Margaret Ann Lewis (later Margaret Lewis "Maggie" Warwick; April 30, 1939 – March 29, 2019) was an American country music and rockabilly singer-songwriter and music entrepreneur.
Born Margaret Ann Lewis in Snyder, Texas,[1] she moved with her family early in life to Levelland, Texas, where she grew up singing in the Baptist church choir and listening to rockabilly and rhythm & blues. In high school she formed a band, the Thunderbolts, and they took second place in a talent show in Lubbock in 1957. After some guest appearances on the Louisiana Hayride radio program, she joined the cast in 1958.[2] In Shreveport where the show was based she met Mira Ann Smith (1926–1989), a local guitarist and aspiring songwriter who had her own record label, Ram Records.[2] Through Smith, Lewis and her sister Rose went on to tour with local artist Dale Hawkins and sang backup vocals on some of his Chess Records recordings.[3]
Lewis continued to record on Smith's Ram Records for several years, until the label was closed down in the early 1960s. Lewis and Smith then decided to concentrate on songwriting, and their first big success was "Mountain of Love", a country hit for David Houston in 1963. Lewis and Smith moved to Nashville and signed a deal with Shelby Singleton to write songs for his SSS International and Plantation Records labels. They wrote a number of hits for various artists from 1967 to 1971, perhaps the best known being "Reconsider Me", which has charted for at least four different artists.[2]
Lewis continued to record at times, and she had her only chart appearance as a singer with "Honey (I Miss You Too)" (1968), which peaked at No. 74 on the country charts. It was an answer song to Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey".
In 1981 Lewis returned to Shreveport and married Alton Warwick,[3] a cousin of Mira Smith. In the late 1980s she became active in efforts to revive the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, where the Hayride had performed until its end in 1960. She formed a nonprofit organization to support the effort in 1997.[4] She also became the chairperson of the Louisiana Music Commission, an effort by the Louisiana state government to promote the music industry in the state.[2]
In 1998 she released an album titled "...but I know what I like" on her own Ram Records, under the byline Maggie Lewis Warwick & The Thunderbolts!.
^ abcdeHannusch, Jeff (January 1, 2009). "Best Of The Beat Music Business Award: Maggie Warwick". OffBeat. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
^ abcEvans Price, Deborah (April 2, 2019). "Louisiana Music Luminary Maggie Lewis Warwick Dies of Pneumonia". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
^"Reconsider Me": Margaret Lewis Warwick and the Louisiana Hayride, Tracey Laird, p. 75-87, in The Women of Country Music: A Reader, eds. Charles Wolfe and James Akenson, University Press of Kentucky, 2003
^The L Word Online, soundtrack listing for episode 3, season 4
^Michelle, Felicia (March 31, 2019). "Singer/songwriter Maggie Lewis Warwick passes away". KSLA. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
Margaret Lewis Warwick papers, 1957–2011, at Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University
December 20, 2023
margaret, lewis, singer, songwriter, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, margaret, lewis, singer, songwr. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Margaret Lewis singer songwriter news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Margaret Ann Lewis later Margaret Lewis Maggie Warwick April 30 1939 March 29 2019 was an American country music and rockabilly singer songwriter and music entrepreneur Margaret LewisBirth nameMargaret Ann LewisAlso known asMaggie Lewis WarwickBorn 1939 04 30 April 30 1939Snyder Texas U S DiedMarch 29 2019 2019 03 29 aged 79 Shreveport LouisianaGenresCountry rockabillyOccupation s Songwriter singer Contents 1 Biography 2 Songwriting hits 3 References 4 External linksBiography editBorn Margaret Ann Lewis in Snyder Texas 1 she moved with her family early in life to Levelland Texas where she grew up singing in the Baptist church choir and listening to rockabilly and rhythm amp blues In high school she formed a band the Thunderbolts and they took second place