Wayne Lewis, Atlantic Starr singer and founder, dead at 68

Wayne Lewis — a founding member of the R&B band Atlantic Starr who sang vocals, played the keyboard and penned hits like “Always” and “Secret Lovers” — has died, the group announced on social media.

 

A cause of death was not revealed.

“It’s with great sadness we have to post the passing of Wayne Lewis on June 5, 2025,” Atlantic Starr wrote in a statement on Facebook. “please keep the family in your prayers and respect there [sic] privacy #waynelewis #restinpeace #flyhigh Sunrise 4/13/1957 Sunset 6/5/2025 #restinpeaceWayne.” 

 The White Plains, NY-based band was founded in 1976 by Wayne Lewis and his two brothers — David Lewis (vocalist and guitarist) and Jonathan Lewis (keyboardist and trombonist) — as well as drummer Porter Carroll Jr., bassist Clifford Archer and percussionist-flutist Joseph Phillips. Early members also included lead singer Sharon Bryant (later replaced by Barbara Weathers), trumpeter William Sudderth and saxophonist Damon Rentie (replaced afterward by Koran Daniels). 

 Throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, Atlantic Starr scored a number of hits on the R&B charts, including “Circles” off of the 1982 album Brilliance, which marked the group’s first single to hit the Billboard Hot 100. Later tracks, like “Always,” peaked at No. 1 on the coveted chart, while 1992’s “Masterpiece” topped at No. 3. 

 

First signing to A&M, the group then moved over to Warner Bros. Records, having trimmed down to a quintet with the three Lewis brothers, Phillips and Weathers by 1987. Following the smash success of “Always,” Weathers left to pursue a solo career and was replaced with a number of other female vocalists. In 1992, the Atlantic Starr members appeared as themselves and performed on an episode of daytime soap Another World.

Wayne Lewis and David Lewis are credited with writing a majority of the band’s songs, and the group’s most recent album, Metamorphosis, was released in 2017.

 Atlantic Starr was founded in White Plains, New York in 1976 by Lewis, his brothers David and Jonathan, and drummer Porter Carroll Jr., bassist Clifford Archer and percussionist-flutist Joseph Phillip.

 Other early members included lead singer Sharon Bryant, trumpeter William Sudderth III and saxophonist Damon Rentie. Bryant and Rentie were later replaced by Barbara Weathers and Koran Daniels, respectively.

 

The group released their self-titled debut album in 1978 with hits including “Stand Up,” “Keep It Comin,'” “(I’ll Never Miss) The Love I Never Had” and “With Your Love I Come Alive.”

Over the next 15 years, Atlantic Starr put out more popular songs including “Circles,” “Secret Lovers,” “Silver Shadow,” “Masterpiece” and “Always,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Black Singles charts, becoming the band’s only number one song.

 The group was initially signed to A&M before moving over to Warner Bros. Records. After their relationship with Warner Bros. dissolved in the early 1990s, they began working with multiple record labels including Reprise and Arista. They released their latest album, 2017’s “Metamorphosis,” with Metamorphous, LLC.

 Lewis was among the band’s current lineup, alongside his brother Jonathan, Melessa Pierce and Shammah Carter.