Ernie Lewis
Bakersfield, California, United States | SELF
Music
Press
A local middle school teacher is gaining national attention for his new song about Facebook. Ernie Lewis says it has been a wild ride these past few weeks, dealing with the buzz the song has generated.
Lewis has been teaching at Oildale's Beardsley Junior High for 15 years. But his love for music goes back to his elementary school days. Now, he is taking the popularity of Facebook and turning it into a catchy country tune.
The song is about a girl who logs onto Facebook under friend's name. "She's able to track a more less Facebook lover this way. She still loves him, so she's basically stalking him on Facebook," said Lewis.
Most people are on Facebook these days. But even if you are not, you can relate to looking for someone from your past. And now Lewis is singing about it, in his new song, "Facebook Song: She's not Logging On."
Lewis says it all started two weeks ago, when a friend from the 1990's got in touch with him on Facebook. "She told me she had a facebook song and asked if id take a look at it, " he explains.
Lewis says after a little re-writing and composing, he posted the song on the Internet. Some of the first ones to hear it were the custodians at the the junior high. "It's a lot of rhythm and you can dance to it. And it's a lot of fun," said Teresa Ramirez. The kids feel like they're part of the family when you have the teachers being young and singing," said Carol Triutt.
The song is now being played on a radio station in Arkansas. "Next thing you know, they got such a good response from the listeners, that they said were going to go ahead and air it three times a day. Then Wednesday they said they're going to air in six times a day. And since then another radio station in Vermont started playing it," said Lewis.
The requests for his tune keep coming in. "Chelsea Lately's folks are interested in the song and it's on a FedEx truck right now, heading to Los Angeles," explained Lewis.
He is not sure if he will be following that FedEx truck to Los Angeles just yet. For now, you can find him in his classroom. "We'll just have to see what life brings," he said.
Lewis is now hoping to get some radio play in Bakersfield. - Kelsey Thomas - Reporter, Channel 17, NBC - KGET Channel 17, NBC, Bakersfield , CA
Discography
Whisper (CD), 2010 - Reverbnation: Available on iTunes, Amazon.com and other digital distribution company sites.
A collection of streaming audio can be found at http://www.reverbnation.com/ernielewis and - for radio distribution - at http://www.radiosubmit.com/rs/bands/2175/ and http://airplaydirect.com/music/ernielewis/ .
"Facebook Song: She's Not Loggin' On" - Hensley and Lewis - available at http://www.studio2radio.com/.
Listen (CD), 2011, UPC #700261322353: Available on www.ernielewismusic.com, Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Listen/dp/B004QC86HW/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1299697116&sr=8-10, CDBaby at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ernielewis and DigStation at www.digstation.com.
"I Like It at the Bottom," released by ERG Music, July 2011. Available at http://www.ergmusic.com/usa/compilation.asp?series=NCT&cd=147.
Photos
Bio
News Flash
Ernie's release of "I Like It at the Bottom" is part of the ERG Music July 2011 compilation. The song is featured with new tunes from Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Kieth Urban, Shaina Twain, Scotty McCreery, Tobi Kieth, Danny Gokey, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Ronnie Dunn, LeAnn Rimes, and more, see http://www.ergmusic.com/usa/compilation.asp?series=NCT&cd=147.
"I Like It at the Bottom" was written by Sherry Hensley, Malindia Shoptaw and Ernie Lewis, BMI, 2011.
About Ern
Ernest "Ernie" Lewis was born in Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, where he spent his childhood in the early 1960s playing in the woods, picking boysenberries, and learning his first tunes on his brother's Harmony acoustic guitar. He moved with his family to Bakersfield, California, in 1966, and since then he has performed in a number of established California-based groups.
In 1979, Ernie joined the company of Tom Hunnicutt, who - at that time - was the leader of a Folk/Bluegrass band, the Honeybee Ridge Gang. The gang performed at a variety of functions, one of which was hosted by Buck Owens.
In 1981, the Honeybee Ridge Band disbanded, and Ernie found a new home as a member of the Moosehead Band, the brain child of Kenny Walters who asked Ernie to give his band a try, and that he did.
The Moosehead Band performed up to 2009, and during the band's 28-year run, the group had the opportunity to compete in the Seagram's 7 Battle of Bands in Nashville, Tennessee, where the members represented Southern California and took 3rd place in 1983. In addition, the group opened for such greats as John Anderson, Asleep at the Wheel, the Bellamy Brothers, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Bailey and the Boys. The band also performed with Jim Hager from the Hager Brothers, Mayf Nutter, legendary Roy Nichols of Merle Haggard and the Strangers, and Mark Herndon from the Country group Alabama.
After the Moosehead Band separated, Ernie did some soul searching and discovered that he enjoyed playing Bluegrass again, and in December 2009, Ernie accepted an invitation to be a member of Highway 65. Currently, Ernie sings and plays fiddle and resophonic guitar (dobro) with the band. His enthusiasm is contagious.
Ernest D. Lewis is a BMI music writer and composer. In addition, his publishing company, Learn with Ern, is also registered with BMI.
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