in a talent show in Lubbock in 1957 After some guest appearances on the Louisiana Hayride radio program she joined the cast in 1958 2 In Shreveport where the show was based she met Mira Ann Smith 1926 1989 a local guitarist and aspiring songwriter who had her own record label Ram Records 2 Through Smith Lewis and her sister Rose went on to tour with local artist Dale Hawkins and sang backup vocals on some of his Chess Records recordings 3 Lewis continued to record on Smith s Ram Records for several years until the label was closed down in the early 1960s Lewis and Smith then decided to concentrate on songwriting and their first big success was Mountain of Love a country hit for David Houston in 1963 Lewis and Smith moved to Nashville and signed a deal with Shelby Singleton to write songs for his SSS International and Plantation Records labels They wrote a number of hits for various artists from 1967 to 1971 perhaps the best known being Reconsider Me which has charted for at least four different artists 2 Lewis continued to record at times and she had her only chart appearance as a singer with Honey I Miss You Too 1968 which peaked at No 74 on the country charts It was an answer song to Bobby Goldsboro s Honey In 1981 Lewis returned to Shreveport and married Alton Warwick 3 a cousin of Mira Smith In the late 1980s she became active in efforts to revive the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport where the Hayride had performed until its end in 1960 She formed a nonprofit organization to support the effort in 1997 4 She also became the chairperson of the Louisiana Music Commission an effort by the Louisiana state government to promote the music industry in the state 2 In 1998 she released an album titled but I know what I like on her own Ram Records under the byline Maggie Lewis Warwick amp The Thunderbolts Two of Lewis songs were used in the episode Lassoed of The L Word 5 In 2009 Lewis received the OffBeat magazine award for Lifetime Achievement in the Music Business 2 Lewis died age 79 in Shreveport on March 29 2019 from complications of pneumonia 3 6 Songwriting hits editAll of these are credited to Margaret Lewis and Mira or Myra Smith La Do Dada w Dale Hawkins Rock 1958 Mountain of Love David Houston No 2 Country 1963 I Almost Called Your Name Margaret Whiting No 4 Adult Contemporary 1967 I Am the Grass Dee Mullins No 64 Country 1968 The Girl Most Likely Jeannie C Riley No 6 Country 1968 There Never Was A Time Jeannie C Riley No 5 Country 1968 Reconsider Me Johnny Adams No 8 R amp B 1969 Ray Pillow No 38 Country 1969 John Wesley Ryles No 39 Country 1971 Narvel Felts No 2 Country 1975 I Can t Be All Bad Johnny Adams No 45 R amp B 1969 The Wedding Cake Connie Francis No 33 Country 1969 Soul Shake Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson No 27 R amp B 1969 Delaney amp Bonnie and Friends No 43 Pop 1970 The Rib Jeannie C Riley No 32 Country 1969 My Man Jeannie C Riley No 60 Country 1970 Country Girl Jeannie C Riley No 7 Country 1970 Buffalo Soldier David Barnes Lewis Smith The Flamingos No 28 R amp B No 86 pop 1970 also recorded by The Persuasions 7 Oh Singer Jeannie C Riley No 4 Country 1971References edit bio of Lewis by Phil Davies on rockabilly nl a b c d e Hannusch Jeff January 1 2009 Best Of The Beat Music Business Award Maggie Warwick OffBeat Retrieved April 7 2019 a b c Evans Price Deborah April 2 2019 Louisiana Music Luminary Maggie Lewis Warwick Dies of Pneumonia Billboard Retrieved April 7 2019 Reconsider Me Margaret Lewis Warwick and the Louisiana Hayride Tracey Laird p 75 87 in The Women of Country Music A Reader eds Charles Wolfe and James Akenson University Press of Kentucky 2003 The L Word Online soundtrack listing for episode 3 season 4 Michelle Felicia March 31 2019 Singer songwriter Maggie Lewis Warwick passes away KSLA Retrieved April 7 2019 http www vghf org inductees the flamingos html Archived September 12 2016 at the Wayback Machine entry for The Flamingos at Vocal Group Hall of FameExternal links editMargaret Lewis Warwick papers 1957 2011 at Southwest Collection Special Collections Library Texas Tech University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Margaret Lewis singer songwriter amp oldid 1153574521, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
