Jenny Lewis

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For other people named Jennifer Lewis, see Jennifer Lewis (disambiguation).
Jenny Lewis
File:Jenny Lewis.JPG
Lewis performing in 2014
Background information
Birth name Jennifer Diane Lewis
Born (1976-01-08) January 8, 1976 (age 48)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Origin San Fernando Valley, California, U.S.
Genres Indie rock, alternative country, indie folk
Instruments Vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass, harmonica
Years active 1983–1998, 2008–present (acting)
1998–present (music)
Labels Team Love, Warner Bros., Brute/Beaute, Saddle Creek, Barsuk, Third Man
Associated acts Rilo Kiley
The Postal Service
The Watson Twins
Jenny and Johnny
Nice as Fuck
Johnathan Rice

Jennifer Diane Lewis[1] (born January 8, 1976)[2][1] is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. She was the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and keyboardist for the indie rock band Rilo Kiley.

Lewis gained prominence in the 1980s as a child actress, appearing in the films Troop Beverly Hills (1989) and The Wizard (1989) and the television series Brooklyn Bridge (1991–93). In the mid-1990s, Lewis semi-retired from acting to focus on her musical career, and formed Rilo Kiley in 1998 with fellow former child actor Blake Sennett. Rilo Kiley released four albums before they disbanded in 2014.[3] Lewis has released five solo albums: Rabbit Fur Coat (2006), Acid Tongue (2008), The Voyager (2014), On the Line (2019), and Joy'All (2023). In addition to Rilo Kiley and her solo career, Lewis has been a member of the Postal Service, Jenny & Johnny, and Nice as Fuck.[4]

Early life

Lewis was born in Las Vegas.[1] Her mother, Linda, was a professional singer, and her father, Eddie Gordon, was a member of the Harmonica Gang.[5][6][7] Lewis is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.[8]

Acting career

Lewis made her professional debut in a Jell-O commercial. She later appeared in commercials for Mattel's Barbie[9] and Baby Skates[10] dolls, Toys "R" Us toy stores,[11] the Black & Decker Popcorn Maker,[citation needed] and Kellogg's Corn Pops,[12] among others. She was featured in the short-lived 1986 Lucille Ball sitcom Life With Lucy, where she was cast as one of Lucy's grandchildren. She also had small roles on TV shows, such as Murder, She Wrote, The New Twilight Zone, Baywatch, The Golden Girls, Growing Pains, Just the Ten of Us, Roseanne, Mr. Belvedere, and Brooklyn Bridge. She appeared on a kids' week episode of the game show Card Sharks on August 6, 1987, at age 11, winning $500, but she did not win her match.[13]

Lewis appeared in over a dozen teen movies, such as Troop Beverly Hills and The Wizard in 1989. She was featured in the 1996 made-for-TV movie Talk to Me with Yasmine Bleeth, as well as the films Foxfire, Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even, and Pleasantville. She played the part of Evangeline "Eva" Saint Claire in the 1987 film version of Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, and also appeared in the 1988 made-for-TV film A Friendship in Vienna, set in Vienna at the start of the Holocaust. She played Beverly D'Angelo's daughter in the 1996 made-for-TV film Sweet Temptation. She continued acting until 1998, although her final movie – Don's Plum, filmed 1995–96 – went unreleased until 2001. In 2015, she appeared in the Netflix movie A Very Murray Christmas as a waitress and sang a few songs, including "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Bill Murray.

Music

Rilo Kiley

In 1998, Lewis and friends Pierre De Reeder, Dave Rock, and then-boyfriend Blake Sennett formed the band Rilo Kiley. (Rock was eventually replaced by Jason Boesel.) In an interview with NPR's All Songs Considered, Lewis remarked that she wanted to name the group Love's Way (after her parents' lounge act in Las Vegas), but Sennett "didn't go for it."[14] Originally asked to sing back-up vocals by Sennett, Lewis refused to join the band unless she was able to sing lead vocals.[15]

Beginning with a country sound, Rilo Kiley gravitated toward a downbeat indie rock sound, gaining the attention of Warner Bros., who signed the band (via its own imprint, Brute/Beaute Records) for the release of their 2004 album More Adventurous, which gained the band some success. Critics such as Pitchfork attributed this to the "wise" decision to emphasize Lewis's voice and presence more so than in previous albums.[16] The song "Portions for Foxes" was a hit. Rilo Kiley's 2007 album Under the Blacklight was released directly by Warner Bros.

