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The warm, smooth tenor voice that has uplifted, inspired and soothed R&B fans for more than four decades still draws concertgoers across the globe. It takes passion and healthy habits for Howard Hewett to still perform some 110 concerts a year as a solo artist and with his group, Shalamar.
Yet his rise to Grammy-winner fame might not have happened without a mother who was a gospel promoter and sisters ready to back him up on stage.
“So it started when I was ten. I remember my mom was literally the one who pushed me out on stage,” says Hewett. “This is the first time I’d been on stage, and I was like, ‘Mom. I can’t go out there.’ And she was like, ‘No, boy, you’re going out there!’”
The professional career that began at age ten now belongs to a septuagenarian whose commitment to maintaining good health nourishes his passion for performing. “I thank God every day that I wake up that this is what I do. I’m 70 years old now, and I’ve been doing this since I was ten,” Hewett declares. “I think the thing that keeps me going is just knowing I can and knowing that music can make a difference.”
Passion for Staying Healthy
A few years ago, the legendary singer-songwriter recognized that the pounds he had gained traveling the world and entertaining fans of all ages were weighing him down. Hewett started a workout and eating regimen that took pounds off.
“Before I went on that regimen, I weighed about 210 pounds. That was way too overweight. I didn’t feel right, my clothes weren’t fitting right. It was terrible. My feel-good weight is about 170 to 175,” says the R&B singer.
Hewett had another reason to get in better shape besides his demanding performance schedule. His family’s history with diabetes made him acutely aware of the importance of maintaining healthy habits.
“I’m pre-diabetes. That was diagnosed about ten years ago. I’ve always kept it under control because you can reverse type 2 diabetes, especially when you lose weight.
The California resident’s mom passed away from diabetic complications in 1992. Hewett recognizes his life expectancy depends on controlling his weight and what he eats. “I try to watch my carbs and check my glucose levels as much as I can to keep everything cool. No fried foods, low-carbs. You need some fat, but you can’t overdo it,” he states.
Adopting Healthy Eating Habits
The soulful soloist, given Music Icon recognition at the 2025 Afro Awards in Hollywood, moved to California from Ohio in 1976. His rise to stardom began when Hewett became the lead singer of Shalamar and toured worldwide with Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley.
They recorded memorable hits such as “This is for the Lover in You” and “Second Time Around.” As a solo artist, Hewett recorded such Billboard hits as “Show Me,” “I’m for Real,” “Stay” and “Say Amen.”
The group sold over 25 million records before Hewett launched a solo career in 1985 and Shalamar disbanded. In 2001, Hewett, Daniel and Carolyn Griffey reformed the soul and funk group performing worldwide with a seven-piece band.
While at home in Los Angeles, Hewett gradually began paying attention to the city’s healthy-living culture. “After about a year or so of being out here, I stopped with the fried food,” Hewett recalls.
“I remember going back home, and my mom was going to fry some chicken. She said, ‘Oh, now that you’re out there, you’re telling me I’ve been feeding you wrong?’” Then, in his 20s, Hewett ate his mom’s chicken. He still indulges in the famous American dish once or twice a year but primarily chooses good-for-you foods.
“For the most part, I try to eat as healthily as possible. For me, it’s vegetables, low carbs and no fried foods. I’ll use olive oil every once in a while, but I like avocado oil. I use that mainly,” says the celebrated music artist.
Although Hewett bypasses breakfast and lunch some days, his daily meal plan always includes plant-based dishes. “I like sautéing. I love cabbage. It is one of my favorite vegetables, and it’s really good for you, too. I also love spinach, broccoli and that kind of stuff,” he says.
When he wants to indulge, Hewett will eat some eggs and grits and occasionally a few strips of bacon. An experiment with blood sugar testing made the Californian a fan of Unique Southern Foods’ yellow grits, a product that his Atlanta friends, Ron and Sandy Poag, brought to market in 2020.
Hewett shares how he became a loyal supporter of Grandma Betty’s Premium Yellow Grits available online and at Walmart. “One morning, I did the white grits and an hour later, I checked my glucose levels. My glucose level spiked about an hour after eating the grits. And then I did these yellow grits that my friends had sent me, and no spike at all. It was even numbers for two to three hours afterwards.”
