Trivia

By 1966, Lewis was one of the nation's most successful jazz pianists, having had hits with "The In Crowd", "Hang On Sloopy", and "Wade in the Water". All three singles each sold over one million copies and were awarded gold discs.

In May 2008, Lewis received an honorary doctorate from Loyola University Chicago upon delivering the keynote address at the undergraduate commencement ceremony.

Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five gold records and three Grammy.

In the 1970s, Lewis often played electric piano, although by later in the decade he was sticking to acoustic and using an additional keyboardist in his groups.

In addition to recording and performing, Lewis hosted the weekly syndicated radio program Legends of Jazz, created in 1990, syndicated by United Stations Radio Networks. He also hosted the Ramsey Lewis Morning Show on Chicago "smooth jazz" radio station WNUA (95.5 FM). In December 2006, this morning show became part of Broadcast Architecture's Smooth Jazz Network, simulcasting on other smooth jazz stations across the country until its cancellation in May 2009, when WNUA switched over to a Spanish format.

Lewis would eventually join a jazz group called the clefs. He later formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio with drummer Isaac "Red" Holt and bassist Eldee Young. They eventually joined up with Chess Records. In 1956, the trio issued their debut album, Ramsey Lewis and his Gentle-men of Swing.[4] Following their 1965 hit "The In Crowd" (the single reached No. 5 on the pop charts, and the album No. 2) they concentrated more on pop material.

Jazz pianist whose biggest hits, both on the Cadet label in 1965, were "The 'In' Crowd" and "Hang On, Sloopy."

Lewis was artistic director of Jazz at Ravinia (an annual feature at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois) and helped organize Ravinia's Jazz Mentor Program.

Lewis was an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Ramsey founded the Ramsey Lewis Foundation, which promoted musical instrument education to children, in 2005.

Ramsey also served on the board of trustees for the Merit School of Music and The Chicago High School for the Arts.

He began taking piano lessons at the age of four.

Lewis participated in the 2002 Winter Olympics torch relay, lighting the cauldron for its brief stop in Chicago.

Lewis was an Honorary Board member of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra.

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

As a young man, Lewis played with a number of local ensembles, such as Edward Virgil Abner's Knights of Music.

Survived by his wife Janet, his two daughters, Denise Jeffries, Dawn Allain, three sons, Kendall, Frayne, and Bobby Lewis, a17 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, his sons, Ramsey III, and Kevyn Lewis died before him.

Brother of Gloria Johnson, and Lucille Jackson.

Parents are: Pauline Lewis, and Ramsey Lewis, Sr.