Linda Lewis

Born in London, Linda Lewis made her stage debut as a child, performing alongside her mother and father in the clubs near her East End home. In 1961, again encouraged by her parents, Lewis landed a bit part in the swinging film A Taste of Honey; another small role found her playing a star struck fan in the Beatles' 1965 film Help. Acting, however, was never her first ambition. Rapidly building a reputation as a singer, she performed alongside bluesman John Lee Hooker and R&B band Herbie Goins & the Nighttimers. Signing to Polydor in 1967, the youthful Lewis cut her first single, "You Turned my Bitter into Sweet"; soon after, she joined the soul-rock outfit Ferris Wheel, alongside Diana Ferris, Bernie Holland (later of Jody Grind) and Dennis Elliot, who would go on to both If and Foreigner. A live favorite in the UK, Lewis and Ferris Wheel also found moderate success overseas, as they undertook a succession of European tours. Working with producer Ian Samwell, Ferris Wheel cut two albums, Can't Break the Habit in 1967, and a self titled effort in 1970, together with a handful of singles, including "I Can't Break the Habit", "Let it be Me", "The Na Na Song" and "Can't Stop Now". Ferris Wheel disbanded in 1970. In 1971, Lewis signed a solo deal with Warners/Reprise, having been introduced to the label by her boyfriend (and now label-mate) Jim Cregan of Family. She also launched a career as a session vocalist. Over the next few years, her powerful (not to mention idiosyncratic) range could be heard on hit albums by Al Kooper, Cat Stevens, David Bowie (she appears on 1973's Aladdin Sane LP), among others. Lewis' own debut album Say No More -- again produced by Samwell - was released in 1971, along with several singles, including "We Can Win" and "Old Smokey". Two...