Warren Lewis, the barber made famous by cutting people’s hair with flames, died earlier this month at age 90.

There are people who have made my time in Memphis really fun, Lewis was one of them.

Memphians are often blessed with unusual characters and entrepreneurs that have made our city famous.

Mr. Lewis has been seen on national TV showing off his talent on late-night TV and all over the world.

 He grew up with very little, in a shack in Mississippi. As a child, he was given the chore of burning the small feathers off chickens that the family was going to eat for dinner. That is what gave him the idea to cut hair with fire.

He had his own shop in North Memphis most of his life. It burned down once. He eventually worked out of another shop in his later years.

 “I ain’t set but one man on fire since I’ve been doing hair, one!” he told me giggling.

 He was cutting hair until three weeks before he died.

Mr. Lewis always liked the job security, saying “Hair will steady grow. I love my job with a passion,”  he said, “I’d do it all over again.”

Below is a gallery of some photos I have taken of him over the years. Including one when he came to one of my photo shows and signed autographs for people.

Rest in Peace my friend.

Below is a link to a story I did about him for the Commercial Appeal when I worked there.

https://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/2014/7/30/warren-lewis-and-his-flaming-fro

Below is an old video of did of Lewis cutting hair over a decade ago.

By Karen Pulfer Focht ©2023