Music Columnist
The Lewis Family of Lincolnton, Ga., national bluegrass and gospel music stars for more than a half-century and inductees into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, will stage their last performance Sept. 5 in Dover, Pa.
An announcement Saturday on the family's Web site, thelewisfamilymusic.com, cited the ages and poor health of several members.
"This is an emotional time for the family as they look back over almost 60 years of traveling and sharing their music," webmaster Janet McMurrin said in a separate e-mail to fans.
Formed about 1951, the group performed in such prestigious venues as New York City's Lincoln Center and the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn.
In late March it was announced that the family's 22nd annual Homecoming & Bluegrass Festival, held annually in May at Elijah Clark State Park near Lincolnton, would be the last.
Matriarch Pauline "Mom" Lewis died in 2003 at age 92; patriarch Roy "Pop" Lewis died in 2004 at 98; bass player Travis Lewis quit the group in 2004; and his father, acoustic guitar player Wallace Lewis (the group's main songwriter), died in 2007.
Besides Little Roy Lewis and his sisters Polly Lewis Copsey and Miggie Lewis, the present group includes their sister, Janis Lewis Phillips, and Mrs. Phillips' son Lewis Phillips.
In 1954 the family began a weekly TV show on WJBF (Channel 6) in Augusta that lasted until 1992, making it one of the longest-running country and gospel shows in TV history.
The Lewis Family was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the International Bluegrass Music Association's Hall of Honor in Nashville in 2006.
