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American Morning

Huey Lewis and the News Still Rocking

Aired August 16, 2001 - 10:42   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: One speaks, the other doesn't, but their new movie is a laugher. And also, an MTV veejay gets a new gig.

STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Michael Okwu is in New York with our "Showbiz Today Reports." Michael, good morning again.

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Stephen, good morning, Daryn.

We're going to actually get to that stuff later on this morning. But we're going to talk first about Huey Lewis. If you hear Huey Lewis on the radio anytime soon, it's not deja vu. He's making news again.

CNN's Jodi Ross caught up with the avid golfer to talk about his hits on and off the green, as well as his latest album.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUEY LEWIS, SINGER (singing): When I'm here for a long time, we're here for a good time, baby...

JODI ROSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been both for Huey Lewis and the News, a band that's been rocking our world for more than 20 years.

LEWIS: The object always was to have a career and, you know, to make a living playing music in a band. But in order to do that first of all, you have to get a record contract, which is really hard. Then you have to have a hit, which is really hard. Then you have to keep from killing each other for 23 years. So you know, it's been great.

ROSS: So great that Lewis and his boys have just released their ninth album, titled "Plan B," a record made on their own dime, so they could call the shots.

LEWIS: And the concept here was to write songs, arrange them, rehearse them, take them on the road, rearrange them, boom, put them aside. So we had 12 of them, and then we simply went into Johnny's studio and captured the performances, rather than create them in the studio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEWIS: Very nice to be back. You all look good. I haven't seen you in a couple of years.

(APPLAUSE)

LEWIS: Looks like you all lost a little weight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSS: For the last decade, this band has been quietly touring, writing songs and releasing a cover album, as well as a "best of." For Lewis, less singing means more playing -- golf, that is.

LEWIS: Not bad.

ROSS: The links, like the stage, is where Lewis shines. He's an eight handicap, but all his skills and all his sayings...

LEWIS: It's hard to swing easy. It's easy to swing hard.

ROSS: ... were lost on a struggling student.

LEWIS: That's better. That was better.

ROSS: Even better is that the 50-something Lewis happily remembers his musical roots, playing old favorites for his loyal fans, as well as new tunes, like "My Other Woman."

LEWIS (singing): My other woman's got another man.

(normal voice): I was hugely ambitious when I was younger, because I had to be, and now the challenges for us really are creative. And I've mellowed that way. I mean, we really do things for art's sake. We really love our new record, we really do it. We love the band. We work on our craft and we're proud of how we play.

ROSS (on camera): No plans to end this career anytime soon?

LEWIS: Definitely not now.

ROSS (voice-over): Sounds like no news is good news.

Jodi Ross, CNN Entertainment News, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OKWU: Huey hasn't aged a bit!

That's it for now, but join us later today for a look at Elvis Presley's legacy. The King's fans filed by his grave last night in Memphis to observe the anniversary of his death. We'll take a look at his musical influence on today's popular artists. That's at 11:35 a.m. Eastern.

I'm Michael Okwu in New York.

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