Huey Lewis

Born Hugh Anthony Cregg III in New York City. Raised in Marin County, California. He was a prep school kid who played harmonica in bars during high school.

Formed Huey Lewis and the News. Their first album tanked. The second one, Sports, sold 10 million copies. "The Heart of Rock and Roll" and "I Want a New Drug" became inescapable.

"The Power of Love" from Back to the Future hit number one. Lewis had told the filmmakers his band was "too hip to be square." They put the joke in the movie.

Small World released. The album underperformed. The band's moment had crested. Lewis kept touring anyway. He never pretended to be anything other than a bar band that got lucky.

Announced he'd lost most of his hearing to Meniere's disease. He can't hear music well enough to sing in tune anymore. He described it as "a crummy thing for a musician."