Carey Lewis was introduced to the violin and piano at the impressionable age of three by his parents who each had a profound love of music. Carey’s first violin instructor, John Jarboe, was a versatile musician, often performing blue grass and rock on guitar as well as violin. It would prove serendipitous that Carey’s introductory teacher would be a multi-instrumentalist and so diverse in his own musical abilities. By age twelve, Carey was well on his way to mastering as many as six different instruments and several musical styles.

He knew as a teenager that it was his distinct ability to play the violin that would set him apart from his friends and peers. When many of his friends would meet up to play after school, Carey often could be found at home practicing his violin and piano everyday. Not many of his schoolmates would understand why he would spend his afternoons in this way, but by the time he was in middle school, it became more and more evident that this was Carey's special gift to nurture and share with the world, and that this gift was of utmost importance to himself and his family.

Carey's family understood the importance of his being closely linked to musical mentors and receiving superb violin instruction. One of Carey's first mentors, then Kingwood High School orchestra director Timothy Mika, shared with him a story that he had played viola in the string section of a Robert Plant and Jimmy Page concert at the Woodlands Pavilion, and that this was a paid performance. In this moment Carey was introduced to the concept of a musician being a professional freelance musician and discovered soon after that he wanted to play violin professionally. Having the unconditional support of his family, Carey would embark on a path to be the best musician he could be. By the end of his time at Kingwood High School in northeast Houston, he had been a three-time Texas All State Orchestra member, and was Concertmaster of his local Region Orchestra.

In high school, Carey studied with former Houston Symphony Associate Concertmaster, and Houston Ballet and Opera Orchestra Concertmaster Albert Muenzer. Muenzer was his first, of many, “old school” teachers and mentors who showed him how to play the violin with heart, and to “make it special”. He quickly fell in love with the warm, singing tone and sonic texture of the “old school” style and took pride in championing this style of violin playing. To this day, he considers himself an “old school violin player”. Carey then studied violin with Dr. Bruce Berg at Baylor University, en route to a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance. Dr. Berg encouraged him to think critically and ask questions while in pursuit of learning the violin on an advanced level. This experience of analyzing music and the violin in this way surely guided Carey toward what would prove to later be a career in teaching the instrument. Although a violin major, Carey continued his classical piano studies with Dr. John Cozza. He credits Cozza with helping to instill a stronger sense of musical phrasing and melodic direction, paramount in advanced music making. This tool has proved invaluable in playing all the instruments on which Carey performs.

Upon graduating from Baylor, Carey began his studies at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland, where he would earn a Master of Music degree in Violin Performance, as well as a Graduate Performance Diploma, also in violin. At Peabody, Carey forged a very special bond with his mentor and violin instructor, longtime Baltimore Symphony Concertmaster, Herbert Greenberg. His studies under Greenberg helped Carey develop a strong desire to make every single note special, and to be thorough and efficient with his practice time.

Carey became involved with Baltimore's University Baptist Church’s college student service, The Gathering, as the electric bass player, and co-Music Director in the band. Here, he honed his skills as a band leader, which would prove to be an asset for years to come. As a graduate student at Peabody, Carey was able to perform as Principle Violinist and Assistant Concertmaster of the Peabody Symphony Orchestra, and Principle Violinist of the Peabody Conductor’s Orchestra. Mid-way through graduate school, Carey began auditioning for major symphony orchestras across the United States. Studying, making music, and living in Baltimore was a fantastic experience for Carey as it proved vital in shaping him as a musician and a person.

On summer breaks during college and graduate school, Carey studied at music festivals such as The Round Top Festival, Mimir Chamber Music Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, and the Aspen Music Festival and School where he enjoyed sharing the stage with countless world renowned conductors and performers from Joshua Bell, David Zinman, Emanuel Ax, Gil Shaham, and Leon Fleisher to John Williams, Doc Severinsen, and Chick Corea. He spent four summers in Aspen, continuing his studies with Greenberg, and also with Jennifer Johns.

Since 2006, Carey has performed as a musician-for-hire with many organizations and bands. This includes the Houston Ballet Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic, Shreveport, Waco, Charleston, Victoria Symphonies, and the Maryland Philharmonic. He has also performed with Josh Groban, Kany Garcia at the 2008 Latin Grammy Awards, Peter Gabriel, and Il Divo. In 2009 and 2010, he served on the violin faculty at Baylor University’s Summer String Quartet Camp, coaching student chamber music ensembles and conducting masterclasses. Also in 2010, Carey joined the house band at Houston dueling piano bar, Howl at the Moon, as the resident violin/fiddle player. His role quickly expanded to include performing as guitarist, bassist, and drummer. In 2013, he decided to dust off his piano chops and train to become a dueling piano player and entertainer. He was soon named Co-Entertainment Director of the band, and enjoyed a role as the band leader and manager. He performed as a singer and piano player in this high energy, demanding show four nights a week until 2017, when he decided it was time for the next chapter in his music career.

Carey currently enjoys performing a different genre and different instrument every night at various venues across the Houston area, and beyond. As a multi-instrumentalist, he can be seen playing acoustic guitar or keyboard one night, and then the next night playing classical violin at a private engagement. In addition to live performance, Carey also teaches private lessons for violin, viola, piano, and guitar students both locally and across the globe via Skype, Zoom, and FaceTime. When Carey isn't playing music, he can be found collecting guitars, cooking, watching the Houston Rockets, and enjoying evenings in the backyard with his wife and two children.