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Smiley Lewis

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (July 5, 1913-October 7, 1966)
    Born in DeQuincy, Louisiana
    Birth name was Overton Amos Lemons
    New Orleans-based rhythm and blues singer
    Recorded the singles 'I Hear You Knockin' (1955), 'One Night' (1956) and 'Please Listen To Me' (1956)

Why he might be annoying:

    As a teen, he rode a freight train from his home to New Orleans.
    He got the nickname Smiley because he was missing his front teeth.
    A music critic wrote, 'Lewis was the unluckiest man in New Orleans. He hit on a formula for slow-rocking, small-band numbers only to have Fats Domino come up behind him with similar music more ingratiatingly delivered. Lewis was practically drowned in Domino's backwash.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He died of stomach cancer in his wife's arms three days before a scheduled benefit concert to raise funds for his medical care.
    His 'One Night' became a hit for Elvis Presley (with one risque verse 'cleaned up') and 'I Hear You Knockin' became a hit for Dave Edmunds.
    His song 'Shame, Shame, Shame' was featured in the movie 'Baby Doll' (1956) and (with new lyrics about Hurricane Katrina) the TV series Treme.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 12 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 14 Votes: 57.14% Annoying