Remembering Ramsey Lewis and his Legacy

It’s been three years since Jazz legend Ramsey Lewis left this world. To remember his legacy as a jazz pianist, radio personality, and composer, we’ve put together a collection of his accolades, some of our favorite moments from his time hosting Legends of Jazz, and more! 

But first – some background. Ramsey Lewis grew up in the Cabrini–Green Housing Projects in Chicago, Illinois.  With roots in the Deep South, his father was a church choir director, which inspired his love of music. He began taking piano lessons at the age of four with church pianist and organist Ernestine Bruce. Lewis showed real talent very early on, so Bruce recommended young Ramsey to study with Dorothy Mendelssohn at the Chicago Musical College. It was there he learned classical technique, but also the ability to feel the music without getting stuck on the notes.

Photo by Steve Rhodes | Flickr

As Lewis struck out on his own, he played with many local ensembles, including Edward Virgil Abner's Knights of Music and The Clefs. When Lewis was in his early 20s, he formed his own trio, the Ramsey Lewis Trio, which included himself (obviously), drummer Isaac "Redd" Holt, and bassist Eldee Young. The trio signed to Chess Records and released their first album, Ramsey Lewis and his Gentle-men of Swing, that same year. Over his career, he played electric piano, acoustic piano, and even some keyboards later in his career.  

In the 1990s, Lewis began work in the radio space. He hosted the weekly syndicated radio program Legends of Jazz, which featured interviews and performances from legends in the jazz world, including Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Kurt Elling, and Tony Bennett, among others. Lewis also hosted his own radio show, the Ramsey Lewis Morning Show on Chicago’s smooth jazz station WNUA (95.5 FM). In December 2006, this morning show became part of Broadcast Architecture's Smooth Jazz Network. 

Beyond his musical accolades, Ramsey also had philanthropic ventures, including the founding of the Ramsey Lewis Foundation, which helped expand music education. He was the artistic director of Jazz at Ravinia Festival and helped organize Ravinia's Jazz Mentor Program. Lewis also served on the board of trustees for the Merit School of Music and the Chicago High School for the Arts. 

Once Ramsey Lewis got his career going, he experienced many amazing milestones over his six-decade-spanning career. Here are some of the greatest moments... 

• Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five gold records and three Grammy Awards in his career. 

• His best-known singles include "The 'In' Crowd", "Wade in the Water", and "Sun Goddess," which all sold over one million copies and were awarded gold discs. 

• His album The In Crowd earned Lewis critical praise and the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance. 

• In 2005, he hosted the hour-long national PBS special entitled “The Jazz Masters,”  which included the five NEA Jazz Masters- Nancy Wilson, James Moody, Jon Hendricks, Paquito D’Rivera, and George Wein, as well as young vocalist Renee Olstead. 

• In January 2007, the Dave Brubeck Institute invited Lewis to join its Honorary Board of Friends at the University of the Pacific. 

• In 2009, Lewis was commissioned by Ravinia Festival to compose a new work to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. 

• Premiere performance 

• Hosted a weekly one-hour interview and performance program on “Jazz Central” for B.E.T. cable television nationwide. 

Looking back on his time hosting Legends of Jazz, there are a lot of great moments that he had a laugh with his jazz musician guests, or asked a really profound question for the guests and viewers to ponder. Here are a few of our favorite moments... 

His interview with Clark Terry on the origins of “Mumbles” 

Ramsey Lewis asks, “What is Contemporary Jazz?” 

Lewis dives into jazz guitar history and has a conversation with jazz guitarists Pat Metheny and Jim Hall 

Ramsey Lewis’ performance of “Dear Lord” in an episode, where Chick Corea and Tony Bennett are the guests, was another personal favorite moment of mine, but that is currently not publicly available. But follow our newsletter for news on how to access more Legends of Jazz episodes through our upcoming YouTube membership subscription. This membership will provide access to full episodes and not just the highlights featured on our YouTube channel.  

Ramsey Lewis was an icon who made a great impact on the jazz scene and in building its community through his own performances, his radio and television work, and his interviews. His legacy continues in the hearts and minds of his fans and through the work he’s left behind for us to appreciate and learn from. We’re missing Ramsey Lewis, but thanks to his many iconic works, he is not gone from the jazz scene and its history.  

Ramsey Lewis: 05/27/1935 - 9/12/2022 

 Written by Kristen Petronio

Thanks to Ramsey Lewis’ Wikipedia and website for helping me put together his background information.