Wayne Lewis, the dapper vocalist and keyboardist who was a founder of the group Atlantic Starr, a fixture of the 1980s rhythm and blues scene, died on June 5 in Queens. He was 68.
His brother Jonathan Lewis confirmed the death but did not specify a cause. He said that Wayne Lewis collapsed while running on a treadmill at a gym and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A suave performer with piercing eyes and a rollicking sense of humor, Mr. Lewis served as one of the singers and songwriters of Atlantic Starr, whose ballad “Always” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1987 and whose other hits included “Secret Lovers” and “Circles.” The band was nominated for three Soul Train Awards and an American Music Award.
Writing with his brothers Jonathan and David, Mr. Lewis translated the universal emotions of love, lust and heartbreak into evocative verses backed by lush arrangements. His performances of the sentimental soul ballad “Send for Me,” released in 1980, became a calling card.
Fluent in the sartorial language of showbiz, Mr. Lewis meticulously color-coordinated the group’s outfits, Jonathan Lewis said. His own suits — flashy, textured and patterned — were often showstoppers.
Reviewing a concert for The Washington Post in 1982, Mike Joyce noted the “pop sheen romanticism” at the heart of Atlantic Starr’s music. As Wayne and David Lewis took center stage, he observed, they brought with them “a heartthrob appeal akin to the Jacksons’.”
In a cultural era dominated by Michael Jackson and Prince, Atlantic Starr flew somewhat under the radar despite its commercial success. The group has nevertheless left a lasting impression on modern-day artists. The R&B star Mary J. Blige sampled “When Love Calls” (1980) on the song “Willing & Waiting” (2003), and the rapper MF Doom borrowed the melody of “Always” for the single “Dead Bent” (1999).
Wayne Isaac Lewis was born on April 13, 1957, in Valhalla, N.Y., a hamlet in Westchester County, to John and Mary (Evans) Lewis. His father owned an electronics repair shop in Harlem.
One of eight siblings, Wayne was raised in a musically inclined family that included singers, guitarists and a classical pianist. His uncle Belton Evans was a studio drummer who recorded with Ruth Brown, Aretha Franklin and King Curtis.
Wayne spent his childhood singing duets with David, his younger brother, at the First Seventh Day Adventist Church of White Plains. An admirer of Smokey Robinson, the Temptations and James Brown, he started a funk group called Unchained Youth while attending Woodlands High School in Hartsdale. He also studied classical piano.
Born out of the funk and soul scene of the 1970s, Atlantic Starr was formed as a nine-piece band in Greenburgh, N.Y., in 1976. Initially called Newban, it was a fusion of Unchained Youth and two other groups, one led by Mr. Lewis’s brother David and the other led by his brother Jonathan. The three brothers remained principal songwriters over the ensuing years, and a system emerged: David arranged the music, and Wayne primarily wrote the lyrics.
Other members over the years included the singers Sharon Bryant, who left the group after its album “Yours Forever” was released in 1983, and Barbara Weathers, who sang with David Lewis on “Secret Lovers” and “Always,” among other songs. The current lineup of Atlantic Starr consists of Jonathan Lewis, Shammah Carter and Melessa Pierce.
After signing with A&M Records in 1978, Atlantic Starr, working with the producer Bobby Eli, released its debut album, called simply “Atlantic Starr,” which included “Stand Up,” a funk single that hit No. 16 on Billboard’s R&B chart. After enlisting the producer James Carmichael, the band released the album “Radiant” (1980), which established it as an R&B mainstay, followed by “Brilliance” (1982), “Yours Forever” and “As the Band Turns” (1985).
Atlantic Starr reached its commercial zenith with its seventh album, “All in the Name of Love” (1987), a pop-R&B crossover project that included “Always.” The single “Masterpiece” (1991) peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
The group’s 13th and latest album, “Metamorphosis,” was released in 2017.
In addition to his brother Jonathan, Mr. Lewis is survived by five other siblings, Sophie, Joyce, Toni, David and Steven. Another brother, Chris, died in 2011.
On May 10, Lewis sang at his last show with Atlantic Starr in Montego Bay, Jamaica. As usual, he had coordinated the band’s outfits. Everyone wore white.
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