Lew Drayton

Music Legend, Barbadian Icon, Spouge Master

He has been called An Elder Statesman in the Parliament of Barbadian Music; A songbird; A master of the Spouge Beat; A Soul King.

He is Llewellyn – Lew – “Zorro” Drayton, who defined Barbados’ indigenous music, spouge, along with Desmond “Fowl” Weekes as the Draytons Two, with the release of Raw Spouge, in1973.

The album remains the only one ever totally featuring spouge, the creation of Barbadian Jackie Open. Drink Milk, 6 and & 7 Books of Moses, Roe Boat, Tighten Up and Can’t Keep a Good Man Down are all part of the spouge legacy of Lew Drayton. Equally remarkable, at 77, Lew Drayton is still a captivating performer, his voice is as powerful and melodious as ever.

From Parris Gap, Westbury Road, St. Michael, he was an immediate hit when he started singing in church at six years. The Wesley Hall and Richmond (now St. Leonards) graduate never had a “real” job, as he was determined to make it in music.

He first formed the Lew Drayton Three with friends Lew “Jiggs” Kirton, who passed away earlier this year, and Weekes. This became the Draytons Two after Jiggs immigrated to the USA. The two singers then performed with the Silhouettes, when Lew was about 18, before forming their own band, Everyday People at the beginning of the 1970s.

It was at this time that Jackie Open, a very close friend of Lew, developed spouge in Jamaica. Because of the friendship, Lew latched on to spouge.

The duo’s first recordings of spouge were I Need Your Love, written with

Aiden Clarke, and Two Late Shall Be Your Cry, released as a single. Then Raw Spouge came and, as is said, the rest is history. The album exploded through the Caribbean. The group made their first overseas trip, to Guyana, performing for about a month with Des Glasford and the Combo 7 and then toured the region.

The Draytons Two also secured a gig in New York at the Manhattan Club and also toured Boston. They also played the Biltmore Ballroom and Madison Square Garden.

Other spouge recordings followed, including River Come Down, Love and Emotion and It was Written Down, as well as R & B songs.

After spouge fizzled, Lew recorded an outstanding version of Whiter Shade of Pale with the Staccatoes. Unfortunately, the group disintegrated quickly.

Drayton immigrated to Baltimore, USA in 1989. He worked in a restaurant before moving to Connecticut, joining Alvin and Company, where he worked for 30 years before retiring three years ago.

All the time, Lew kept performing, appearing at the biggest Barbadian gatherings including Barbados Day in Canarsie, Brooklyn, NY, and on various shows, with Desmond joining him from Barbados as necessary. The two split about a decade ago.

Drayton returned to recording in 2000 with Evelyn and has recently recorded Give It Up. He is married to Maria.