Huey Lewis
As the frontman of Huey Lewis and the News, he crafted a brand of upbeat, blue-collar rock that dominated 1980s pop radio with an irresistible, good-time sound.
Born 1950 (age 76)·American singer and actor·Birthday: July 5·Baby Boomers
Biography
Huey Lewis found his sound not in rebellion, but in refinement. Before the News, he was a harmonica player bouncing between bands, even spending time as a busker in Europe. The formation of Huey Lewis and the News in 1979 was a deliberate move toward a polished, radio-ready blend of rock, R&B, and pop. Their third album, 'Sports,' became a cultural fixture, a collection of impeccably crafted songs like 'The Heart of Rock & Roll' and 'I Want a New Drug' that felt both fresh and timeless. The follow-up, 'Fore!,' cemented their status with the mega-hit 'The Power of Love,' featured in 'Back to the Future.' Lewis's persona was key: a regular guy with a gap-toothed smile, singing about love and fun with unpretentious charm. His music provided the soundtrack to a decade, embodying an optimistic, mainstream American spirit that connected with millions.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Huey was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Huey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Huey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 70
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 76 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- He wrote and performed 'The Power of Love' for the film 'Back to the Future,' which became a number-one single and an enduring pop culture anthem.
- His album 'Sports' spent over two years on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned four Top 10 singles.
- He won two Grammy Awards, including one for 'The Power of Love' as Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.
- The music video for 'Hip to Be Square' became a landmark for its clever, self-aware parody of corporate conformity.
Did You Know?
He was a member of the 1970s country-rock band Clover, which found more success in the UK than in the US.
He turned down the chance to record 'We Are the World' due to prior touring commitments.
He is an avid fly fisherman and has participated in numerous fishing tournaments.
He was diagnosed with Meniere's disease in the 2010s, which caused severe hearing loss and tinnitus, effectively ending his singing career.
“It's hip to be square.”
