He did the string arrangements for Mink DeVille's Le Chat Bleu album, as well as orchestrating the backing parts to some French pop singles in the mid-to-late 1960s, including those of Erick Saint-Laurent and yé-yé girls Christine Pilzer and Monique Thubert.
After the band's breakup, keyboardist Bob Leonard went on to play with Mink DeVille appearing on the bands 1978 debut LP,Cabretta, and touring Europe to support the release.
Ditta met DeVille in 1980 when DeVille was touring with Mink DeVille, and Ditta joined the band in an after-hours jam session at the Beat Exchange, a New Orleans punk rock hangout.
The venue was owned by Hilly Kristal and was known as a forum which introduced artists such as The Ramones, Misfits, Television, the Patti Smith Group, Mink DeVille, The Dead Boys, The Dictators, The Fleshtones, The Voidoids, The Cramps, Blondie, The Shirts, and Talking Heads.
Mink DeVille | Michel Deville | Blue Mink | Mink Stole | C.C. DeVille | That Touch of Mink | Patsy Mink | Michael Mink | Claudette Mink | Mink | mink | European mink | Deville | Walt Mink | Philippe DeVille | Mink Shoals, West Virginia | Mink Shoals | Mink oil | Mink Car | Henri Étienne Sainte-Claire Deville | Deville, Ardennes |
Tracks 1 through 4 recorded at Columbia Hall, Berlin; tracks 5 through 12 recorded in Stockholm with The Mink DeVille Band.
In 1974, Lewis re-incorporated electric guitar into his repertoire and shortly thereafter formed The Son Lewis Blues Band, which has featured members of Mink DeVille, Exuma, Rockett 88, Impact and The Ricki Lee Jones Band.