Lewis Ray Cammarata

For the past few years, singer-songwriter-guitarist Lewis Ray Cammarata has been playing solo acoustic shows all over Arizona. Performing a mixture of original songs—some taken from his two Funzalo Records albums, Lemme Outa Here and Carry Your Own Water —and adaptations of other people’s material, he’s developed a touring circuit of more than a dozen venues, including several weekly residencies. He also hosts a pair of weekly open-mike nights. Like many musicians, Cammarata began playing guitar after he saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan’s TV show. Two years later, the Baltimore native joined local soul machine the Oxfords. He spent the next few years honing his guitar skills with several other local outfits. Cammarata made his recording debut at age 16 with Nicky C. & the Chateaux, who cut a single (“Try Some Soul” b/w “Good Times”)—engineered by future audio legend George Massenburg—for the local Bay Sound Records label. During his time with this outfit, and due to the emergence of more sophisticated horn dominated bands like Chicago and BS&T, he pursued theory, resulting in him becoming a local sought after horn chart arranger. In 1970, Cammarata formed his own band, Crystal, which recorded another single for Bay Sound (a cover of Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher” b/w the original “Funky Finger”). The band spent several years on the road, opening for the Edgar Winter Group, the Grass Roots, the Association, and the Guess Who, among others. Searching for greater creative opportunity, Cammarata moved to Los Angeles in 1975 and joined the Zippers, a turbocharged Anglo-influenced pop group, who recorded a 1978 single for local indie Back Door Man Records (the original “You’re So Strange” b/w a cover of “He’s a Rebel”) and a 1981 six-song EP of all-original material that was produced by former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek for the Rhino Records label. For nearly six years, the Zippers were the toast of the West Coast, opening for Patti Smith, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, John Cale, and the Buzzcocks before imploding in 1982. After the demise of the Zippers Cammarata spent the next seven years as part of a production team helping young artists put together 'label ready' demos, adding guitar, bass, pedal steel, and background vocals as well as doing arrangements for anyone who could pay for his services. Along the way, he established working relationships with Bonnie Bramlett, saxophonist Cornelius Bumphus, pianist Mike Garson, bassist Glenn Cornick, guitarist Jesse Ed Davis, and Seatrain violinist Richard Greene, among others. Eventually, the mercenary nature of the work got to him and Cammarata left L.A. to raise his son in a more child-friendly environment. He sold all his equipment and didn’t play a note for 10 years. In 2003, Cammarata moved to Phoenix, picked up a 1947 Supro lap steel, and began writing. He also built a home studio so he could record his compositions. Seven years later, he started performing live again, playing at blues jams and with various groups of local musicians, which lead to his decision to concentrate on his solo acoustic efforts. Encouraged by the response to his leathery vocals, subtle guitarwork, and songs inspired by the seven deadly sins, Cammarata eventually signed as a solo artist with then Tucson based Funzalo Records (since relocated to L.A.). His two subsequent albums for the label garnered rave reviews, and resulted in song placements in several independent films, cable TV shows, and local commercials.He can presently be found performing as a solo artist in any number of Arizona venues, as well as the occasional tour in Southern California and the Washington/Oregon area. "Carry You Own Water" - Available Digitally on April 15th!! Released by Funzalo Records.