Lewis, Leon

Leon Lewis was born and raised in Hyde Park on Chicago's South Side. He attended the University of Chicago and graduated in 1928. A pioneer in the advertising industry, Leon Lewis was an advertising executive for 50 years. Lewis represented the French Company, Selmer Musical Instruments and he worked with Benny Goodman and Andres Segovia. Through his work with Selmer, Lewis met Louis Armstrong, one of his favorite musicians.

Surrounded by the jazz music of Chicago's South Side, Lewis became quite a jazz enthusiast. In high school, he formed his own jazz band, which included a young Gene Krupa. Later in life, Lewis composed a map of Chicago's earliest jazz venues: "Jazz Map of the South Side: 1915-1930." The map is a compilation of original jazz venues, locations, musicians, and bands

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