An impressive list of celebrities has joined Hewett in endorsing the award-winning grits, including Sherri Shepherd, Doug E. Fresh and Kem. Some other dishes the singer likes to make when he cooks are the special oatmeal his mom taught him how to make, a rotisserie chicken or spaghetti sauce with ground turkey. He prefers his vegetables lightly cooked, so they are not limp and still have some texture.
“The other day, I made some pinto beans and put turkey legs in them. If I make something, I make it so it will last a day or two. I love the air fryer now. One time, I did a thing for the Super Bowl and made chicken wings. I have the little dishes that I do, like the way you prepare vegetables with oil and season them the right way,” Hewett adds.
Overcoming Challenges to Healthy Living
Maintaining healthy habits can become more challenging for people traveling thousands of miles, from city to city and country to country, for concert venues. Hewett’s longevity as a major R&B artist is supported by his healthy habits while on national and international tours.
“It’s in my rider. They’ll say, ‘What kind of meal does he like?’ No fried food, but vegetables and salad. Even with the salad, you have to be careful about what you put on it. It’s difficult, but it can be done,” he says.
The recording star has traveled extensively since 1977. Hewett admits that jumping on and off planes can be tedious. Yet he insists he is not “tired” yet, so there is no reason to retire. That does not mean that the singer has not faced any major health challenges while performing in Europe and the U.S. The most serious threat to Hewett’s physical wellness happened in 2022.
“I was in Zurich, and the whole time I was there, I was experiencing indigestion and heartburn. The same thing happened a couple of years before that, but it went away, and I didn’t think about it anymore. This time, I got checked by a doctor,” admits Hewett.
The Zurich physician determined that Hewett’s troponin protein levels were elevated, indicating that the entertainer had suffered a mild heart attack. More tests revealed that two of his arteries were blocked, requiring surgery to put three stents in his heart.
“When they blew those up, it was like I felt the result of that immediately. The cardiologist said we don’t know how long this buildup in your arteries has been going on. It could have been years, but you weren’t getting the correct amount of oxygen and blood. I felt the difference immediately and since then,” Hewett recollects.
The father of four believes his healthy eating habits and workout regimen prevented more severe heart problems. Still, he cautions others not to think all heart attacks look like the famous gag featured in the popular 1970s TV series, “Sanford and Son.” The late comedian Redd Foxx would fake “the big one” while calling out to his deceased wife, Elizabeth.
“We tend to look at that whole thing like Fred Sanford, ‘Oh, Elizabth I’m comin.’ Grabbing your chest and stuff,” suggests Hewett. “When I talk to people about this, I like to emphasize I had none of that. I had indigestion. That was it.”
The singer urges others to take notice when something feels off with their physical health. “You know your body better than anybody. If anything is off kilter or anything is not the way it has been before, you should get it checked out and see exactly what it is.”
Staying healthy is the foundation for Hewett’s enduring relevance as changing trends reshaped the music world. “If I were unhealthy, there would be a whole lot of other things on my mind, not just doing the music, putting together lyrics or performing. I know friends of mine who were amazing singers, writers and producers, but they were always dealing with health problems. If you keep yourself healthy, it affects your creative flow and everything else,” he emphasizes.
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Encouraging Healthy Habits for Others
Hewett’s interest in sharing his dedication to healthy habits has remained with him throughout his decades-long career. His mother was one of the first loved ones he influenced to make healthier choices. He convinced her to spend some time at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Santa Monica.
“They had a whole facility, a hotel, where you went and stayed for two weeks. I sent my mom there, so she could get a better outlook in terms of looking at what she ate and the things she prepared to eat,” Hewett says.
His experiences with watching his mom’s health struggles inspired Hewett to work with the Defeat Diabetes Foundation in 2008 and 2009. He helped raise funds for the nonprofit and continues to speak on conquering diabetes and healthy eating on occasion.
“I want people to be as healthy as possible. For some people, breaking certain habits is hard. That was one of the things I went through with my mom before she passed,” discloses the singer.
