Alfred Lewis began singing before he could talk.

As a baby, Lewis would hum along with the radio while riding in the backseat of his mother’s car.

“I was playing a gospel song and at first I thought it was the person on the CD and then I realized it was him,” said Lewis’ mother, Margaret Baker-Wilson. “That was the first time I knew he could sing so well and had perfect pitch and everything.”

At the age of 5, Lewis sang his first solo in church. He has been singing ever since.

Lewis competed in preliminary auditions for the hit show “American Idol” in Bryan on July 10, where he said the judges were “speechless” with his rendition of the Journey hit “Don’t Stop Believin’”.

He was given the opportunity to move on to the next stage of auditions and competed in Killeen on Aug. 7. Results of those auditions were not available as of press time last week.

In addition to being involved in choirs in school and church, Lewis has sung at many community events, weddings and youth programs.

But it wasn’t always easy for Lewis.

At the age of 11, as he prepared to take the stage and sing at a gospel concert, he had a grand mal seizure. He was later diagnosed with a seizure disorder.

His mother said he has finally found medications that keep the disorder under control.

“It’s never stopped him from singing,” Baker-Wilson said. “My mom sang to him when he was suffering. He’s managed to work through that and continue to stay focused.”

For Lewis, singing in is his blood. His uncles are part of a gospel quartet that was well-known in his hometown of Anderson.

“When they heard that the little Lewis boy could sing, they were like, ‘He got that naturally, he sings like his uncle,’” said Baker-Wilson.

Lewis moved to the Tomball area in 2006. He attended Klein Oak High School, where he was active in choir and competed in a UIL competition, where he scored a 5 out of 5 rating.

After graduating in 2007, Lewis began attending Lone Star College-Tomball, where he took a class taught by Music Professor Cheryl Bates.

“I knew he was a golden boy,” said Bates of the first time she met Lewis. “You can tell from the timbre of his speaking voice what a nice voice he has.”

Bates said Lewis always holds his part when singing in a group, can sight read and keep a beat.

“He has the work ethic it takes to be a great musician. You have to mine that talent,” she said.

Lewis said one of his best qualities as a singer is that he doesn’t have stage fright or get nervous when performing.

“I feel really good,” he said. “I think what makes me a real good singer is that I have confidence.”

He added that “singing’s not an easy job; you have to practice at it.”

As for a favorite singer or genre, Lewis said he likes most genres but is a fan of R&B, gospel and soft rock.

Lewis said he is planning to study pharmacy tech at LSC-Tomball starting in the fall, but that singing will always be a passion and part of his life. In addition, he is also interested in starting his own music-related business someday.

He credits his friends and family as his biggest source of support and his mother and grandmother as his biggest influences with music.

His ultimate dream?

“To perform on stage in front of millions of people around the world,” he said.

If successful in the Killeen audition Aug. 7, Lewis will move on to the Austin auditions Aug. 11, one step away from making it to Hollywood.

“Anybody who wants to be somebody, continue to chase those dreams. Don’t let it pass you by,” said Lewis.

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