1916-2002
Anna Lundy Lewis (“Madame” Anna Lundy Lewis) was a virtuoso piano and organ player, gospel star, and minster of music at New Hope Baptist Church. She performed with Bing Crosby, Aretha Franklin and Sarah Vaughan and taught piano and vocals to hundreds of people including Doris Duke. She was called, “a pioneer who’s career is inextricably linked to New Jersey’s gospel histroy”. She was also the mother of gospel and jazz singer Yvette Glover and grandmother of famed tap dancer Savion Glover.
Born in Jacksonville, Anna’s father was Dick Lundy of the Negro Leagues championship team, the Newark Eagles. Anna was known as a child prodigy, playing the pipe organ as a toddler, and working as a paid musician for the Baptist Young People’s Union from age 9. She attended the Thomas Walker School of Music in Jacksonville, along with public schools, receiving a scholarship to the Boylan Conservatory of Music.
Anna organized and traveled with several gospel troupes. By 1940, Anna was in Newark on the census, boarding on Boston Street, she said she eventually “came to like Newark better than Jacksonville.” She served as a USO musician, when she worked with Crosby and Vaughan on a war bonds tour, as well as Newarker Geneva Turman.
After she came to Newark Anna was “a fixture at a number of Newark’s top nightspots” including the Hideaway (Hyde-A-Way), where she worked with Sarah Vaughan, and at Dodger’s Grill. After one of her performances at Hyde-A-Way Tiny Prince wrote in his nightlife column, “Anna Mae has always been tops in your night lifer’s books and will continue to be that way.”
By 1950, Anna was married and lived at 43 Crawford Street in Newark with two children. Over the years, she performed in almost every state and many countries around the world.
Anna served as music minister for over a dozen churches in her lifetime. Ultimately, though she settled in Newark where she served as music minister for New Point Baptist Church for over 50 years. She also recorded gospel music on several labels.
In the 1970s Anna hosted Gospel Thru the Nite on WBNX radio.
In 1985, a dinner took place in Anna’s honor. Later she was inducted into a Gospel Women’s Hall of Fame in Newark, cited as a Pioneer of Gospel Music and commended by the City Council. Anna had at least four more children after 1950, with 37 grandchildren by the time she died in 2002.
Bibliography
Stewart, Nikita “Anna Mae Lewis, 85, Loved Making the Keyboards Sing” Star Ledger Jun 7, 2002
Kukla, Barbara, “Church and fans organizing banquet tribute to gospel music veteran” Star Ledger Mar 4, 1985
“Music Awards Group Arranges Resounding Tribute” Star Ledger May 15, 1989
1940 and 1950 federal censuses.
“Jerry Nussbaum’s Evening Out” Star Ledger Apr 4, 1946
Kukla, Barbara Swing City.
“Gospel music pioneers will receive new awards” Star Ledger Mar 19, 1989
Newark Council Minutes 1984, Charles F Cummings NJ Information Center, Newark Public Library
Names in the News Information, Nov 1977 Charles F Cummings NJ Information Center, Newark Public Library
After Hours, Aug 23, 1975 Tiny Prince Collection Charles F Cummings NJ Information Center, Newark Public Library
“Nightlife” New Jersey Herald News Feb 27, 1943 Charles F Cummings NJ Information Center, Newark Public Library