He grew up in a musical family before television and made his first public performance when his voice changed from soprano to bass in 1960.
As Vice President of the Vancouver and District Labour Council, he initiated the massive resistance to the 26 pieces of legislation brought forward by the British Columbia Social Credit Party government in 1983 that later evolved into "Operation Solidarity".
The Communist Party of Canada had long been relatively uncritical supporters of Moscow, not least Hewison himself, and was severely disoriented by the collapse of Soviet Communism in Eastern Europe.
As the confrontation exploded in the Party, the pro-Leninist faction (led by Elizabeth Rowley) forced the Hewison group into court.
The Cecil-Ross Society leadership which left the party, as their critics had alleged, attempted to broaden the appeal for their press by dropping their previous ideological "baggage" and included other socialists.
Today, Hewison continues to play a role in the labour and progressive movements for which he was a part for half a century.
He has continued to link music with labour and social activism and is the founder and lead singer of the "Rank n File Band", created by the Canadian Auto Workers union.
He has produced five albums over a fifty years span, and has written scores of songs for, and performed at, conventions of virtually every major labour organization in the country.
He also continues to study contemporary capitalism and conducts classes in political economy, blogging on his website.