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 Lewis
& Royal
It’s difficult to categorize this duo. They bring a rural charm to their show, which features tight vocal harmonies,
storytelling through song, and spur of the moment offbeat humour. Their material is accessible to all
ages and brims with prairie images and character.
Lewis & Royal met in 1993 when Lewis began his apprenticeship at the Rosebud Theatre where Royal was
working. They found that their voices blended well and soon they began bringing their own compositions
together and arranging them. Together, they wrote the music for the musical “Chickens” which has been
Rosebud Theatre’s best selling show to date. They have produced a CD “Ampersand” (the name given to
the “&” icon), a collection of ballads and stories with a rural prairie feeling. The “&” icon defines Lewis &
Royal’s musical relationship. They are not so much a duo as they are two friends getting together, performing
their own works and inspiring each other. Ampersand ties them together as well as defines them as individuals.
Lewis & Royal have played across Alberta and BC. Recent and upcoming performances include opening a
sell-out show for “Gary Fjellgaard and Valdy”, as well as double headers with “The Sheep River Rounders”
and Juno Award nominee “Paul Hann”. Several of their songs have been featured on CKUA’s Folk Roots,
and Ontario’s PEAK FM Inside Canadian Music program, where host John Nichols called “Dear Mother”,
“a most powerful song”. The first cut on Ampersand "The Drought Song" won Royal “The National Song
Crafter's Award” in 1998. Lewis’ latest composition “God Bless the Innocent” honors the innocent lives lost
on Sept 11, 2001. Released as a single in late September, this piece has already received airplay on several
radio stations throughout North America, Europe and as far away as Australia.
Lewis Frere grew up in Trochu, Alberta and played in a family band for years. He has been fronting bands
for the past ten years; Alias Jones, Rave On, and The Rosebud Rivervalley Boys being the most recent. He
has performed on television and is a gifted composer and arranger, and one heck of a
defenseman. When
Lewis is not out performing or playing hockey, he is the sound engineer at Rosebud Creek Records.
Royal Sproule, the scruffy-looking one, has been in the entertainment industry for nearly 20 years, as an
actor and musician. He performs character driven stand-up comedy inventing such characters as ‘Paddy
OFurniture’, an Irish Bricklayer on the dole, and ‘Boris’, a backwoods Slavic farmer who delights audiences
with his simplistic take on things. Recent acting appearances include theatrical productions such as Tent
Meeting, Little Shop of Horrors, Opal, Ten Little Indians and Chickens. You can also see him in the feature
film The Claim where he plays a misguided prospector in the San Francisco gold rush. In addition to being
a musician and actor, Royal is an accomplished pen & ink artist. His prints can be seen in many of the
rural craft shops of Alberta.
Lewis & Royal are engaging performers – guaranteed to have your sides splitting with laughter one minute,
and dabbing tears from your eyes the next. For further information about Lewis & Royal, visit their website at:
www.lewisandroyal.com.
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