Ephraim Lewis

Ephraim Lewis (27 November 1967 – 18 March 1994) was an English soul/neo-soul and R&B singer and songwriter. He died after falling from a balcony during a police pursuit, with only one album to his name.

Ephraim Lewis
Background information
Born(1967-11-27)27 November 1967
Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England
Died18 March 1994(1994-03-18) (aged 26)
Los Angeles, California, United States
GenresSoul, neo-soul, R&B
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, acoustic guitar
LabelsElektra Records

Death

On 18 March 1994, Los Angeles Police allegedly responded to reports of a "naked black man acting crazy" at 1710 Fuller Avenue, the apartment where Lewis was living.

The Police reported Lewis tried to escape the Officers and began climbing the outside balconies. When he reached the top floor there was an altercation. While on the top balcony, the police had used a taser on Lewis three times.[1] Police claimed this had "no apparent effect", although according to reports it was applied directly to Lewis's skin. Lewis fell from the balcony and landed on the courtyard below, suffering extensive head injuries.

After being kept alive on a ventilator for several hours, the decision was made to end life-sustaining measures, acting on the advice of the hospital. Lewis died at the hospital that night. The coroner assigned by the LA police department ruled the death as a suicide. It took a month for his body to be returned to the UK.

The following month, hundreds of people gathered at the Darlington Street Methodist Church in Wolverhampton for his funeral. His manager, David Harper, covered most of the funeral expenses and the cost of returning Lewis's body to England, but did not attend the service.

Lewis was laid to rest on 21 April 1994.

Naomi Hobbs, Lewis's cousin, who is a barrister, said:[1]

Ephraim was murdered by the police. Words fail me as to why they used a stun gun on someone standing on a balcony. They didn't just use it once but three times and as soon as they used that gun Ephraim was bound to fall and bound to die. It was so reckless

Kevin Bacon, whose Axis Studio discovered Lewis, said:

Ephraim had the qualities to be a massive star... This was somebody so brilliant at what he did he never thought about it. Most singers have tremendous egos based around their insecurity about their own singing. Ephraim didn't have that kind of ego because it never occurred to him there was anything he couldn't do.

Naomi Hobbs challenged the Police department's account of events. To date an investigation is yet to be carried out.

Discography

Album
  • Skin (1992)

Songs
  • "It Can't Be Forever" (#29 Top 40, No. 66 R&B 6 weeks)
  • "Drowning in Your Eyes" (#72 Hot 100 9 weeks, No. 80 R&B 4 weeks)
  • "Captured"
  • "Skin"
  • "Dreams from the trees"
  • "Rule for life"
  • "Hold on"
  • "Sometimes Goodbye"
  • "Sad song"
  • "Mortal Seed"
  • "World Between Us"
  • "When will I see the sun"
  • "Power"
  • "Elusive"
  • "Summer lightening"

References
  1. "LA police blamed for singer's death fall". The Independent. 30 April 1994.
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