Peterborough city and county is known widely for its diverse music soundtrack – a formidable footprint that’s well worthy of heralding whenever the opportunity presents itself.
For more than three decades, John Lewis has been, and remains, local music’s head cheerleader, bringing to our collective attention the incredible talent of the many musical artists in our midst. His platform for doing so remains YourTV, for which he has voluntarily produced hours of programming that brings artists of all music genres and talent levels to our ears.
Bringing his background as a CBC audio engineer to the table, Lewis not only helps ensure the airing of high quality productions but his research is over the top. More often than not, his guests are taken aback by some tidbit Lewis knows about them, either personally or professionally. Lewis does his homework.
His head crammed with information drawn from a variety of sources, Lewis doesn’t simply recite a list of questions – he engages his guests in a dialogue that, once finished, leaves us with as complete a picture of him or her as one can obtain.
The list of those who have sat down with Lewis for multiple episodes of both Junction 28 and The Skinny is long and impressive, featuring the likes of Serena Ryder, Jimmy Bowskill and the late Colleen Peterson. But he hasn’t limited his interview subjects to those of the long established variety. Many an up-and-coming musician has been granted the chance to perform in-studio, introducing each to a large audience. Good things – very good things – have often followed as a result of their one-on-one time with Lewis.
On top of hosting his two programs, Lewis has played a huge role in YourTV’s Christmas season programming. He has spent hours creating notes that highlight every audio cue, vocal note and movement for the Peterborough Singers’ presentation of Handel’s Messiah. With Lewis’ help, local music talents such as Terry Guiel and Elyse Saunders have shared their holiday music favourites with YourTV viewers.
As a volunteer, John doesn’t mail it in. He professionally approaches every interview and performance he’s involved with. Leading by example, he plays a key role in training other YourTV volunteers, eagerly sharing his expertise with those looking to make their own mark in the community television realm.