksonville, Florida. With two gold-albums Cold has sold over 1.2 million records in the US alone. On November 17, 2006, Ward announced on MySpace that, after a period of uncertainty since that February, the group had decided to disband. In...
. He's also featured on Jimmie's Chicken Shack
Jimmie's Chicken Shack
Jimmie's Chicken Shack is an American alternative rock band from Annapolis, Maryland. They emerged through MTV as one of the first Post-Grunge bands of the era...
's song "Falling Out", the only single off their 2004 album re.present
Re.present
-Notes:*Song "Paper Dolls" was originally written by Jimi Haha and John Wozniak for Marcy Playground's 2004 album MP3. The song appeared on both bands albums.-Personnel:*Jimi Haha - guitar, vocals*Derrick Dorsey - bass...
. July 2011 while promoting his Town Line
Town Line
Town Line is the first EP by Staind frontman Aaron Lewis. An extended play consisting of country songs, it was released on March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records. As of the chart dated July 16, 2011, the album has sold 173,544 copies in the US.-Content:...
album Lewis collaborated with Corey Taylor
Corey Taylor
Corey Todd Taylor sometimes known by the number 8, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Taylor was raised by his single mother. He developed a fond feeling toward classic rock after his grandmother introduced him to it...
for a one night only acoustic
Acoustic
Acoustic may refer to:In science:* Acoustics, a branch of physics that studies sound** Musical acoustics, the branch of acoustics that studies the physics of music** Acoustic metamaterials, engineered materials with atypical properties...
duet show covering songs such as, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
's "Black", Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's "Comfortably Numb
Comfortably Numb
"Comfortably Numb" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, which first appears on the 1979 double album, The Wall. It was also released as a single in the same year with "Hey You" as the B-side. It is one of only three songs on the album for which writing credits are shared between Roger...
", and Alice In Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
' "Down In A Hole
Down in a Hole
"Down in a Hole" is a single from Alice in Chains' album Dirt . It is the fourth song on most pressings of the album and twelfth on others...
."
Equipment
- 1950 Gibson Acoustic J-45
- 1951 Gibson Acoustic Southern Jumbo
- 1936 Gibson Acoustic Jumbo J-35
- 1956 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top
- 1968 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top
- 1980's Gibson Heritage Series Les Pauls (At least 5)
Personal life
He is married to Vanessa Lewis and has three daughters, Zoe Jane, Nyla Rae and Indie Shay. Aaron also has two sisters, Evyette and Rachel, as well as a brother, Jesse.Aaron Lewis is a registered Republican. He is a constitutional conservative and opposes high taxes, but supports marijuana use. His views were expressed in the song "Country Boy".
In a five minute interview with Outdoor Life
Outdoor Life
Outdoor Life is an outdoors magazine about hunting, fishing, survival and camping. It is a sister magazine of Field & Stream. Together with Sports Afield, they are considered the Big Three of American outdoor publishing. Outdoor Life launched in Denver, Colorado in January 1898. Founder and...
magazine Aaron Lewis shared that he has been hunting whitetail deer since he was old enough to keep up in the woods, probably age 4 or 5. His preferred method of hunting deer is with a compound
Compound bow
A compound bow is a modern bow that uses a levering system, usually of cables and pulleys, to bend the limbs.The limbs of a compound bow are much stiffer than those of a recurve bow or longbow. This limb stiffness makes the compound bow more energy-efficient than other bows, in conjunction with the...
or recurve bow
Recurve bow
In archery, the shape of the bow is usually taken to be the view from the side. It is the product of the complex relationship of material stresses, designed by a bowyer...
, and occasionally utilizes a muzzleloader
Muzzleloader
A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and usually the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun . This is distinct from the more popular modern designs of breech-loading firearms...
.
Philanthropy
On November 4, 2006, Aaron performed at his old high school in Longmeadow, MassachusettsLongmeadow, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,633 people, 5,734 households, and 4,432 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 5,879 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.42% White, 0.69% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.90%...
and gave all the proceeds to the music department to fund the department's expenses to buy new equipment and supplies. Lewis' main focus, however, is the nonprofit organization, It Takes a Community, where he and his wife have started to reopen their daughters' elementary school in Worthington, Massachusetts.
Extended plays
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Rock | US Indie | ||
| Town Line Town Line Town Line is the first EP by Staind frontman Aaron Lewis. An extended play consisting of country songs, it was released on March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records. As of the chart dated July 16, 2011, the album has sold 173,544 copies in the US.-Content:... |
|
1 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Adult |
US Alt |
US Main |
US Country |
US Rock Rock Songs Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs... |
||||
| 2000 | "Outside" (with Fred Durst Fred Durst William Frederick "Fred" Durst is an American musician, director, producer and actor, well known as the frontman of the band Limp Bizkit.-Early life:... ) |
56 | 31 | 2 | 1 | — | — | The Family Values Tour 1999 | |
| 2011 | "Country Boy" (with George Jones George Jones George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette.... and Charlie Daniels Charlie Daniels Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer... ) |
87 | — | — | 23 | 50 | 39 |
|
Town Line (EP) |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Country Boy" (with George Jones George Jones George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette.... and Charlie Daniels Charlie Daniels Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer... ) |
Alex Castino |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | CMT Music Awards CMT Music Awards The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on CMT. Voting takes place on CMT's website, CMT.com.-History:... |
USA Weekend USA Weekend USA Weekend is a national publication distributed through more than 800+ newspapers in the United States. It reaches 47 million readers in 22.6 million households every weekend. Awarded for its journalism and design, USA WEEKEND focuses on social issues, entertainment, health, food and travel.... Breakthrough Video of the Year - "Country Boy" |
|
| Collaborative Video of the Year - "Country Boy" (with George Jones George Jones George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette.... and Charlie Daniels Charlie Daniels Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer... ) |