# Huey Lewis and the News
**Huey Lewis and the News** is an American pop rock band formed in 1979 in San Francisco, California, fronted by singer and harmonica player [Huey Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/huey-lewis) (born 1950). Rooted in bar-band rock, blue-eyed soul, and doo-wop, the group became one of the most commercially successful American acts of the mid-1980s, selling 30 million albums worldwide on the strength of hits such as "The Power of Love," "I Want a New Drug," "The Heart of Rock & Roll," and "Stuck With You."[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) • [2](https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/music/huey-lewis-hearing-loss-weather-album.html) The band has not performed live since 2018, when Lewis's hearing collapsed from [Ménière's disease](https://www.edgepedia.org/menieres-disease).[3](https://newsroom.uw.edu/blog/menieres-onset-leads-huey-lewis-cancel-tour)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1979, San Francisco, California; evolved from the "Monday Night Live" jam band at Uncle Charlie's club[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) • [4](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/the-band) |
| Classic lineup | Huey Lewis (lead vocals, harmonica), Chris Hayes (guitar), Johnny Colla (guitar, sax), Sean Hopper (keyboards), Mario Cipollina (bass), Bill Gibson (drums)[5](https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-a-to-k/artists-h/huey-lewis-news/) |
| Breakthrough | *Sports* (1983): No. 1 on the Billboard 200, 160 weeks on the chart, four Top 10 singles[6](https://apnews.com/article/7966572a00c79887aa65cbed999b1792) |
| Chart total | 12 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, three of them No. 1[6](https://apnews.com/article/7966572a00c79887aa65cbed999b1792) |
| Awards | A Grammy Award for the "Heart of Rock 'n' Roll" music video; "The Power of Love" nominated for an Academy Award[6](https://apnews.com/article/7966572a00c79887aa65cbed999b1792) |
| Final album | *Weather* (2020), the band's tenth, completed from recordings made before Lewis's hearing loss[7](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/music/article/huey-lewis-hearing-loss-music-22338121.php) |
| Current status | No live performances since 2018; in 2026 Lewis described himself as "basically deaf" and unable to enjoy or perform music[3](https://newsroom.uw.edu/blog/menieres-onset-leads-huey-lewis-cancel-tour) • [8](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2026-07-10/huey-lewis-music-deaf-hearing-loss-menieres-disease) |
## Origins
The band's roots lie in **Clover**, an early-1970s San Francisco country-rock band featuring Lewis on vocals and harmonica and keyboardist Sean Hopper.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) Clover moved to England in 1976 at the urging of pub-rocker [Nick Lowe](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-lowe) and served as the backing band on [Elvis Costello](https://www.edgepedia.org/elvis-costello)'s debut album *My Aim Is True*; Lewis himself did not play on the record, telling Rolling Stone that "all the harmonica that isn't on the Elvis Costello record was played by me."[9](https://www.goldminemag.com/interviews/huey-lewis-reflects-on-broadway-his-rare-disease-and-40-years-of-the-news) Lewis also recorded with Lowe and [Dave Edmunds](https://www.edgepedia.org/dave-edmunds) in London before returning to California.[10](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Music-Connection/80/1984-Vol-8/Music-Connection-1984-07-19.pdf)
Back in the Bay Area in 1977, Lewis organized a jam and variety show called "Monday Night Live" at Uncle Charlie's, a Marin County club, with the core of what would become the News. The band recorded demos and, after a stint as Huey Lewis and the [American Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-express), became Huey Lewis and the News in 1979.[4](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/the-band)
## Rise to stardom
The self-titled debut, released in January 1980, sold modestly despite its bar-band energy.[4](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/the-band) • [11](https://www.loudersound.com/features/huey-lewis-the-news-sports-fore-interview) *Picture This* (1982) broke through on the Top Ten single "Do You Believe in Love," written by former Clover producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) Minor hits "Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do" and "Workin' for a Livin'" followed, and heavy touring built a national audience.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122)
**Sports, the breakthrough.** Released in fall 1983, the band's third album grew over the next year into a multi-platinum success, helped by a series of humorous videos given heavy play on MTV.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) It reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, stayed on the chart for 160 consecutive weeks, and was the second biggest-selling album on Billboard's end-of-year sales chart, behind only [Michael Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-jackson)'s *Thriller*.[6](https://apnews.com/article/7966572a00c79887aa65cbed999b1792) • [12](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/huey-lewis-and-the-news-to-celebrate-40th-anniversary-of-sports-with-vinyl-re-issue) Five singles charted, including "Heart and Soul" (No. 8 on the Hot 100), "I Want a New Drug" ([No. 6](https://www.edgepedia.org/no-6)), "The Heart of Rock & Roll," and "If This Is It".