Biographies
Peter Lewis
Peter Lewis was from Pontypridd,(pronounced Pontyprith), Wales. As a teenager, he played music with friends but not professionally. He went to Bermuda as a health inspector in 1974 taking his guitar with him. He formed a folk band with a mish-mash of “Amateur” players, all of whom could have been professional. The Band was called “Magpi” consisting of Peter White, Peter Lewis, Keith Myerson, Pete Sumner, Mac Eddy and Avril Davis and they released one album.
When Rod MacKenzie came back to Bermuda the second time, he met them at the Bermuda Folk Club in Hamilton only knowing Peter White. As his residency progressed, Peter Lewis came in to play with Rod at the Robin Hood Pub and they immediately hit it off as friends and fellow Musicians. Incidentally, he played Spanish guitar and had a weird way of dislocating his thumb to play. He could pick strings like no-one else could, or would want to! Then Peter White came in with his banjo and guitar and the “MacKenzie, Lewis, White” band was formed. They were playing in the summer of 1976, the year of the Tall Ships race. I believe there was a “Bicentennial” celebration going on somewhere! Jim Myers, who had just purchased the Up Country that summer with Gene Pelzar saw them play at the Robin Hood and off they went to North Conway NH, the following January. They played the Up Country for 3 months when their work permit expired and they went back to the UK eventually arriving back in Bermuda the following Dec. The band broke up after several months in Bermuda and went their separate ways but all based around the MWV. Peter Lewis eventually went back to Bermuda as a health inspector, meeting up and playing with Kevin Dolan at the Longtail Bar as well as Rod and Mike Bessette at the Rum Runners and later the White Heron.
Peter died unexpectedly in 1987 and the Peter Lewis Memorial Scholarship was born, the idea of Nancy Bartlett in Glen.
Peter White
Peter White was born on 10 December 1948 in Southport, England. He graduated from Stanley Grange Police Academy and served as a bobby in Liverpool and Knowsley, England. In 1972, he emigrated to Bermuda where he continued being a bobby, and started his professional music career. It was in Bermuda where he joined up with Peter Lewis and Rod MacKenzie to become the MacKenzie, Lewis and White Band.
As an entertainer, Peter performed as a band member, solo artist, and a Karaoke host. He performed in several genres: Celtic, pop, and children’s shows. He was also active in valley theatre, as a board member of Arts in Motion and could be seen on stage in plays like The Music Man.
Peter had an entertainment column in the Conway Daily Sun for a number of years and transitioned it to a weekly entertainment show on Valley Vision called Entertainment and Arts with Peter White.
Peter also used his energy in giving back to the community. He would play at the Dinner Bell, feeling that his musical talents would add fun and community to it. If there were a cause he could help he usually was involved with it. With a friend, Curtis Hayes, the two would travel to schools, businesses, and other venues promoting the abilities of people with traumatic brain injury and other disabilities. The Differing Abilities Program was a hit in schools all over the area.
Peter White married Judy Judy MacLean, and became a news reporter at the Irregular, but at the time of his death was very involved with the Center of Hope and Alcoholics Anonymous. They had a wonderful daughter Lara.
Sadly, 16 June 2002, Peter was struck down with a cerebral aneurysm, from which he did not recover. The scholarship was renamed to the MacKenzie, Lewis and White Music Scholarship.
Rod MacKenzie
His long and winding road has led him from his childhood home in England, to the isle of Bermuda, to the ski resorts of New England and, finally, to southwest Florida. Along the way he rejected and regretted taking a chance at stardom, procured a degree then left it behind, and missed out on a cushy pension from the road not taken.
The amiable, garrulous Scot was nearly as entertaining between songs in his sets as he was performing. Though his full, deep voice serves his folk/rock/country play list well, and he gives himself rich accompaniment on guitar, he was also liable to banter with his crowd, exchange witticisms and memorably alter lyrics of the songs.
Rod passed away December 24th, 2012 from complications of cancer. The scholarship has been renamed to the MacKenzie, Lewis, and White Music Scholarship.
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