User:Smuace

Junior Lewis
Junior Lewis (born 1950 in Belmont, Trinidad) is a nephew of well known Trinidadian bandleader Joey Lewis, in whose orchestra he played percussion for a brief time in the 1960s and 1970s. An avid fan of Tito Puente, the "King of Salsa", Lewis is best known for an appearance with his long-time idol during Puente's visit to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, in October 1999. In an oft-repeated story well known to "Trinis" and tourists alike, Lewis drove excitedly to the airport to greet Puente upon his arrival in Port-of-Spain, the only musician to do so. Delighted by Lewis's devotion and persistence, Puente not only invited him to attend his concert, but also summoned the ecstatic Lewis on-stage to jam with the orchestra. According to an account from Newsday, Trinidad's "newspaper of record": "On the night of the show, Puente opened with some of his popular standards and then introduced Lewis to the stage to perform. It was a magnanimous gesture by a musician of such international stature, to allow someone, previously unknown to him and to many others the opportunity to play without fear of being upstaged or fear of disappointment." Lewis's impromptu performance delighted the crowd and was hailed as "sterling", by the local press, leaving many awe-struck audience members to wonder "Who is Junior Lewis?" Commenting on this once-in-a-lifetime experience, Lewis proclaimed "It was a night to remember, as such opportunities are rare."