[12](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/huey-lewis-and-the-news-to-celebrate-40th-anniversary-of-sports-with-vinyl-re-issue) Lewis described the strategy directly: "We aimed every song right at Top 40 radio."[13](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-02-12/huey-lewis-hearing-loss-menieres-disease)
In late 1984 Lewis sued [Ray Parker Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/ray-parker-jr), claiming "Ghostbusters" plagiarized "I Want a New Drug"; the suit was settled out of court.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) In 1985 "The Power of Love," the theme to the film *Back to the Future*, became the band's first US No. 1 single.[14](https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/chris-hayes-huey-lewis-and-the-news-fore) The band's 1984 Sports tour also opened for the rising Texan guitarist [Stevie Ray Vaughan](https://www.edgepedia.org/stevie-ray-vaughan), whom Lewis personally insisted on booking despite his agent's objection.[15](https://www.loudersound.com/music/huey-lewis-stevie-ray-vaughan)
## Peak years and after
*Fore!* (1986), the band's fourth album, went to No. 1 behind five Top Ten singles: "Stuck with You," "Hip to Be Square," "Jacob's Ladder," "I Know What I Like," and "Doing It All for My Baby".[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) Guitarist Chris Hayes, co-writer of "The Power of Love" and "I Want a New Drug," later called it his favorite of the band's albums and its last strongly rock-oriented record.[14](https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/chris-hayes-huey-lewis-and-the-news-fore)
The band's commercial peak ended with *Small World* (1988), a platinum album that dipped into American roots styles and drew critical hostility, including a panning from Rolling Stone.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) • [16](https://grantland.com/features/the-life-career-80s-pop-star-huey-lewis/) Its single "Perfect World" reached No. 3 on the pop charts, and the band never had another Top 10 hit; by 1991's *Hard at Play*, rock stations declined their material in the grunge era.[16](https://grantland.com/features/the-life-career-80s-pop-star-huey-lewis/) Later releases included the oldies-covers album *Four Chords & Several Years Ago* (1994), *Plan B* (2001), the [Stax Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/stax-records) tribute *Soulsville* (2010), and *Weather* (2020).[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122) Bassist John Pierce, formerly of [Pablo Cruise](https://www.edgepedia.org/pablo-cruise), joined the band permanently in 1994, and [Chris Hayes](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-hayes) left in 2000.[4](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/the-band)
## Ménière's disease and the end of touring
Lewis was diagnosed with Ménière's disease, an inner-ear disorder that can cause vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss, in early 2018.[8](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2026-07-10/huey-lewis-music-deaf-hearing-loss-menieres-disease) He had already lost hearing in his right ear in the early 1990s and had relied on his left ear for decades.[17](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/singers-songwriters/eight-and-a-half-years-ago-my-life-changed-immeasurably-music-is-not-part-of-my-life-anymore-huey-lewis-reveals-the-tragic-impact-of-hearing-loss) The symptoms became debilitating during a performance in Dallas on January 27, 2018; drummer Bill Gibson recalled that Lewis "was a whole step flat" and could not find the pitch of the song.[18](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/huey-lewis-talks-hearing-loss-and-the-end-of-his-singing-career/) On April 13, 2018, Lewis announced the cancellation of the remainder of the tour, saying he "can't hear music well enough to sing."[3](https://newsroom.uw.edu/blog/menieres-onset-leads-huey-lewis-cancel-tour)
Dr. Jay Rubinstein, professor of otolaryngology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, explained that Ménière's is usually a single-ear disease and that the pitch distortion Lewis described resembles diplacusis, a condition in which the two ears report different pitches, which is career-defining mainly for musicians.[3](https://newsroom.uw.edu/blog/menieres-onset-leads-huey-lewis-cancel-tour)
In a July 2026 episode of the "Inside of You" podcast, Lewis said he had been "basically deaf" for roughly nine years, using a cochlear implant on one side and a hearing aid on the other, and that music was no longer part of his life because the implant cannot convey pitch.[8](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2026-07-10/huey-lewis-music-deaf-hearing-loss-menieres-disease) • [17](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/singers-songwriters/eight-and-a-half-years-ago-my-life-changed-immeasurably-music-is-not-part-of-my-life-anymore-huey-lewis-reveals-the-tragic-impact-of-hearing-loss) The band has made no formal disbandment announcement.[19](https://ifann.net/wiki/huey-lewis-and-the-news)
