Huey Lewis at the premiere of Netflix’s “The Greatest Night in Pop” in Los Angeles in Jan. 29, 2024.Photo:Leon Bennett/Getty ImagesHuey Lewisis opening up about his upcoming Broadway show.Speaking at the premiere of the Netflix documentaryThe Greatest Night in Popon Monday,Lewis, 73, exclusively revealed to PEOPLE thatThe Heart of Rock and Roll— which opens on April 22 — has been his “salvation” following hishearing loss.“Well, we’re very excited. We’ve been working on it for a long time,” the singer-songwriter tells PEOPLE in Los Angeles. “I lost my hearing seven years ago, so I can’t sing or perform, but I can do this. And boy, it’s been a salvation for me personally, and it’s really been gratifying.”Lewis wasdiagnosed with Meniere’s diseaseafter he heard a sudden roar that no one else heard while backstage at a private show in Dallas in 2018. The condition affects the inner ear and causes vertigo and hearing loss.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Huey Lewis at the premiere of “The Greatest Night in Pop” in Los Angeles on Jan. 29, 2024.Charley Gallay/Getty Images“Musical theater is probably, I think because it’s the most demanding, it’s also the most rewarding form of artistic expression and it’s immensely collaborative,” he adds to PEOPLE. “So we’ve been working as a group for almost a decade now on this, and very excited to see it all come together.”Lewis, who sang in the 1985 charity single “We Are the World,” also opened up to PEOPLE about what it was like to take part in the song with fellow stars likeLionel Richie,Michael JacksonandStevie Wonder.“Well, I was nervous out of my mind, obviously,” Lewis tells PEOPLE. “And one thing I do remember, which is interesting, is that they wanted to do the lead vocal in one pass for the most part because there were, I think, five microphones and they wanted to phase one up while you phase the other out so that the room ambiance matched and everything.“Huey Lewis and Lionel Richie at the premiere of “The Greatest Night In Pop” in Los Angeles on Jan. 29, 2024.Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty ImagesHe adds, “and so the first run through Lionel sings, ‘There comes a time,' and then somebody messed up about, I guess Stevie Wonder did first time.”“So they went back and did it again. And then Stevie Wonder kind of messed it up a little bit, playfully,” Lewis explains. “Then they did it a third time. Then they got all the way around to Al Jarreau and he kind of fooled around, messed up. So they start again.“The musician tells PEOPLE that he then asked the sound engineer, “’Hey, Humberto, next time somebody messes up, can you let them go all the way through so I can rehearse my line?’ ““We never got to rehearse on lines in the thing. And Michael was so sweet, he said, ‘That’s a good idea,’ ” adds Lewis.Speaking about his and Jackson’s friendship after the song, Lewis adds, “We exchanged messages once or twice. He congratulated me on my next record.““And I got a note fromBob Dylanthat I’ll treasure for the rest of my life,” he continues. “Sent me just a wonderful note from Bob Dylan. It was a special evening.”
Huey Lewis at the premiere of Netflix’s “The Greatest Night in Pop” in Los Angeles in Jan. 29, 2024.Photo:Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Huey Lewisis opening up about his upcoming Broadway show.Speaking at the premiere of the Netflix documentaryThe Greatest Night in Popon Monday,Lewis, 73, exclusively revealed to PEOPLE thatThe Heart of Rock and Roll— which opens on April 22 — has been his “salvation” following hishearing loss.“Well, we’re very excited. We’ve been working on it for a long time,” the singer-songwriter tells PEOPLE in Los Angeles. “I lost my hearing seven years ago, so I can’t sing or perform, but I can do this. And boy, it’s been a salvation for me personally, and it’s really been gratifying.”Lewis wasdiagnosed with Meniere’s diseaseafter he heard a sudden roar that no one else heard while backstage at a private show in Dallas in 2018. The condition affects the inner ear and causes vertigo and hearing loss.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Huey Lewis at the premiere of “The Greatest Night in Pop” in Los Angeles on Jan. 29, 2024.Charley Gallay/Getty Images“Musical theater is probably, I think because it’s the most demanding, it’s also the most rewarding form of artistic expression and it’s immensely collaborative,” he adds to PEOPLE. “So we’ve been working as a group for almost a decade now on this, and very excited to see it all come together.”Lewis, who sang in the 1985 charity single “We Are the World,” also opened up to PEOPLE about what it was like to take part in the song with fellow stars likeLionel Richie,Michael JacksonandStevie Wonder.