Lew Doty, a singer/songwriter who studied at The Guitar Study Center in NYC and who performed his own compositions for ten years in colleges and clubs, hung up his guitar one day and didn’t pick it up for over a decade, allowing his life to take him in other directions. His introduction to the New Thought Movement reawakened the music that lay sleeping within him.
Lew spent a few years writing and performing his music in his home church, The Center for Conscious Living in Moorestown, New Jersey, and then began to branch out to other New Thought churches in the greater Philadelphia area. He has played opening music for New York Times best selling author Don Miguel Ruiz, writer and lecturer Jean Houston, and author and speaker John Randolph Price.
When people began asking to purchase a CD, which at that point only existed in Mind, prayer and meditation led Lew to contact a musician he had known from his younger days back in NYC to see if there was any possibility the two might work together.
Vinnie Zummo had spent eight years as Joe Jackson’s lead guitarist, had done countless hours of studio work with Art Garfunkel, Shawn Colvin and many others, had appeared with the CBS Orchestra on the David Letterman Show and had written and performed on many commercials for TV and radio. The two launched into a working relationship with Vinnie arranging, producing and playing a myriad of instruments on Lew’s first CD, ONE. Into this creative soup Lew brought Gary Deinstadt, another old friend, Broadway keyboard player and Emmy nominated musical supervisor for CBS’s The Guiding Light, to arrange, orchestrate and play on the final tune of the project.
In October 2003, at what has been called a New Thought Musical Theatre Piece, A GATHERING OF ONE, Lew's first CD was released to rave reviews. Lew's performance schedule began to increase and soon there wasn't a Sunday when he wasn't sharing his music at a church on the eastern seaboard. He was also blessed to perform at countless wedding ceremonies, funeral services and intimate prayer concerts.
Lew was invited to play at what was once called the Eastern Conference (now the Circle of Love Gathering) where he met many musicians and ministers, making friends to last a lifetime. He also was put in touch with Alan Cohen, author and brilliant workshop presenter, and was invited to play with Alan at the Omega Institute in New York on several occasions.
Lew's music began being played on many internet radio stations, and fans started cropping up all over the country, and just recently from around the world.
These past years have been an amazing ride, filled with ever-broadening experiences and extensions of love. They have been the realization of a dream.
Soon Lew was ready to begin co-creating a second CD. He called Vinnie Zummo once again and the two began work in earnest in 2004 on a labor of love turning a gorgeous mix of Lew Doty songs into a cohesive and mature CD, Wind and Water.
Lew’s music has been influenced over the years by many artists, but he has developed a style that is all his own. His lyrics are filled with spiritual principles. His voice ranges from angelic and tender to smoky and hard-driving. The songs are often deeply contemplative, but easily transition to outrageously joyful and sometimes even humorous in their style. But the one continuous thread throughout this music is its intention. These songs draw the listener ever closer to Source. And that is their goal. Lew’s message is one of acceptance, love, allowing, peace and connectedness. As one of his fans told him, "Listening to you is better than going to church."
You can’t help but hear God in Lew Doty’s music.