Christopher Lewis is not your average inspirational singer, songwriter, producer and worship leader. His ministry encompasses a myriad of music styles designed to touch lives where they are. His debut release on Tyscot Records, CRISIS Change Is Required, is poised to accomplish just that.
 
The youngest of three, Lewis was born and raised in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Growing up he listened to wide variety of music ranging from Sam Cooke, Donnie Hathaway, The Temptations and The Staple Singers, to Al Green, the Beatles and Commissioned. He says, “My whole family loves music. Our family reunions have about 1,500 people there every year. And all they do is sing and eat. They love all types of music but the core that holds us together is our love for Gospel. We’re a very Christ-centered family.”

Lewis’ father and grandfather both sang in local gospel quartet groups. His uncle was in a community choir. “I remember when I was six years old I decided this is what I wanted to do for a living. I remember sitting in the balcony at this big church and seeing my uncle’s choir walk in and how the people were screaming. But at six years old you don’t really know that’s the Holy Spirit. All you’re thinking about is them screaming and how cool that is. Now as an adult, I realize what I wanted was to be able to impact people and motivate and help people,” says Lewis.

He received his first professional break in 1998 when he wrote songs for Gospel recording artist B. Chase Williams’ CD. Next, praise and worship artist Judith McAllister called and asked if she could record Sing Praises To Thee, a song he wrote in the tenth grade. The song was also included in a gospel music studies program song book in Sweden. He also penned songs for famed Gospel/R&B recording artist Candi Staton.

When the new millennium came, this married father had written and produced his own independent music project and was bursting at the seams to bless the world with it. He and a friend convinced an announcer at an Atlanta radio station to play a song from his CD, Life on the air. A record executive from Light Records heard it and two days later signed him to a licensing deal. Life was released nationally on Light Records in 2002.

As his career was taking off Lewis faced two family crises. His daughter was diagnosed with an interrupted aortic heart rupture and had to have multiple heart surgeries. Today she is a happy, healthy eleven-year-old.  Next, his older brother suffered kidney failure. Without a new kidney he would have died. Lewis donated a kidney to his brother and saved his life.

After Light Records, Lewis signed with Tyscot Records. His personal crises gave him material for his fifth CD, the 18-track CRISIS Change Is Required. He explains, “This whole CD is about how we confront a crisis. Sometimes we look at things as a negative when it’s really just a turning point where change is required. I think this CD is so timely with its messages, because we are in a season that people are ready to make changes across the board.”

CRISIS Change Is Required uses Gospel, R&B, Jazz, Rock and Reggae music with real life in-your-face lyrics to transmit inspirational messages. It opens with urban medium-up-tempo U Don’t Know. It tells of God’s unwavering faithfulness through life’s ups and downs. The single, Joy is an urban inspirational ballad that offers encouragement in the midst of struggle.

Change is a mid-tempo urban groove with a message of perseverance. Tempted (Girl On MySpace) is the story of a married man who meets a woman on the social networking giant MySpace.

The Fall of London Bridge is a dramatic skit featuring recording artist Darlene McCoy. It’s about a married couple that gets in a heated argument after the wife finds an instant message to him from another woman.

The traditional Gospel ballad Show Me The Way, featuring Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr., takes you to church and makes you shout, while urban contemporary, medium tempo Glory will comfort a weary soul. Urban inspirational ballads Promises and The Cry Out, the rock tunes Only Time, and Runnin’, plus the upbeat  reggae tinged, How Many Saints Does It Take to Party? are also standouts.

CRISIS Change Is Required the CD, is just part one of a music set. Part two, CRISIS The Coming Out Party will be available on June 24th for digital downloading. Additionally, seven of the songs are included in the music of independent film, Losing Ground. Lewis’ future plans include making the movie Crisis.

CRISIS Change Is Required, with its myriad of musical styles, crossover appeal and real life in-your-face lyrics, is set to bless souls wherever they are in life. Christopher Lewis says, “It’s just time for a change. It’s time for us to go to the next place in God and stop struggling, crying, hurting and lying about stuff. Let’s talk about it. Let’s just be real. And that’s my hope for this CD.”