## Theater and cultural footprint
The band's songs reached Broadway in *The Heart of Rock & Roll*, a jukebox musical with an original story set to the band's catalog, which opened at the James Earl Jones Theatre in 2024 with Lewis as a producer; he called the project "a salvation for me with my terrible hearing."[7](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/music/article/huey-lewis-hearing-loss-music-22338121.php) • [9](https://www.goldminemag.com/interviews/huey-lewis-reflects-on-broadway-his-rare-disease-and-40-years-of-the-news) The band's songs had earlier formed part of the Broadway musical *Back to the Future*.[6](https://apnews.com/article/7966572a00c79887aa65cbed999b1792)
The band also entered popular literature: in [Bret Easton Ellis](https://www.edgepedia.org/bret-easton-ellis)'s 1991 novel *American Psycho*, the narrator [Patrick Bateman](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-bateman) delivers an extended monologue on the band, and the stage musical adaptation worked sly reworkings of "Hip to Be Square" into its score.[20](https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/26078/1/PCE%20final.pdf) • [21](https://apnews.com/article/75ddd243f32ba8c7646d37c14f1c536d) In February 2025, Lewis was inducted as the first artist into the People's Music Hall of Fame.[17](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/singers-songwriters/eight-and-a-half-years-ago-my-life-changed-immeasurably-music-is-not-part-of-my-life-anymore-huey-lewis-reveals-the-tragic-impact-of-hearing-loss)
The band's awards accounts differ in emphasis: its official website credits it with two Grammys, in 1984 for "Best Rock Vocal by a Group" for "Heart and Soul" and in 1985 for "Record of the Year" for "The Heart of Rock and Roll,"[12](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/huey-lewis-and-the-news-to-celebrate-40th-anniversary-of-sports-with-vinyl-re-issue) while the Associated Press reports a Grammy for best music video for "The Heart of Rock 'n' Roll."[6](https://apnews.com/article/7966572a00c79887aa65cbed999b1792)
## References
1. [Huey Lewis & the News biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/huey-lewis-the-news-mn0000829122)
2. [Huey Lewis Opens Up About His Hearing Loss, AARP](https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/music/huey-lewis-hearing-loss-weather-album.html)
3. [Meniere's onset leads Huey Lewis to cancel tour, UW Medicine Newsroom](https://newsroom.uw.edu/blog/menieres-onset-leads-huey-lewis-cancel-tour)
4. [The Band, Official Huey Lewis and the News Website](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/the-band)
5. [Huey Lewis & The News, Nostalgia Central](https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-a-to-k/artists-h/huey-lewis-news/)
6. [Huey Lewis' rom-com musical 'The Heart of Rock & Roll' finds a stage on Broadway in spring, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/7966572a00c79887aa65cbed999b1792)
7. [Huey Lewis says, 'Music is not part of my life anymore', San Francisco Chronicle](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/music/article/huey-lewis-hearing-loss-music-22338121.php)
8. [Huey Lewis details how he 'can't enjoy music' anymore because he is 'basically deaf', Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2026-07-10/huey-lewis-music-deaf-hearing-loss-menieres-disease)
9. [Huey Lewis reflects on Broadway, his rare disease and 40 years of The News, Goldmine](https://www.goldminemag.com/interviews/huey-lewis-reflects-on-broadway-his-rare-disease-and-40-years-of-the-news)
10. [Huey Lewis Spreads the News, Music Connection (1984)](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Music-Connection/80/1984-Vol-8/Music-Connection-1984-07-19.pdf)
11. [Huey Lewis And The News: the story of the band, Louder](https://www.loudersound.com/features/huey-lewis-the-news-sports-fore-interview)
12. [Huey Lewis and the News to Celebrate 40th Anniversary of 'Sports' with Vinyl Re-Issue, Official Website](https://hueylewisandthenews.com/huey-lewis-and-the-news-to-celebrate-40th-anniversary-of-sports-with-vinyl-re-issue)
13. [Huey Lewis on his struggle with hearing loss, Los Angeles Times (2020)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-02-12/huey-lewis-hearing-loss-menieres-disease)
14. [The making of Huey Lewis and the News' Fore!, Guitar World](https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/chris-hayes-huey-lewis-and-the-news-fore)
15. [In 1984 Huey Lewis invited Stevie Ray Vaughan on tour, Louder](https://www.loudersound.com/music/huey-lewis-stevie-ray-vaughan)
16. [Huey Lewis's Old, Weird America, Grantland](https://grantland.com/features/the-life-career-80s-pop-star-huey-lewis/)
17. [Huey Lewis reveals the tragic impact of hearing loss, MusicRadar (2026)](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/singers-songwriters/eight-and-a-half-years-ago-my-life-changed-immeasurably-music-is-not-part-of-my-life-anymore-huey-lewis-reveals-the-tragic-impact-of-hearing-loss)
18. [Huey Lewis talks hearing loss and the end of his singing career, CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/huey-lewis-talks-hearing-loss-and-the-end-of-his-singing-career/)
19. [Huey Lewis and the News, iFANN](https://ifann.net/wiki/huey-lewis-and-the-news)
20. [PCE final, City, University of London open access](https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/26078/1/PCE%20final.pdf)
21. [Duncan Sheik, Tony- and Grammy-winning 'Spring Awakening' composer, dies at 56, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/75ddd243f32ba8c7646d37c14f1c536d)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Ensembles and groups › Rock, pop, and metal bands › Rock, indie, and pop groups › Rock bands › Pop rock and power pop bands › 1980s and 1990s pop rock*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license