Tony Lewis and his band, the Outfield, created popular music in the 1980s, with six songs hitting the Billboard Hot 100. Unfortunately, the singer passed away at 62 while working on a new album in October 2020. His family has since released his new EP, ‘More Than I Dared,’ as a posthumous tribute.
Speaking of what inspired the record, Lewis’ wife, Carol, said the following to James Wood in an exclusive interview in 2020:
“The EP was inspired by Tony’s newfound solo career. He wanted to show that he had grown in confidence as a composer and producer and was keen to show another side to his talent.”
Lewis’ Musical Growth
When asked to compare ‘More Than I Dared’ to Tony’s past music, both solo and with the Outfield, Carol explained:
“A lot of people thought Tony just sang the songs, but he was so much more than just a vocalist. He was a very accomplished musician who could play lots of instruments. He had a vision of how he wanted to sound, and although there would always be Outfield influences, he wanted to add a different dimension to show where his own personal influences and style came through.”
Creative Process Of The Posthumous Album
Carol collaborated on the songs, with Lewis handling the recording and production while she wrote the lyrics. Carol also reflected on the songwriting process, noting:
“He [Tony] would sometimes spend all day in his studio and then play them for me. Then I would ask him what he was trying to say, and he’d say something like: ‘I have no idea, but it should go something like this….’ Then he’d sing me something that made no sense. So I’d sit and think about scenarios from life, and words would generally follow. The best time for me was while I was out running. It gave me clarity to make sense of things and what he wanted to say.”
Supporting MusiCares
All the money generated from the first release of ‘More Than I Dared’ went to MusiCares, an organization that Lewis strongly supported because he wanted to help fellow musicians. Replying to another question asking what led to her choice of giving away all the earnings from the album to MusiCares, Carol expressed:
“The pandemic has all but wiped out the music industry overnight. Not just musicians but road crew, sound crew, tour bus drivers. Everyone that makes the musician look and sound good. So it was fitting to give back to the industry that Tony loved.”
The family of Lewis also released a music video for the lead single, ‘Gonna Make You Love Me,’ as a tribute to Tony. The video included recent live performances and pictures of the late musician.
Below, you can listen to the record and watch the music video.
