Biography
Lilli Lewis grew up in Athens, Georgia, daughter of a Baptist preacher who earned a theology degree from Princeton and an academic/human rights activist at the University of Georgia. She composed her first song at age three and was classically trained on both piano and operatic voice. She attended Phillips Academy Andover (class of 1993) — chosen specifically for its pianos — then studied at the University of Georgia on a piano scholarship. Steeped in gospel, folk, blues, and soul from her Southern Baptist upbringing, she developed into a self-described musical polyglot who moves fluidly across folk, Americana, jazz, soul, gospel, R&B, blues, and classical. She is nicknamed "The Folk Rock Diva of New Orleans."
Lewis relocated to New Orleans when her wife, musician Liz Hogan, enrolled in the MFA program at University of New Orleans. In 2009 they co-founded the folk-rock band The Shiz before Lewis launched the Lilli Lewis Project in 2016 as her primary vehicle. She simultaneously rose to Vice President of A&R at Louisiana Red Hot Records, shepherding that label to OffBeat Magazine's Record Label of the Year three times. Her discography spans multiple eras: early solo work (Out from Yonder, 2008), intimate Americana (The Henderson Sessions, 2018), lush big-band soul (We Belong, 2019), politically charged EPs (My American Heart, The Blue EP, 2020), and the NPR Top 10 album Americana (2021). All Is Forgiven (2023) landed on Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe Records. In 2024 she battled a serious health crisis requiring dialysis before staging a comeback concert at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music and performing at Jazz Fest.
Beyond performing, Lewis founded the Black American Music Summit (BAMS), officially launched at Folk Alliance International 2023, challenging the whitewashing of Americana and amplifying Black musical heritage. Rolling Stone named "Copper John" a Song You Need to Know; she performed an NPR Tiny Desk Concert in February 2024. She is also developing children's literature featuring New Orleans residents, funded by the Threadhead Cultural Foundation. Her lineage, in her own words: "If Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Odetta had had a baby, and that baby had had a baby, and that baby had had another baby… well that baby would probably be me."
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Fun Facts
- Composed her first song on piano at age three.
- Chose Phillips Academy Andover for high school specifically because of 'all the beautiful pianos' in its music department.
- Co-wrote and released the 'Mask Up' COVID public health anthem in 2020 with Kirk Joseph, Glen David Andrews, Roland Guerin, and James Andrews.
- Rolling Stone named her song 'Copper John' a Song You Need to Know, and All Is Forgiven was released on Ani DiFranco's storied Righteous Babe Records.
- Founded the Black American Music Summit (BAMS) to challenge the whitewashing of Americana and celebrate Black musical heritage — named by attorney/artist Paula Boggs at Folk Alliance International 2023.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Kirk Joseph - Sousaphone master and founding member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band; hired Lewis for his own band and provided ongoing musical mentorship; appeared on We Belong tracks 'Coretta's Song' and 'When The Rain Comes In' [2019–present]
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Primary stylistic lineage cited by Lewis herself — 'granddaughter of Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Odetta' [Formative]
- Odetta - Primary stylistic lineage, paired with Tharpe in Lewis's own description of her musical DNA [Formative]
Key Collaborators
- Jimbo Walsh - Bassist (New Orleans Rhythm Devils, Davis Rogen); co-produced The Henderson Sessions at his Henderson, LA studio built after Katrina; core Lilli Lewis Project member [2018–present]
- Mark Bingham - Co-produced The Henderson Sessions (2018)
- Dr. Michael White - Traditional New Orleans clarinetist; appeared on 'Coretta's Song' (We Belong, 2019)
- Glen David Andrews - Trombonist; appeared on We Belong and co-wrote/performed 'Mask Up' COVID anthem (2020) [2019–2020]
- Liz Hogan - Musician, wife, and co-founder of The Shiz (2009) [2009–present]
- Crys Matthews - Folk/Americana activist artist; touring collaborator [2020s]
Connection Network
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
LILLI LEWIS PROJECT has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.