Page 63 - People (February 2020)

own demise. Then I talked to my tracks when Lewis lost his hear-
kids [Kelly, 37, and Austin, 35, with ing. “I waited, trying to see if I
ex-wife Sidney Conroy], and that was going to be able to sing again,
helped.” His family’s love lifted his and I haven’t been able to,” he
spirits. “It turns out you can get says. “So we thought we’d share
used to pretty much anything,” he with the fans.” He’s also working
says. But he’s unable to enjoy his on bringing a musical of his hits,
COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM RIGHT: TAWNI BANNISTER; TOM
greatest passion and share the gift The Heart of Rock and Roll, to
ROBERTSON; ED KASHI/REDUX; MOVIESTORE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
that made him a star. “Normally FINDING Broadway.
music is fun,” he says. “You get in SOLACE The work keeps him upbeat,
the middle of a song, and it just sings itself. You ride Lewis first bought but fluctuations in his hearing can be agonizing.
that wave. Now I have to struggle just to hear pitch.” land in Montana In October 2018 he was in Scotland for a Pro-Am
after vacationing
Today Lewis spends most of his time at his there with his golf tournament when he realized he could hear
Montana ranch. “I love the outdoors. I exercise, family in the late the band warming up for a post-match concert. “I
stay healthy, eat well,” he says. He keeps busy on ’80s. Now he thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I can kind of hear pitch!’ ”
considers it his
creative projects. This month he’ll release Weath- primary home and He joined the group for a spirited version of “Hip
er, the first new album of original Huey Lewis & sanctuary. “I fish, to Be Square.” Then, two days later, “my hearing
the News material in 19 years. They were in the I ride my horse. went to crap,” he says. “Couldn’t hear anything for
Outdoor stuff.”
midst of recording the retro-tinged blues-rock two weeks.”
Still, the support of his family and fans keeps him
Rockin’ Times hopeful. “You can’t stress over this,” he says. “I just

hope my body can find a way to defeat this thing.” •

VIDEO TARS
S
Filmed in Santa
Cruz, Calif., the
beachy 1984 video
for “If This Is It”
was a mainstay on
early MTV.

BIG-SCREEN
FAME
Lewis contributed
the hit song “The
Power of Love”
to the 1985 Back
to the Future
soundtrack—and
filmed a cameo as
a cranky teacher
opposite star
Michael J. Fox.

Lewis (on Jan. 9)
at the 2am Club
in Mill Valley,
Calif., where he
CARTOON ERO and the News
H
Huey Lewis & the shot the cover
News performed for the hit album
their 1984 hit “I Sports. Their
Want a New Drug” new album
on a 2005 episode Weather (inset),
of The Simpsons. out Feb. 14, is
also named for
a newspaper
section.

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