Hopeton Lewis was born in Kingston, Jamaica W.I.  And grew up in Burnt Savannah, Westmoreland.  At the age of 6, while   attending the Burnt Savannah Holiness Church, his talent for singing was discovered. This ushered in the beginning of his singing career. Several years later, he returned to Kingston to live with his grandparents in Mountain View Avenue.  While attending the Windward Road Primary School, he was awarded a scholarship to attend Camperdown High School.  By the time he turned 15 years old, both grandparents died and he was left to fend for himself. 

His ambition, zest for life and his love for music, inspired him to form his first group "The Regals".    Hopeton did his first recording at Studio One and from there went on to become one of the key players in the evolution of Jamaican popular music. Soon he moved to Federal Recording Company, where he did a number of recordings including his hit song "Take It Easy" which started the Rock steady Era, In 1970 he won the Festival Song Competition with the hit song, "Boom Shaka-Laka" on the Treasure Isles Label.   While singing under the Byron Lee's Dynamic Sound Label, his recording "Grooving Out On Life" reached gold status in 1973. He then join Byron Lee & the Dragonaires band as lead singer and tour with the group for over 4 years, after leaving the group he went on to perform on the hotel circuit throughout Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands.