Patsy Ruth Lewis (October 23, 1947 – September 2, 2024) was an American soul singer and backing vocalist from the 1960s. Lewis was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame twice; as a solo artist in 2015 and as a member of Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul group in 2017.
Patsy Lewis was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States, and moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1951 where she attended Central High School. It was here that her dream of a singing career began. Patsy performed where ever she could in Glee clubs, talent shows and with the school band, throughout her school years and like most singers, sang in the church choir.
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| The Adorables |
In the early 1960s, Pat, her sister Dianne, and two friends (Betty and Jackie Winston) formed the group, The Adorables, who recorded a record and began singing backing vocals for Golden World Records. Lewis debuted as a solo artist in 1966 with Can't Shake It Loose while also beginning to do outside backing vocals sessions. She met Motown Records' in-house backing group The Andantes, and one day when one of the girls could not make the session for Stevie Wonder's "Up-Tight", Lewis stepped in and did it as well as several other Motown sessions. She signed to Solid Hit Bound Records and released a string of singles, including "Look At What I Almost Missed", "Warning", "No One to Love", "No Baby No", and "The Loser". During this time she became a permanent backing singer for Aretha Franklin.
In 1969, Don Davis owner of United Sound Recording Studio (writer/producer for Stax) booked The Group for a session for Isaac Hayes album “Hot Buttered Soul.” Pat was hired to arrange and record background vocals. When the album was released it was a hit. Isaac called The Group and asked if they wanted to tour with him. Pat gave Aretha Franklin her notice and The Group was renamed Hot, Buttered & Soul. While working with Don Davis and Isaac Hayes, Hot, Buttered & Soul recorded background vocals for many of the Stax artists.
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| Hot Buttered & Soul |
Pat continued to arrange all background vocals but was not given credit until a later date. During Isaac’s off time, Hot, Buttered & Soul travelled with Aretha Franklin and Rick Dees “Disco Duck.”. In 1972, Hot, Buttered & Soul moved to Memphis. In 1974 they added a fourth group member, Barbara McCoy, a former member of the The Charmels. Pat also worked for Shoe Productions where she did commercials for several products. Hot, Buttered & Soul remained Isaac Hayes's opening act and studio group from 1969-1982. They went on world tours and appeared on TV shows nationally and abroad. Singing became scarce due to Isaac’s career difficulties, so Pat and Diane moved back to Detroit, but still worked with Isaac off and on.
In 1989, Lewis as well as The Andantes were among the invited artists to join UK producer Ian Levine's mega-project Motorcity Records, a label formed to record new material on former Motown artists. She became the main backing vocals co-ordinator for the label and did several hundred arrangements while she recorded more than 50 tracks with herself and as a lead singer for the re-formed Andantes. Her single Separation (1991) (co-written by Levine and Billy Griffin) was Single of the Week when reviewed in British soul magazine Blues & Soul.
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In 2005, Pat received a call from T.J. Lubinski to sing backup for The Four Tops, Brenda Hollaway, Kim Weston and Francis Nero for the Motown - The Old Days PBS Special .As the Industry learned that Pat was back, the phone started to ring. In December 2005 the world of Northern Soul called for the sixties group,The Adorables, to perform what they called a Northern Soul Weekender in Northampton, England. Pat and the girls returned to the U.K. in 2006 and performed her sixties hits.
She occasionally toured with Martha Reeves's original backing group The Vandellas and performed in Manchester, England in October 2007; where she had also been scheduled to record a new track for Levine's album Disco 2008, an engagement she had to cancel due to health problems. She was still performing in her later years and there is a video of her singing at the Detroit A-Go-Go Hotel St Regis, Detroit, on October 28, 2022, on YouTube.
On September 2, 2024, it was announced that Lewis had died in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 76.
(Edited from Discogs & Wikipedia)