# Henry Lewy

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German-born American sound engineer and record producer (1926–2006)

**Henry Lewy** (May 31, 1926 – April 8, 2006),[1] born **Heinz Lewy**,[2] was a German-born American [sound engineer](/source/Sound_engineer) and record producer, who was best known for his work on many critically acclaimed and successful rock and [folk](/source/Folk_music) albums of the 1970s and 1980s, particularly those by [Joni Mitchell](/source/Joni_Mitchell), [Leonard Cohen](/source/Leonard_Cohen), [Neil Young](/source/Neil_Young), [Crosby, Stills and Nash](/source/Crosby%2C_Stills_and_Nash), [Joan Baez](/source/Joan_Baez), [Stephen Bishop](/source/Stephen_Bishop_(singer)), and [Judee Sill](/source/Judee_Sill).[3]

## Biography

Lewy was born to a Jewish family in [Magdeburg](/source/Magdeburg), Germany, where his father owned a [farm machinery](/source/Farm_machinery) business. The family left Germany in 1939, traveling to England and Canada, before settling at first in [Savannah, Georgia](/source/Savannah%2C_Georgia), and then in Los Angeles, California. Henry Lewy graduated from [Hollywood High School](/source/Hollywood_High_School) in 1945 and served in the [US Army](/source/US_Army) before working in radio stations in [San Diego](/source/San_Diego), [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas) and Los Angeles as an audio engineer and announcer.[4]

During the 1950s he studied engineering and travelled in South America, joining a circus as an engineer for a time before returning to work at the Electrovox Studios in Los Angeles. He then moved to [Liberty Records](/source/Liberty_Records), where he worked with [Ross Bagdasarian](/source/Ross_Bagdasarian%2C_Sr.) on records by [The Chipmunks](/source/The_Chipmunks). He also worked at [Gold Star Studios](/source/Gold_Star_Studios) with [Jackie DeShannon](/source/Jackie_DeShannon) and [Leon Russell](/source/Leon_Russell), and with [Bones Howe](/source/Bones_Howe) on records by [The Mamas and the Papas](/source/The_Mamas_and_the_Papas) and [Johnny Rivers](/source/Johnny_Rivers).[4][5]

In 1967 he moved to [A&M Records](/source/A%26M_Records), where he worked on hit records by [Sérgio Mendes](/source/S%C3%A9rgio_Mendes) and [Boyce and Hart](/source/Boyce_and_Hart). While working with Crosby, Stills and Nash, he was introduced by Crosby to Joni Mitchell, thus beginning a long collaboration with the singer-songwriter. Lewy collaborated with Mitchell on the engineering and production of *[Clouds](/source/Clouds_(Joni_Mitchell_album))*, *[Ladies of the Canyon](/source/Ladies_of_the_Canyon_(album))*, *[Blue](/source/Blue_(Joni_Mitchell_album))*, *[Court and Spark](/source/Court_and_Spark)*, *[The Hissing of Summer Lawns](/source/The_Hissing_of_Summer_Lawns)*, *[Hejira](/source/Hejira_(album))*, *[Wild Things Run Fast](/source/Wild_Things_Run_Fast)*, and other albums, from the 1960s to the 1980s, including *[Careless](/source/Careless_(album))*, the debut album by [Stephen Bishop](/source/Stephen_Bishop_(singer)) which Lewy co-produced. He also worked in a similar capacity with [Neil Young](/source/Neil_Young) (*[Harvest](/source/Harvest_(Neil_Young_album))*, 1972), [Judee Sill](/source/Judee_Sill) (*[Heart Food](/source/Heart_Food)*, 1973), [Joan Baez](/source/Joan_Baez) (*[Gracias a la Vida](/source/Gracias_a_la_Vida_(album))*, 1974), [Hoyt Axton](/source/Hoyt_Axton) (*Southbound*, 1975), [Bill Hughes](/source/Billie_Hughes) (*[Dream Master](/source/Dream_Master_(album)),* 1979),[6] [Leonard Cohen](/source/Leonard_Cohen) (*[Recent Songs](/source/Recent_Songs)*, 1979), [Minnie Riperton](/source/Minnie_Riperton) (*[Minnie](/source/Minnie_(album))*, 1979), [Joan Armatrading](/source/Joan_Armatrading) (*[How Cruel](/source/How_Cruel)*,1979), [Van Morrison](/source/Van_Morrison) (*[Common One](/source/Common_One)*, 1980), [The Long Ryders](/source/The_Long_Ryders) (*[Native Sons](/source/Native_Sons_(The_Long_Ryders_album))*, 1984) and [Jennifer Warnes](/source/Jennifer_Warnes) (*[Famous Blue Raincoat](/source/Famous_Blue_Raincoat_(album))*, 1986).[7][5]

Lewy retired in the late 1980s, and in later years lived in [Prescott, Arizona](/source/Prescott%2C_Arizona). He died there in 2006 at the age of 79, after a period of declining health which included a stroke and heart surgery.[1][4]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-obituary_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-obituary_1-1) [Arizona Obituary Archive: Henry Lewy](https://obits.arizonagravestones.org/view.php?id=11147). Retrieved June 10, 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [New York, Passenger Lists, 1820–1957](https://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7488/NYT715_6432-0203/1006632010?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3dheinz%26gsln%3dLewy%26msbdy%3d1926%26msbpn__ftp%3dGermany%26cpxt%3d1%26catBucket%3drstp%26uidh%3djq5%26cp%3d0%26pcat%3dROOT_CATEGORY%26h%3d1006632010%26recoff%3d8%2b9%26db%3dnypl%26indiv%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord). Retrieved June 10, 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Brooks, Ben (November 11–24, 1982). ["Producer/Engineer Henry Lewy: Sensitivity And Experience In A Supportive Studio Role"](https://www.jonimitchell.com/library/originals/jmOriginal_2519.pdf) (PDF). *Music Connection*. Vol. VI. p. 10.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-latimes_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-latimes_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-latimes_4-2) [Jon Thurber, *Obituary: Henry Lewy, 79: Sound Engineer, Music Producer Worked With Joni Mitchell*, Los Angeles Times, April 19, 2006](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-apr-19-me-lewy19-story.html). Retrieved June 10, 2013

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-allmusic_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-allmusic_5-1) [Biography by Jason Ankeny at Allmusic.com](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/henry-lewy-mn0000955320). Retrieved June 10, 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Cashbox_6-0)** Lewis, Randy (August 26, 1978). ["East Coasting/Points West"](https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-26-OCR-Page-0050.pdf#search=%22bill%20hughes%22) (PDF). *Cashbox*. p. 50. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210423194014/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-26-OCR-Page-0050.pdf) (PDF) from the original on April 23, 2021.Lewis, Randy (August 5, 1978). ["East Coastings/Points West"](https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-05-OCR-Page-0043.pdf#search=%22bill%20hughes%22) (PDF). *Cashbox*. p. 22. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210423194015/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-05-OCR-Page-0043.pdf) (PDF) from the original on April 23, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Brooks, Ben (November 11–24, 1982). ["Producer/Engineer Henry Lewy: Sensitivity And Experience In A Supportive Studio Role"](https://www.jonimitchell.com/library/originals/jmOriginal_2519.pdf) (PDF). *Music Connection*. p. 10.

## External links

- [Credits at Allmusic.com](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/henry-lewy-mn0000955320/credits)

Authority control databases International VIAF National Spain Artists MusicBrainz Grammy Awards

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