“Well, I was nervous out of my mind, obviously,” Lewis tells PEOPLE. “And one thing I do remember, which is interesting, is that they wanted to do the lead vocal in one pass for the most part because there were, I think, five microphones and they wanted to phase one up while you phase the other out so that the room ambiance matched and everything.“Huey Lewis and Lionel Richie at the premiere of “The Greatest Night In Pop” in Los Angeles on Jan. 29, 2024.Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty ImagesHe adds, “and so the first run through Lionel sings, ‘There comes a time,' and then somebody messed up about, I guess Stevie Wonder did first time.”“So they went back and did it again. And then Stevie Wonder kind of messed it up a little bit, playfully,” Lewis explains. “Then they did it a third time. Then they got all the way around to Al Jarreau and he kind of fooled around, messed up. So they start again.“The musician tells PEOPLE that he then asked the sound engineer, “’Hey, Humberto, next time somebody messes up, can you let them go all the way through so I can rehearse my line?’ ““We never got to rehearse on lines in the thing. And Michael was so sweet, he said, ‘That’s a good idea,’ ” adds Lewis.Speaking about his and Jackson’s friendship after the song, Lewis adds, “We exchanged messages once or twice. He congratulated me on my next record.““And I got a note fromBob Dylanthat I’ll treasure for the rest of my life,” he continues. “Sent me just a wonderful note from Bob Dylan. It was a special evening.”
Huey Lewisis opening up about his upcoming Broadway show.
Speaking at the premiere of the Netflix documentaryThe Greatest Night in Popon Monday,Lewis, 73, exclusively revealed to PEOPLE thatThe Heart of Rock and Roll— which opens on April 22 — has been his “salvation” following hishearing loss.
“Well, we’re very excited. We’ve been working on it for a long time,” the singer-songwriter tells PEOPLE in Los Angeles. “I lost my hearing seven years ago, so I can’t sing or perform, but I can do this. And boy, it’s been a salvation for me personally, and it’s really been gratifying.”
Lewis wasdiagnosed with Meniere’s diseaseafter he heard a sudden roar that no one else heard while backstage at a private show in Dallas in 2018. The condition affects the inner ear and causes vertigo and hearing loss.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Huey Lewis at the premiere of “The Greatest Night in Pop” in Los Angeles on Jan. 29, 2024.Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Charley Gallay/Getty Images
“Musical theater is probably, I think because it’s the most demanding, it’s also the most rewarding form of artistic expression and it’s immensely collaborative,” he adds to PEOPLE. “So we’ve been working as a group for almost a decade now on this, and very excited to see it all come together.”
Lewis, who sang in the 1985 charity single “We Are the World,” also opened up to PEOPLE about what it was like to take part in the song with fellow stars likeLionel Richie,Michael JacksonandStevie Wonder.
“Well, I was nervous out of my mind, obviously,” Lewis tells PEOPLE. “And one thing I do remember, which is interesting, is that they wanted to do the lead vocal in one pass for the most part because there were, I think, five microphones and they wanted to phase one up while you phase the other out so that the room ambiance matched and everything.”
Huey Lewis and Lionel Richie at the premiere of “The Greatest Night In Pop” in Los Angeles on Jan. 29, 2024.Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
He adds, “and so the first run through Lionel sings, ‘There comes a time,' and then somebody messed up about, I guess Stevie Wonder did first time.”
“So they went back and did it again. And then Stevie Wonder kind of messed it up a little bit, playfully,” Lewis explains. “Then they did it a third time. Then they got all the way around to Al Jarreau and he kind of fooled around, messed up. So they start again.”
The musician tells PEOPLE that he then asked the sound engineer, “’Hey, Humberto, next time somebody messes up, can you let them go all the way through so I can rehearse my line?’ "
“We never got to rehearse on lines in the thing. And Michael was so sweet, he said, ‘That’s a good idea,’ ” adds Lewis.
Speaking about his and Jackson’s friendship after the song, Lewis adds, “We exchanged messages once or twice. He congratulated me on my next record.”
“And I got a note fromBob Dylanthat I’ll treasure for the rest of my life,” he continues. “Sent me just a wonderful note from Bob Dylan. It was a special evening.”
source: people.com
