Hewett grew up in a house on Cadillac Boulevard and lived there for 20 years. Humbled by the gesture, he says, “It’s a serious honor…a sense of accomplishment. That’s your street. Your ultimate foundation. I remember Cadillac Blvd. We moved in there when I was three years old and I stayed until I left when I was 19, 20 years old.”
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, who will conduct the presentation said, “The talent, spirit and innovation that comes from Akron and its people never ceases to amaze me. I’m honored to celebrate Howard Hewett in this way, and thank him for his artistic accomplishments, adding to the legacy of this great city.”
The golden voiced tenor added, “Growing up in Akron gave us an opportunity to dive into the whole music thing. There wasn’t any gang situations going on at the time. There wasn't any drive-by shootings, no people going crazy…and all that kind of stuff. It was just wholesome music. And there was a lot of local music acts that were a part of that scene. I am blessed to have been a part of that experience that set the foundation of my music career.”
Council President Margo Sommerville said, “During these challenging times, it is an honor to celebrate one of Akron’s own. Music is a universal language that brings people together, and we need that togetherness now more than ever.”
Hewett was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. He started on his road to stardom as a child singing gospel with his older sisters in the Hewett Singers. As a teenager, he moved seamlessly from Gospel to R&B, continuing to perfect his craft as a member of the LYFE Band. Hewett rose to international fame as the lead vocalist of the Grammy winning R&B/soul vocal group Shalamar. After leaving the group, he embarked upon a successful solo career and is known for classic solo hits like “Say Amen,” “Stay,” and “I’m For Real”.
Having gotten his mainstream break as the lead singer of the legendary R&B group Shalamar (which originally included Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley), the incomparable tenor is an unforgettable mainstay in the music world today. The balladeer who brought us solo hits like “I’m For Real” and showed his phenomenal vocal acrobatics on the classic “For The Lover In You,” and classic inspirational genre bending mega-hit “Say Amen” from his 1986 Platinum selling album I Commit To Love. Hewett has reached over 5 million views on YouTube, appealing across generations and musical genres from R&B and pop, to Inspirational and Gospel.
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