New England native, Aaron Lewis is no stranger to the spotlight. With over 15 million albums sold worldwide under his belt as front man for the rock band Staind, and his name among legends on all time Heavy Metal Vocalist rankings, Lewis has stood on top of the music industry for decades, but he didn’t stop there as most would, releasing his first country EP in March of 2011, first full length country album, ‘The Road,’ in November of 2012, and most recently, ‘Sinner,’ released in September of 2016, debuting at Number One on the all-genre Billboard Top 200. Earlier collaborations with Sevendust, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park, turned into collaborations with country music icon’s George Jones, Charlie Daniels, and Willie Nelson, solidifying Lewis’ place in country music, with a blend of raw grit and outlaw attitude not seen in some time.
That distinct sound comes from many influences, and it all begins in the early days of Lewis’s childhood. “This was the music that I was being force fed from as early as I can remember, it was my grandfathers country music, it was never turned off. It’s kind of the soundtrack to anything happy in my childhood, and I really didn’t pay attention to country music after that. Once I moved away from Vermont, and moved away from my grandfather, country music faded away pretty quickly. My babysitter gave me my first albums of my own, it was KISS, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, and it sent me in a different direction.” Listening to any of Lewis’ solo albums bring out those directions, giving Lewis a sound unmatched by others, and culminating in a sound that music lovers of any genre can gravitate towards, something that so many others have tried and failed to do.
Nearly a year into the Sinner Tour, with dates spread across every corner of the country, Lewis has a hard time pinpointing a single defining moment. “It’s been great. Lots and lots of sold out shows, and I really can’t complain, I definitely look forward to the package that we have put together for this fall, that’s going to be a great run as well.” The fans have stepped up to the plate through the whole run, coming out in masses, a true testament of Lewis’s performances throughout the entire tour. “The fans have really been on fire the whole time, and they sing every word to every song, songs that never made their way to radio, so that’s always a good test as to how well you’re doing, and how well you’re penetrating with the fans that you have.”
A New England native, and still home to Lewis, the northeast sees some of Aaron’s biggest live shows, “The northeast is where we’re from, so through both facets of my career, the rock side back in the day, and the country now, it’s always been very solid, very warm, and a very welcoming place to play.” This weekend Aaron heads back towards home, with a stop in Atlantic City on Saturday, May 27th, a place very special to Lewis. “I’ve been playing in Atlantic City now, doing my own solo thing for almost 15 years, and it’s morphed from just being me, no plan, no set list, to having my bus driver start coming out to play with me each night, and then fully working him into the show, putting a band together, putting a second band together, and we’ve been at this stage for a few years now, so it’s been quiet a morphing, and thankfully, it’s still going strong.” Playing so many years in Atlantic City, it seems there’s two things keeping Lewis coming back. First and foremost, “Well you’ve got to go to White House for a sub.” After a laugh, Lewis said in a more serious manner, “The fans are always great. It’s always a great show every single year no matter which casino I play, because I’ve played a few of them.”
As the holiday weekend rolls on, the tour makes it’s way to the Foxwoods Resort & Casino on Sunday, May 28th, a show that brings one Lewis’s largest crowds of the year, to which Lewis shows his gratitude for his fans in his home area. “Maybe it’s because it’s where we’re from. I’ve tried to put my finger on it before, I’m certainly very, very thankful, and I’m not trying to question it in any way.” Tickets are still available for all three northeast dates this weekend, starting tonight at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA (You can purchase tickets here), tomorrow night at the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City, NJ (You can purchase tickets here) and wrapping up the Memorial Day weekend run at Foxwoods Resort & Casino on Sunday night (You can purchase tickets here). Be sure to get your tickets while they’re still available, as Lewis has one more New England date on his calendar on Thursday, July 20th, at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, which has since sold out.