Today’s spotlight artist proves that sometimes music has the power to completely change a life. We first interviewed Trey Lewis in 2021, and in the last five years, a lot has changed, and yet, Lewis has truly found a home for himself in this crazy music industry.

Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Lewis was surrounded by music from an early age. Whether it was family beach trips or backyard get-togethers, music was always part of the occasion. His uncles played guitar, his mom set up elaborate karaoke machines, and Lewis happily sang along. “I always loved Garth Brooks as a kid and kind of wanted to be that,” he shared.

As he got older, his taste in music continued to grow. While country music was always a constant, Lewis found inspiration in artists across several genres. Along with country icons like Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, and one of his all-time favorites, Eric Church, he also gravitated toward singer-songwriters like Jason Isbell and Ryan Adams for their storytelling. “I’ve always been a fan of country music,” Lewis shared. “But there’s another side of me that really loves the singer-songwriter type stuff.”

Unfortunately, life took a difficult turn when Lewis was 14 years old. After his parents divorced, he found himself running with the wrong crowd and eventually battling drug and alcohol addiction. Following multiple stints in juvenile detention centers, Lewis entered rehab at 19 years old, spending two weeks in treatment before living in a halfway house for six months. Once he got sober, everything changed.

Working at a smoothie shop at the time, Lewis used half of one paycheck to buy his first guitar, while his grandfather covered the other half. “I always just say country music saved my life,” he shared. “I just celebrated 19 years of sobriety.”

Teaching himself to play quickly became more than a hobby. He began playing cover gigs around Birmingham four nights a week, making a living performing for anyone who would listen. While he loved being on stage, he eventually realized he wanted to do more than sing other people’s songs.”I really just wanted to know how to say what I wanted to say in three minutes,” he shared.

The Turning Point:

Armed with a desire to tell his own stories, Lewis made the move to Nashville, Tennessee. Nearly seven years after making the move to Music City, Lewis still doesn’t take any of it for granted.

Now a published songwriter with Sony Music Publishing, he says there are still mornings when he looks out at the Nashville skyline and can’t believe it’s real. “I just think about, ‘Man, I used to just dream about just being here,'” he shared. “This is my actual life.”

Now as an independent artist, the singer-songwriter has fully found a way to embrace all sides of his artistry, including his 2020 viral hit, “Dicked Down in Dallas.”  The song helped launch his career in a way he never expected. Recently, the singer also released ne versions of the track including a killed EDM mix with Deerock. While the song opened countless doors, it also introduced fans to one side of Lewis as an artist, the rowdy, humorous side.

Over the years, Lewis leaned into that success, releasing more music that fit the same lane. After signing with River House Records, he released his Troublemaker album before eventually deciding to return to being an independent artist. Looking back, Lewis says every chapter served a purpose.

“I would never say that the Troublemaker record was a mistake,” he shared. “I really enjoyed that time,” however, the singer, added, “I feel like, for the first time in my artist career, I’m more focused. I kind of know what I’m doing.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, and Lewis is embracing every part of who he is as an artist.

While fans can still expect the humorous, tongue-in-cheek songs they’ve come to know from Trey Lewis, the singer recently introduced an entirely new project under the name Thomason, his real last name.

The project was born after Lewis realized he had another side of his songwriting that didn’t always fit alongside his party anthems. “I was like, ‘Man, what do I do with all these serious songs that I’ve written?'” he recalled.

Over the years, Lewis had written deeply personal songs, including “Three Feet Tall,” which was recorded by Cole Swindell, as well as cuts for Tracy Lawrence. Wanting a home for those more vulnerable stories, he and his manager created Thomason.

His debut EP, White Van, tells the story of rebuilding his life, from working at the treatment center where he was once a patient to buying the white van that helped launch his touring career after moving to Nashville.

“It’s been creatively freeing,” Lewis shared. “Now I know when I walk into the room… we can write a funny song… or we can dig in a little deeper and write something a little more heartfelt. Now I have a place for both of those things.”

Even his live show reflects both sides of his artistry. Lewis often begins songwriter rounds with the more introspective Thomason material before jokingly telling the audience, “Alright, now it’s time to get rowdy,” as he shifts into the Trey Lewis songs fans know and love.

Looking ahead, fans can expect plenty of new music from both projects. Lewis plans to continue releasing singles every six to eight weeks while balancing touring, songwriting, and creating music that reflects every part of who he is. Stay tuned!

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