In 2011, Sennett hinted that Rilo Kiley had disbanded.[17] Lewis confirmed the band's split in 2014.[18]

A retrospective of Lewis's career by Jessica Roy in 2016 commented that Lewis was a style icon to music-loving young people in the 2000s. Roy commented:

For a particular brand of suburban girl who fancied herself cooler than her peers, Jenny was a fire-haired figure of worship. With her endless supply of cool sunglasses, vintage dresses, and hats ... she was a beacon of hope for introspective teens ... as a microgenerational sad-girl touchstone, many of us have our own Jenny Lewis Anecdote, our lives touched by her magnificent tweeness in different ways.[19]

Solo career

Lewis in 2006

In 2004, Conor Oberst invited Lewis to record a solo record for record label Team Love. Described by Lewis as "a kind of soul record"[citation needed], Rabbit Fur Coat (released January 24, 2006) features contributions from Oberst, M. Ward, and Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine. Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie guests on a cover of The Traveling Wilburys' "Handle With Care." The Watson Twins provide accompaniment on the album, billed as Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins. Lewis toured with the Watson Twins in support of the album three times in 2006 and appeared with her band on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Later with Jools Holland. They also appeared on a Washington, D.C.-based children's music program called Pancake Mountain, performing the song "See Fernando". The album received positive reviews, with Entertainment Weekly writing, "Consider Lewis the Emmylou Harris of the Silverlake set"[20] and Rolling Stone commenting that "her girlishly seductive vocals are more versatile than ever".[21] The A.V. Club, Spin, and NPR music critic Meredith Ochs named it among the best albums of the year.[22][23][24]

In 2008, Lewis released a second solo album, this time without the Watson Twins, titled Acid Tongue.

On July 29, 2014, Lewis released The Voyager. The album took five years to complete and is a reflection on Rilo Kiley's break-up and the death of her father.[25] The release of the album was preceded by the single "Just One of the Guys".[26] The music video for "Just One of the Guys" was released on July 15, 2014, through GQ and stars Lewis, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart, Brie Larson, and Tennessee Thomas, former drummer of The Like (now disbanded).[27] Lewis also directed the music video.

On January 23, 2019, Lewis announced the release date of her new album On the Line would be March 22, 2019.[28] The lead single "Red Bull & Hennessy" debuted with positive acclaim.[29]

Jenny and Johnny

In 2010, Lewis formed the duo Jenny and Johnny with her then-boyfriend, musician Johnathan Rice, and the pair released an album titled I'm Having Fun Now on Warner Bros. Records. In 2015, Rice and Lewis wrote the song "Cold One" for the film Ricki and the Flash.

The Voyager Tour

Lewis performing in 2007

On July 8, 2014, Lewis began her "The Voyager" tour at the Ottawa Bluesfest in Ontario, Canada. She spent July touring the United States and released the album The Voyager on July 29. Her tour included performances at Newport Folk Festival, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the 2014 ITunes Festival in London, two performances at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and the Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas.

Other projects

In 2002, Lewis was asked to contribute vocals for the band The Postal Service. Lewis performed in the video for "We Will Become Silhouettes", and toured with the band in 2013.

In 2003, Lewis contributed vocals to several tracks on the Cursive album The Ugly Organ.

In 2005, Lewis contributed to the UNICEF benefit song "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?", along with Sennett and Jimmy Tamborello.

In 2006, Lewis made a cameo in Episode 25, Season 1 of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour, and six of her songs (three with the Watson Twins and three with Rilo Kiley) were featured in various episodes of the show.

In 2007, Lewis contributed vocals to various songs on Johnathan Rice's album Further North, and she appeared in the music video for "We're All Stuck Out In The Desert (And We're Gonna Die)". She provided vocals for a track on Dntel's Dumb Luck LP.

In 2008, Lewis contributed backing vocals to several songs on the Elvis Costello and the Imposters album Momofuku.

Later that year, Lewis voiced the role of the assistant director for Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Bolt (2008), and she also provided the song "Barking at the Moon."[30]

File:The Postal Service - Jenny Lewis.jpg
Jenny Lewis at The Postal Service Goodbye in Lollapalooza 2013, Chicago

In March and April 2009, Lewis traveled to Australia for the first time, as an act for the V Festival, as well as a supporting act for Snow Patrol and performing one solo Sydney show.

On April 18, 2009, Lewis performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California.

On May 5, 2009, Lewis performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson[citation needed]

Lewis makes an appearance on the track "Hard Enough", taken from the 2010 album Flamingo by fellow Las Vegan Brandon Flowers.

