Hugh X. Lewis
Encyclopedia
Hubert Brad Lewis known professionally as Hugh X. Lewis, is an American country music
singer. He recorded between 1964 and 1979 for various labels, and charted fifteen singles on the Hot Country Songs
charts. Lewis's debut single, "What I Need Most", peaked at number 21 on this chart. Lewis also co-wrote Stonewall Jackson
's number one single "B.J. the D.J.
"
in Kentucky and moved to Nashville, Tennessee
in 1963 and first had success as a songwriter, writing "B.J. the D.J.
" for Stonewall Jackson
; Mac Wiseman
and George Morgan
also covered Lewis's songs.
In 1964, Lewis released his first single for Kapp Records
, "What I Need Most". The song peaked at number 21 on the U.S. country singles charts. Lewis released ten more singles for Kapp, including the top 40 hits "Out Where the Ocean Meets the Sky", "I'd Better Call the Law on Me", "You're So Cold (I'm Turning Blue)" and "Evolution and the Bible". He also had a Top 20 hit in Canada with "All Heaven Broke Loose".
Lewis opened a club in Printer's Alley
in 1972, where he hosted a television show also titled Hugh X. Lewis Country Club.
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...
singer. He recorded between 1964 and 1979 for various labels, and charted fifteen singles on the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts. Lewis's debut single, "What I Need Most", peaked at number 21 on this chart. Lewis also co-wrote Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson (musician)
Stonewall Jackson is an American country singer and musician who achieved his greatest fame during country's "golden" honky tonk era in the 1950s and early 1960s.-Early years:...
's number one single "B.J. the D.J.
B.J. the D.J.
"B.J. the D.J." is a song written by Hugh X. Lewis, and made famous by country music star Stonewall Jackson.Released in November 1963, "B.J. the D.J." became Jackson's second and final No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in February 1964; the song had a 22-week run in the chart's...
"
Biography
Hubert Brad Lewis was born in Yeaddiss, Kentucky. He worked at a steel millSteel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
in Kentucky and moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 1963 and first had success as a songwriter, writing "B.J. the D.J.
B.J. the D.J.
"B.J. the D.J." is a song written by Hugh X. Lewis, and made famous by country music star Stonewall Jackson.Released in November 1963, "B.J. the D.J." became Jackson's second and final No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in February 1964; the song had a 22-week run in the chart's...
" for Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson (musician)
Stonewall Jackson is an American country singer and musician who achieved his greatest fame during country's "golden" honky tonk era in the 1950s and early 1960s.-Early years:...
; Mac Wiseman
Mac Wiseman
Malcolm B. Wiseman , better known as Mac Wiseman, is an American bluegrass singer, nicknamed The Voice with a Heart. The bearded singer is one of the cult figures of bluegrass....
and George Morgan
George Morgan (singer)
George Thomas Morgan was a mid-20th century American country music singer. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and a former member of the Grand Ole Opry.-Biography:...
also covered Lewis's songs.
In 1964, Lewis released his first single for Kapp Records
Kapp Records
Kapp Records was an independent record label started in 1954 by David Kapp, brother of Jack Kapp . David Kapp founded his own label after stints with Decca Records and RCA Victor Records. Kapp licensed its records to London Records for release in the UK.In 1967, David Kapp sold his label to MCA Inc...
, "What I Need Most". The song peaked at number 21 on the U.S. country singles charts. Lewis released ten more singles for Kapp, including the top 40 hits "Out Where the Ocean Meets the Sky", "I'd Better Call the Law on Me", "You're So Cold (I'm Turning Blue)" and "Evolution and the Bible". He also had a Top 20 hit in Canada with "All Heaven Broke Loose".
Lewis opened a club in Printer's Alley
Printer's Alley
Printer's Alley is a famous alley in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, between Third and Fourth Avenues, running from Union Street to Commerce Street. The portion of the alley between Union and Church Street is the home of a nightclub district that dates back to the 1940s.At the beginning of the 20th...
in 1972, where he hosted a television show also titled Hugh X. Lewis Country Club.
Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | ||||
| 1966 | Hugh X. Lewis | — | ||
| Just Before Dawn | — | |||
| 1967 | My Kind of Country | 42 | ||
| 1968 | Country Fever | 39 | ||
| Just a Prayer Away | — | |||
| 1980 | Goodwill Ambassador | — | ||
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1964 | "What I Need the Most" | 21 | — | Hugh X. Lewis |
| 1965 | "Out Where the Ocean Meets the Sky" | 32 | — | |
| "I'd Better Call the Law on Me" | 30 | — | ||
| 1966 | "I'm Losing You (I Can Tell)" | 45 | — | Just Before Dawn |
| "Wish Me a Rainbow" | 61 | — | ||
| 1967 | "You're So Cold (I'm Turning Blue)" | 38 | — | My Kind of Country |
| "Wrong Side of the World" | 49 | — | ||
| 1968 | "Evolution and the Bible" | 36 | 28 | Just a Prayer Away |
| 1969 | "Tonight We're Calling It a Day" | 69 | — | Country Fever |
| "All Heaven Broke Loose" | 72 | 16 | non-album songs | |
| "Restless Melissa" | 74 | — | ||
| 1970 | "Everything I Love" | 56 | — | |
| "Blues Sells a Lot of Booze" | 68 | — | ||
| 1978 | "Love Don't Hide from Me" | 93 | — | |
| 1979 | "What Can I Do (To Make You Love Me)" | 92 | — | |