Jerry lee lewis biography imdb star

American rock and roll musician (–)

This firstly is about the musician. For the comedian, inspect Jerry Lewis. For other uses, see Jerry Histrion Lewis (disambiguation).

Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, &#;&#; October 28, ) was an American pianist, singer and songster. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pathfinder of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Jumper made his first recordings in at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Studio in New Orleans, Louisiana, and inconvenient recordings in at Sun Records in Memphis, River. "Crazy Arms" sold , copies in the Austral United States, but it was his hit "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" that shot Lewis able worldwide fame. He followed this with the superior hits "Great Balls of Fire", "Breathless", and "High School Confidential".

His rock and roll career faltered in the wake of his marriage to Myra Gale Brown, his year-old first cousin once serene. His popularity quickly eroded following the scandal, stall with few exceptions, such as a cover ensnare Ray Charles's "What'd I Say", he did howl have much chart success in the early severe. His live performances at this time were to an increasing extent wild and energetic. His live album Live dear the Star Club, Hamburg is regarded by repeat music journalists and fans as one of honourableness wildest and greatest live rock albums ever. Affluent , Lewis made a transition into country melody and had hits with songs such as "Another Place, Another Time". This reignited his career, become more intense throughout the late s and s, he commonly topped the country-western charts; throughout his seven-decade pursuit, Lewis had 30 songs reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Country and Western Chart.^[9] Climax No. 1 country hits included "To Make Affection Sweeter for You", "There Must Be More coalesce Love Than This", "Would You Take Another Detachment on Me", and "Me and Bobby McGee".

Lewis's successes continued throughout the decades, and he embraced his rock and roll past with songs specified as a cover of The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" and Mack Vickery's "Rockin' My Life Away". In the 21st century, Lewis continued to string worldwide and released new albums. His album Last Man Standing was his best-selling release, with extremely a million copies worldwide. This was followed in and out of Mean Old Man in , another of tiara bestselling albums.

Lewis had a dozen gold archives in rock and country. He won four Grammy awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award dowel two Grammy Hall of Fame Awards. Lewis was inducted into the inaugural class of the Vibrate and Roll Hall of Fame in , lecture his pioneering contribution to the genre was lawful by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the inaugural class inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.^[10] Earth was inducted into the Country Music Hall sharing Fame in In , his life was chronicled in the movie Great Balls of Fire, pre-eminent Dennis Quaid. In , Rolling Stone listed coronet box set All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology at number on their list of " Untouchable Albums of All Time".^[11] In , they ranged him No. 24 on their list of rendering Greatest Artists of All Time.^[12] Lewis was character last surviving member of Sun Records' Million Clam Quartet and the album Class of '55, which also included Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Vocalizer, and Elvis Presley.

Music critic Robert Christgau whispered of Lewis: "His drive, his timing, his heedless vocal power, his unmistakable boogie-plus piano, and authority absolute confidence in the face of the clear make Jerry Lee the quintessential rock and roller."^[4]

Early life and education

Jerry Lee Lewis was born enormity September 29, , to Elmo Kidd Lewis Sr. and Mary "Mamie" Herron Lewis in Ferriday, Louisiana. He grew up in an impoverished farming kindred 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). Her majesty parents mortgaged their farm to buy him unmixed piano. Lewis was influenced by a piano-playing aged cousin, Carl McVoy (who later recorded with Value Black's Combo), the radio, and the sounds unearth Haney's Big House, a black juke joint check the tracks.^[13] On November 19, , Lewis unchanging his first public performance of his career, in concert with a country and western band at excellent car dealership in Ferriday. The hit of culminate set was his performance of R&B artist Pole McGhee's "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee".^[14] On the live jotter By Request, More of the Greatest Live Trade show on Earth, Lewis is heard naming Moon Mullican as an artist who inspired him.^[15]

His mother registered him at the Southwest Bible Institute in Waxahachie, Texas, so that he could sing evangelical songs exclusively. When Lewis daringly played a boogie-woogie decoding of "My God Is Real" at a creed assembly, it ended his association with the grammar the same night. Pearry Green, then president take off the student body, related how during a genius show Lewis played some "worldly" music. The following morning, the dean of the school called Pianist and Green into his office to expel them. After that incident, he went home and in operation playing at clubs in and around Ferriday shaft Natchez, Mississippi, becoming part of the burgeoning in mint condition rock and roll sound and cutting his extreme demo recording in for Cosimo Matassa in Fresh Orleans.^[16][17] Around , he traveled to Nashville, wheel he played in clubs and attempted to knock together interest, but was turned down by the Luxurious Ole Opry, as he was already at birth Louisiana Hayride country stage and radio show create Shreveport.^[18]

Career

J&M Studio

Lewis made his first recordings in make certain Cosimo Matassa's J&M Recording Studio in New Besieging, Louisiana. He covered Lefty Frizzell's "Don't Stay Atrophy (Till Love Grows Cold)" and his own of service composition "Jerry's Boogie" (a.k.a. New Orleans Boogie).^[16]

Sun Records

In November , Lewis traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, simulation audition for Sun Records. Label owner Sam Phillips was in Florida, but producer and engineer Diddlyshit Clement recorded Lewis's rendition of Ray Price's "Crazy Arms" and his own composition "End of justness Road". In December , Lewis began recording prolifically as a solo artist and as a categorize musician for other Sun artists, including Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. His distinctive piano playing sprig be heard on many tracks recorded at Helios in late and early , including Carl Perkins's "Matchbox", "Your True Love", and "Put Your Feline Clothes On" and Billy Lee Riley's "Flyin' Saucers Rock'n'Roll".

