Pee Wee Lewis & The Hues
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Pee Wee Lewis & The Hues

Orlando, Florida, United States | SELF

Orlando, Florida, United States | SELF
Band R&B Funk

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"SunFest Wrap Up: My 2011 Report Card"

Local party band Pee Wee Lewis and the Hues bursting forth with covers of everything from Prince to Elton John to Morris Day and the Time to Bob Marley. They joked of when Huey Lewis and the News, the inspiration for the name, were “on the cutting edge” back when they won the talent show at Palm Beach Gardens High in 1986. There’s something so rewarding about seeing a bunch of guys truly enjoying themselves. They also got points for still being able to almost approximate the “Jungle Love” side-to-side shuffle dance - Leslie Streeter, Palm Beach Post


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Bio

The band's story begins in 1986 when five highschool students found each other and began to work on their dream of being in a rock/pop music band. Four of the five were in marching band and jazz band with their high school program.

Calling drummer Matt Shepard's garage "home base", the first order of business was the creation of a name. In the late 80's, pop culture centered around a dozen successful bands and quirky icons. After several rejected ideas, band member Leon Lachance yelled out "Pee Wee Lewis and The Hues!". Laughter followed the utterance of such a strange name. And it stuck...big time. Chris Archer, bassist and background vocalist, served as arranger and producer of all sheet music. Rob Mirabelle early on demonstrated not only his musical talent on keys, but added vocals and background on many songs. His ability to record the band was the beginning of a role he plays to this day. Jimmy Carroll, the gregarious co-front man vocalist, is a skilled saxophone player and always had an ability to "get the gigs"; today, Jimmy continues to do this. Drummer Matt Shepard showed early on his consistent skill as the backbone for the band. Leon Lachance, rhythm/lead guitars and vocals rounds the group out as enthusiastic co-front man.

PWL played school and community talent shows & events honing their cover tune skills and demonstrating early on an uncanny ability to connect with and entertain an audience. None other than their inaugural performance at the school talent show truly demonstrated this characteristic which would differentiate them. The auditorium erupted in clapping, shouting, singing, dancing as students and staff all found common ground in the timeless tunes played from the 60's, 70's and 80's! The band's final show was May of 1990 when they played their third SunFest in West Palm Beach, FL. Three of the five members were in college and from there, the band quietly ended....until 20 years later!

At a class reunion in 2007, Chris Archer, Jimmy Carroll and Leon Lachance reunited, discovering that each had always wondered "What if the band got back together"? As adults with increased musical sensibilities and greatly improved mastery in their instruments, what could they accomplish? The old high school was scheduled to be torn down as it sat waiting in the shadow of the newly-constructed facility. An alumni event, "Walk the Halls" was planned and the organizers turned to PWL for entertainment! The newly reassembled group eagerly prepared for the launch of a new chapter as they rehearsed for their final highs school show. The performance was as effective a time machine as a DeLorean at 88 mph! Returning alumni, faculty and staff danced and sang along as the band dragged them all back to a simpler time when the same building's halls reverberated with younger voices from a time gone by.

Today, PWL is a working band that plays from Orlando, FL to South Florida. Come experience why critics and fans can't stop dancing, clapping and returning time and time again to Pee Wee Lewis & The Hues!