Jerry Lee Lewis was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Considered a pioneer of rockabilly and rock and roll music, Jerry is known for his innovative and flamboyant piano-playing style and catchy, fast-paced songs. He made his first recordings in 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. “Crazy Arms” sold 300,000 copies in the South, and his 1957 hit “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” shot Lewis to fame worldwide.
He then followed this with the major hits “Great Balls of Fire”, “Breathless”, and “High School Confidential”. His 1964 live album Live at the Star Club, Hamburg is regarded by many music journalists and fans in general as one of the wildest and greatest live rock albums ever. In 1968, he made a transition into country music and had hits with songs such as “Another Place, Another Time”. His No. 1 country hits included “To Make Love Sweeter for You”, “There Must Be More to Love Than This”, “Would You Take Another Chance on Me”, and “Me and Bobby McGee”. His 2006 album “Last Man Standing” was his best-selling release, with over a million copies worldwide which was followed by Mean Old Man in 2010, another of his best-selling albums.
“Rock & Roll Time” is the 41st and final studio album by American singer Jerry Lee Lewis, released on November 7, 2014, by Vanguard Records. He passed away on 28th October 2022.
Jerry Lee Lewis, rock ‘n’ roll pioneer dies at 87
Jerry Lee Lewis, the piano-pounding, foot-stomping singer who electrified early rock ‘n’ roll with hits like “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” before marital scandal derailed his career, has died, according to a statement from his representative, Zach Farnum.
On 26th October 2022, TMZ and other news outlets falsely reported that Lewis died. Two days later, he died at his home in DeSoto County, Mississippi, of pneumonia (death cause) at the age of 87 on 28th October 2022. He is survived by his wife, Judith Coghlan Lewis, his children Jerry Lee Lewis III, Ronnie Lewis, Pheobe Lewis, and Lori Lancaster, sister Linda Gail Lewis, cousin Swaggart and many grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, according to his representative’s statement. His seventh wife, Judith, was by his side when he died and Lewis “told her, in his final days, that he welcomed the hereafter, and that he was not afraid,” the statement added.
On February 28, 2019, he had a minor stroke in Memphis. He fully recovered after several canceled appearances.
Jerry has left a huge legacy behind and it did not take long for people to come online and share some of their most fond memories of the singer. One user wrote: “The king of rock N roll has passed away, the master of piano playing and great songs! RIP Jerry Lee Lewis We will miss you down on earth always !! J.B.” “Rock on with your boogie woogie self in heaven, Jerry Lee! Gonna miss you, Killer,” wrote another fan.
Jerry Lee Lewis Known For
- Jerry Lee Lewis was a Singer, Songwriter, Keyboard Player, Pianist, Musician, and Actor.
- He was known for his hits “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Great Balls of Fire!,” and “Would You Take Another Chance On Me.”
When was Jerry Lee Lewis Born?
Jerry Lee Lewis was born on September 29, 1935. He was from Ferriday, Louisiana, USA. He was born to his father, Elmo Kidd Lewis Sr. and his mother, Mary “Mamie” Herron Lewis. He held American nationality and his ethnicity was American-White. He grew up in an impoverished farming family in Eastern Louisiana.
In his youth, he began playing the piano with two of his cousins, Mickey Gilley (later a popular country music singer) and Jimmy Swaggart (later a popular televangelist). His parents mortgaged their farm to buy him a piano. His early musical influences were his piano-playing cousin, Carl McVoy and Moon Mullican. He also got to listen to the tracks that were played at ‘Haney’s Big House,’ a juke joint near his house.
His mother enrolled him at the Southwest Bible Institute in Waxahachie, Texas, so that he could sing evangelical songs exclusively. When he audaciously played a boogie-woogie version of “My God Is Real” at a church assembly, he was immediately expelled from the “Southwest Bible Institute” in Waxahachie, Texas. For the last time, he celebrated his 87th birthday.
Jerry Lee Lewis’s Music Career
- On 19th November 1949, he made his first public performance of his career, playing with a country and western band at a car dealership in Ferriday. The hit of his set was a cover of R&B artist Sticks McGhee’s “Drinkin’ Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee”.
- Next, he became part of the burgeoning new rock and roll sound and cut his first demo recording in 1952 for Cosimo Matassa in New Orleans.
- In 1956, he auditioned for Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. They recorded his rendition of “Crazy Arms” and his own composition “End of The Road.
- In December 1956, Lewis began recording prolifically as a solo artist and as a session musician for other Sun artists, including Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash.
- These recordings, almost half of which were gospel songs, were released on CD as “Million Dollar Quartet”. Tracks also include Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Paralyzed”, Chuck Berry’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” and Pat Boone’s “Don’t Forbid Me”.
- His first TV appearance, in which he demonstrated some of these moves, was on “The Steve Allen Show” on July 28, 1957. In the 1958 crime drama film “High School Confidential”, he made a cameo appearance and performed the title song which he had penned with Ron Hargrave.
- His career hit an all-time low following his controversial marriage with his 13-year-old cousin.
- He then released many singles, including his versions of Sweet Little Sixteen, Good Golly Miss Molly, and In the Mood.
- Then, he decided to record country ballads.
- In 1968, he released two hit singles, namely “Another Place, Another Time” and “To Make Love Sweeter For You”.
- “Invitation to Your Party” a single from his 1969 album “The Golden Cream of the Country” peaked at No. 6 on the ‘Billboard Hot Country Singles’ chart.
- Between 1968 and 1971, many singles, including What’s Made Milwaukee Famous, She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye, and There Must Be More to Love Than This, became popular.
- In 1972, he briefly returned to the rock and roll genre with singles like Chantilly Lace and Drinkin’ Wine Spo-dee-o dee.
- In 1989, a major motion picture based on his early life in rock and roll, “Great Balls of Fire!”, brought him back into the public eye when he decided to re-record all his songs for the movie soundtrack. This hit film was based on his early life in rock & roll and his marriage with Myra Gale.
- The album “Last Man Standing” was released in 2006.
- In 2008, he appeared with John Fogerty and Little Richard at the 50th Grammy Awards, performing a medley of Great Balls of Fire and Good Golly Miss Molly.
- His 2010 album “Mean Old Man” featured duets with famous artists like Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Keith Richard, Willie Nelson, and Sheryl Crow.
- “Rock & Roll Time” is the 41st and final studio album by American singer Jerry Lee Lewis, released on November 7, 2014, by Vanguard Records.
- In 2017 Lewis made a personal appearance at The Country Music Television Skyville Live show.
- Earlier in 2022, a collaborative gospel album was released with Jerry Lee Lewis and his cousin Jimmy Swaggart, called The Boys from Ferriday.
- “Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind” is the title of a documentary on Lewis released in 2022 and directed by Ethan Coen.
Awards and Achievements
- Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986
- Was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989
- Received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005
- Presented with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s American Music Masters Award in 2007
- Received four Grammy Awards, including two Grammy Hall of Fame Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6631 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California
- Was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022
Who is Jerry Lee Lewis’s Wife?
Jerry Lee Lewis was married for seven times during his lifetime including bigamous marriages and a marriage with his underage cousin. He had six children during his marriage.
When he was 16, he married Dorothy Barton, the daughter of a preacher. Their union lasted for 20 months, from February 1952 to October 1953.
His second marriage in September 1953, to Jane Mitchum, was of dubious validity because it occurred 23 days before his divorce from Barton was final. After four years, he filed for divorce in October 1957. Their marriage produces two children: Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. (1954–1973) and Ronnie Guy Lewis (b. 1956).
His third marriage was to 13-year-old Myra Gale Brown, his first cousin once removed, on December 12, 1957. His divorce from Jane Mitchum was not finalized before the ceremony took place, so he remarried Brown on June 4, 1958. In 1970, Brown filed for divorce on the grounds of adultery and abuse, charging that she had been “subject to every type of physical and mental abuse imaginable.” They had two children: Steve Allen Lewis (1959–1962) and Phoebe Allen Lewis (b. 1963).
His fourth marriage was to Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate from October 1971 to June 8, 1982. They had one daughter, Lori Lee Lewis (b. 1972).
His fifth marriage, to Shawn Stephens, lasted 77 days, from June to August 1983, ending with her death from an overdose of methadone.
His sixth marriage, to Kerrie McCarver, lasted 21 years, from April 1984 to June 2005. They had one child: Jerry Lee Lewis III (b. 1987).
He married his seventh wife Judith Lewis (née Brown, the former wife of the brother of Myra Gale Brown) on March 9, 2012. Before the death of Jerry, the duo was enjoying their life a lot. His sexual orientation was straight.
How much was Jerry Lee Lewis’s Net Worth?
Jerry Lee Lewis was a pianist, singer, and songwriter whose net worth was estimated to have $10 Million at the time of his death. He was making an annual salary of millions of dollars from his professional career. His major source of wealth was the music industry. He was living a lavish lifestyle before his death. During his career time, he has released numerous albums and songs.
According to The Guardian, he worked as a “sewing machine salesman” before making it big with music — though he didn’t exactly sell the machines. He told customers that they won the machines and only had to pay him $10 for tax.
How tall was Jerry Lee Lewis?
Jerry Lee Lewis stood at the height of 1.68 m or 5 feet 6 inches. His body weight consisted of 70 KG or 154 Pounds. His body measurement was 40-30-14 (inches) (chest-waist-bicep). His hair color was dark brown-white and his eye color was brown. He wore a shoe size of 10 US.
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