Is bobby Lewis blind

Answer 1

It would seem so but I have yet to find a definitive statement to that effect. During his performance of "Tossin' And Turnin' on PBS' 2001 "Rock, Rhythm and Doo Wop" he can be seen to face stage right, away from the audience, several times for considerable periods of time. Even though the video of his performance is edited with sympathy it's also apparent that the guitarist grasps Mr. Lewis's arm to turn him back toward the audience several times. Blind or not he still gives a spirited, credible, and enjoyable performance.

Hello to all... Gene here (Gene and The Cadillac Cruisers-Baltimore Maryland). I was Bobby Lewis' guitarist on Rock, Rythmn & Do Wop show 2001. Here is the correct answer. Bobby is partially blind from macular degenaration. As described by Mr. Lewis, his vision is like looking through a sheet of dirty plastic. Before the PBS show, the producer came to me and asked if Bobby had sun glasses. He had to wear them because his eyes looked strange to the camera. When he put on dark sunglasses, he saw very little. During the performance, he turned to the left, loosing his place, and was nearly facing the drummer when he finished. You can see my hand reaching out trying to correct his place on stage, and at the conclusion, I "swung him around" so he could face the audience, taking his bows. The camera boom did an excellent job of following Bobby,and they captured his masterful performance.