With friends, Hewett’s losing weight and keeping it off is the best way to encourage healthy habits. He gives them this advice when they ask how he does it. “You have to figure out what is comfortable to you, and not call it a diet. Diet is something you eventually get off of. Just call it a lifestyle, a way of changing how you eat and live.”
Hewett recommends reading product labels, choosing minimally altered foods and finding an eating and workout plan you can stick with for a lifetime. Lastly, he emphasizes the commitment necessary to succeed.
“Whatever you figure out, stay disciplined to it. It’s just like praising the Lord. My way of praising God might not be good for someone else. Everybody has to figure out their own relationship with God, Christ or the Holy Spirit.”
Sharing Music’s Healing Power
The charismatic performer’s connection to his spiritual beliefs shines through his music, both as Shalamar’s frontman and as a solo artist. One of his most beloved songs, “Say Amen,” is an anthem to faith, hope and gratitude released on his 1987 album “I Commit to Love.”
Hewett is not a religious man, but he puts his faith in a higher power. “I believe in a relationship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. He’s blessed me with an ability to look at things, put them into perspective and keep on with this life.”
The Ohio native continues with another observation about life. “There is this saying, ‘Most people live like they will never die and die like they’ve never lived.’ I believe that life is a gift that we’ve been given. We have to live this gift with our shortcomings and strengths. The more you get into your spirituality, the more freedom you have to do the things you need to do in this life.”
An Upscale Magazine article published around his 70th birthday captured the essence of how the strength in Hewett’s silky voice and the meaning behind his songs have touched people for more than half a century. It named Snoop Dogg, “Magic” Johnson, Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore among the celebrities who shared public birthday tributes to the Grammy and Emmy Awards recipient.
According to Upscale, “These tributes highlighted not only his professional achievements but the personal impact he has had on the lives of others throughout his career. Hewett’s career is not only a testament to talent but also to longevity, authenticity, and connection.”
Hewett describes an encounter early in his career that taught him how much music can move someone going through life’s terrific or tough times. As he sang a rendition of the 23rd Psalm, a woman who had been listening and crying jumped up and screamed when he hit a high note.
“I look back, and this lady is running down the aisle. She grabs me in this bear hug, and I’m still singing,” Hewett remembers. “My sisters still laugh about that today. It took my mom and the preacher to get that lady off of me. It made me realize how powerful music is.”
With the age and wisdom that came with his rise from a child gospel prodigy to a R&B luminary, Hewett developed a deeper understanding of the impact his contributions to music could have. “People still need to be encouraged, and they still need to be comforted. Guys still need to hear respectful things, not disrespectful things that you say to your woman.”
Although his most recent single, “A Love of My Own,” came out in 2017, Hewett is not done with songwriting. He plans to write some new songs to share what’s on his mind.
“A whole lot is happening now that I’ve got an opinion about and have feelings about. I’m getting a little antsy as far as writing is concerned. I have a bunch of songs just sitting there that are still relevant to what is happening today,” he says.
Among all his accomplishments, Hewett is most proud of building a legacy for his son, three daughters and three grandchildren. He practices healthy habits to prolong the life he shares with them and the guidance he provides.
“One of the things I told them was, “I cannot say that 100% of the decisions I made for you were correct. But I can say with no hesitation that 150% of the decisions I made for you were made in love.”
Hewett will continue demonstrating his passion for music with a new year packed with weekend concerts and a European tour. Even after seven decades, the celebrated singer does not take the power in his performances for granted. “You look at the importance of somebody being able to soothe the emotions and anxieties that we have. I love that. I think that is a big part of my passion for what I do,” declares Shalamar’s lead singer.
Giving his all to his family, career and spiritual life still requires Hewett keep working out and eating healthy. He concludes by expressing his gratitude for the longevity that has allowed him to keep connecting with people and having a positive impact on their lives.
“If the Lord comes to take me back home right now, I can say that I’ve had an amazing life. He has blessed me with understanding and wisdom. The most impressive thing you can ask him is for wisdom on how to get through this life.”