In 2013, Lewis created the music score for Tribeca Film's feature Very Good Girls. She provided original music and also included older music from her previous band, Rilo Kiley, such as the song, "Go Ahead".[31]

In 2014, Lewis contributed an exclusive track to HBO's Girls, in collaboration with Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij titled "Completely Not Me". The song was featured in the Season 3 premiere "Females Only". The song is the second track on Girls Volume Two: All Adventurous Women Do.[32]

In 2016, Lewis contributed to She & Him's second Christmas album, Christmas Party, appearing on the track "Winter Wonderland".[33]

In 2016, the trio Nice as Fuck, comprising Lewis, Erika Forster (of Au Revoir Simone), and Tennessee Thomas (of The Like), debuted at a Bernie Sanders benefit. The group opened on a number of tour dates for M. Ward.[34][35]

On June 25, 2019, Lewis performed "Wasted Youth" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[36]

On October 28, 2019, Lewis is featured on the fifth issue of Archie Comics' comic book series Jughead’s Time Police, was released on October 30.[37]

On November 13, 2019, it was announced Lewis would be an opening act for Harry Styles on the North American leg of his 2020 Love On Tour.[38]

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1983 Baby Makes Five Laura Riddle TV series; episode: "Pilot"
1983 It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown Ruby (voice) TV film
1985 Suburban Beat Jennifer Morgan TV film
1985 The Twilight Zone Sarah (ghost child) TV series; segment: "If She Dies"
1986 Convicted Shelley Forbes TV film
1986 Webster Kim TV series; episode: "The Truth Hurts"
1986 Life With Lucy Becky McGibbon TV series; 13 episodes
1987 Uncle Tom's Cabin Evangeline "Little Eva" St. Claire TV film
1987 The Golden Girls Daisy (A Sunshine Cadet) TV series; episode: "Old Friends"
1987 The Charmings Sara TV series; episode: "A Charming Halloween"
1988 A Place at the Table Rachel Singer TV film
1988 Who Gets the Friends? TV film
1988 My Father, My Son Maya TV film
1988 Trading Hearts Yvonne Rhonda Nottingham Film
1988 A Friendship in Vienna Inge Dournenvald TV film
1988 Mr. Belvedere Kimberly TV series; episode: "Braces"
1988 Growing Pains Judy Jones TV series; episode: "Ben's First Kiss"
1988 Baby M Tuesday TV miniseries
1989 Troop Beverly Hills Hannah Nefler Film
1989 Just the Ten of Us Pamela TV series; episode: "Puberty Blues"
1989 Have Faith Angela TV series; episode: "The Teacher"
1989 Shannon's Deal Neala Shannon TV film; later adapted as a TV series of the same name
1989 The Wizard Haley Film
1989 Roseanne Diane TV series; episode: "Five of a Kind"
1989 Free Spirit Chris TV series; episode: "Hallowinnie"
1989 Baywatch Alex TV series; episode: "Shelter Me"
1990 Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter Melanie Benson TV film
1991 Brooklyn Bridge Katie Monahan TV series; 18 episodes
1991 Line of Fire: The Morris Dees Story Ellie TV film
1991 Shannon's Deal Neala Shannon TV series; 11 episodes
1991 Runaway Father Marcia TV film
1991 Daddy Melissa Watson TV film
1992 Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even Corinne Film
1994 Murder, She Wrote Leslie Walden TV series; episode: "A Murderous Muse"
1994 Runaway Daughters Laura Cahn TV film; originally aired as an episode of the TV series Rebel Highway
1996 Sweet Temptation Jade Larson TV film
1996 Run a Mile in My Shoes Short film
1996 Foxfire Rita Faldes Film
1996 Talk to Me Kelly Reilly TV film
1997 Little Boy Blue Traci Connor Film
1998 Pleasantville Christin Film
1999 Get Real Meg O'Donnell TV series; episode: "Anatomy of a Rumor"
2000 Once and Again Jenny TV series; episode: "Cat-in-Hat"
2001 Don's Plum Sara Film; filmed 1995–96, but unreleased until 2001
2008 Bolt Assistant Director (voice) Film; also has two songs featured on the film's soundtrack
2010 American Dad! Amy (voice) TV series; episode: "Merlot Down Dirty Shame"
2014 Comedy Bang Bang Herself TV series; replacement bandleader, filling in for Reggie Watts (episode: "Zach Galifianakis Wears a One-Armed Jacket")
2015 A Very Murray Christmas The Waitress TV film; Netflix Original
2019 Jenny Lewis' On the Line Online Host JennyLewis.com streaming special

Discography

Rilo Kiley

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Main article: Rilo Kiley discography

Solo

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Main article: Jenny Lewis discography

Jenny & Johnny

Nice as Fuck

Other appearances

Videography

References

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  8. ↑ Per Malitz, David, Deputy Features Editor, The Washington Post: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. "...her 23andMe results confirmed she’s 90% Ashkenazi Jewish."
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Posted on February 7, 2006.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links

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