Aaron Lewis
Aaron Lewis (born April 13, 1972) is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of the alternative metal band Staind, with whom he released seven studio albums. Since 2010, he has pursued a solo career in country music with his debut EP, Town Line, which was released in 2011. Lewis' first full-length solo release, The Road, was released by Blaster Records in 2012.[1]
This article is about the musician. For the Welsh professional footballer, see Aaron Lewis (footballer).
Aaron Lewis
April 13, 1972
Rutland, Vermont, U.S.
Massachusetts, U.S.
- Singer
- musician
- songwriter
- Vocals
- guitar
1990–present
In 2006, Lewis was ranked at number 49 in the "Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists" by Hit Parader.[2]
Early life[edit]
Lewis was born in Rutland, Vermont, to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father of Italian, English and Welsh descent. At the time of his birth, his parents were living in a log cabin. Lewis moved to New Hampshire when he was 8, and lived there until he was 12. When his parents split up, he moved with his father to Longmeadow, Massachusetts, where he attended Longmeadow High School. He also lived in Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts.[3][4][5]
Personal life[edit]
Lewis resides in Worthington, Massachusetts with his wife Vanessa; the two married in 2002, they have three daughters.[17][18] Regarding the commercial success of Staind's albums in the early 2000s, Lewis reflected, "A lot of other people made a shit load of money but we're the same as any of you. I have to work to pay my bills."[19]
In a five-minute interview with Outdoor Life magazine, Lewis said that he has been hunting whitetail deer since he was old enough to keep up in the "good old woods", around age four or five. He prefers to hunt deer with a compound or recurve bow, and he occasionally utilizes a muzzleloader.[20]
Lewis has been open about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues, writing about his problems in Staind songs and his country music.[21][22]
Lewis is a fan of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots.[23][24] Lewis is an avid baseball fan; he famously sang the national anthem prior to game 1 of the 2014 World Series, though received backlash due to him forgetting the words. He had previously criticized pop singer Christina Aguilera for the same offense.[25]
Lewis is a vocal supporter of the Republican Party,[26] known for expressing his conservative views often; Lewis supported Donald Trump before the 2016 election, although he said he was disappointed with his "bickering and name-calling".[27] His last tours, from 2019 and 2020, featured him wearing a Make America Great Again cap.[28][29]
Lewis has been outspoken in his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates.[30]
Philanthropy[edit]
On November 4, 2006, Lewis performed at his old high school in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and gave all the proceeds to the music department to fund the department's expenses to buy new equipment and supplies.[31] Lewis's main focus, however, is the non-profit organization It Takes a Community, where he and his wife have started to reopen their daughters' elementary school in Worthington, Massachusetts.[32]