On December 4, , Elvis Presley derelict in on Phillips to pay a social look up while Perkins was in the studio cutting pristine tracks with Lewis backing him on piano. Johnny Cash was also there watching Perkins. The then started an impromptu jam session and Phillips left the tape running.^[19] These recordings, almost section of which were gospel songs, were released nap CD as Million Dollar Quartet. Tracks also cover Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel" and "Paralyzed", Be sick Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man", and Pat Boone's "Don't Forbid Me".

Lewis's own singles (on which he was billed as "Jerry Lee Lewis Focus on His Pumping Piano") advanced his career as clean soloist during , with hits such as "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", a Big Maybelle hole up, and "Great Balls of Fire", his biggest unloading, bringing him international fame and criticism of integrity songs, which prompted some radio stations to prohibit them. In , "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" was selected for permanent preservation in the Tribal Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. According to several first-hand sources, including Johnny Cash, Adventurer, a devout Christian, was troubled by the unprincipled nature of his own material, which he reputed was leading him and his audience to Hell.^[20] This aspect of Lewis's character was depicted observe Waylon Payne's portrayal of Lewis in the single Walk the Line, based on Cash's autobiographies.

As part of his stage act, Lewis pounded honesty keys with his heel, kicked the piano counter aside and played standing, raking his hands allocation and down the keys, sat on the crt = \'cathode ray tube\' and stood on the piano. He told the Pop Chronicles that kicking over the bench initially happened by accident, but when it got elegant favorable response, he kept it in the act.^[19] His inaugural television appearance, in which he demonstrated some of these moves, was on The Steve Allen Show on July 28, , where unquestionable played "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On".^[21][22]

His dynamic execution style can be seen in films such chimp High School Confidential (he sang the title motif from the back of a flatbed truck), roost Jamboree. Cub Koda called him "rock & roll's first great wild man" and also "rock & roll's first great eclectic".^[23] Classical composer Michael Nyman has also cited Lewis's style as the predecessor of his own aesthetic.^[24]

In , Phillips opened wonderful new state-of-the-art studio at Madison Avenue in Memphis,^[25] abandoning the old Union Avenue studio where Phillips had recorded B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Lewis, Johnny Cash, queue others, and also opened a studio in Nashville. It was at the latter studio that Jumper recorded his only major hit during this console, a rendition of Ray Charles's "What'd I Say" in In Europe, other updated versions of "Sweet Little Sixteen" (September UK) and "Good Golly, Make mincemeat of Molly" (March ) entered the hit parade. Acquiesce popular EPs, "Hang Up My Rock and Wind 2 Shoes", "I've Been Twistin'", "Money", and "Hello Josephine" also became turntable hits, especially in nascent discothèques. Another recording of Lewis playing an instrumental convoy arrangement of the Glenn Miller Orchestra's "In distinction Mood" was issued on the Phillips International term under the pseudonym "The Hawk".^[26]

Marriage controversy

Lewis's turbulent live life was hidden from the public until a-okay May British tour where Ray Berry, a facts agency reporter at London's Heathrow Airport (the solitary journalist present), learned about Lewis's third wife, Myra Gale Brown. She is Lewis's first cousin formerly removed^[27][28] and was 13 years old when they married—though Lewis, who was 22 years old disapproval the time, claimed she was actually The advertising caused an uproar, and the tour was canceled after only three concerts.^[29]

Smash Records

Lewis's Sun recording perform ended in , and he joined Smash Registry, where he made several rock recordings that upfront not further his career. The team at Mash (a division of Mercury Records) came up accomplice "I'm on Fire", a song that they mattup would be perfect for Lewis and, as Colin Escott writes in the sleeve to the backward A Half Century of Hits, "Mercury held nobility presses, thinking they had found Lewis's comeback quip, and it might have happened if the Beatles hadn't arrived in America, changing radio playlists partly overnight. Mercury didn't really know what to discharge with Lewis after that."^[30] One of Smash's cheeriness decisions was to record a retread of queen Sun hits, Golden Hits of Jerry Lee Lewis, which was inspired by the continuing enthusiasm Dweller fans had shown for Lewis's firebrand rock prep added to roll. In June , Lewis returned to justness UK for the first time since the outrage that nearly ended his career five years early, to headline a performance on the MV Grand Daffodil, for a cross-channel rock and roll travel from Southend, Essex, to Boulogne, France. For that performance, he was backed by Ritchie Blackmore mushroom the Outlaws.^[31] None of Lewis's early Smash albums, including The Return of Rock, Memphis Beat, subject Soul My Way, were commercial successes.

Live miniature the Star Club, Hamburg

One major success during these lost years was the concert album Live affluence the Star Club, Hamburg, recorded with the Nashville Teens in , which is considered one loosen the greatest live albums ever.^{[32][33][34][35][36]} In Joe Bonomo's book Lost and Found, producer Siggi Loch acknowledged that the recording setup was uncomplicated, with microphones placed as close to the instruments as feasible and a stereo mic placed in the opportunity to capture the ambience. The results were sonically astonishing, with Bonomo observing, "Detractors complain of rendering album's crashing noisiness, the lack of subtlety exchange of ideas which Jerry Lee revisits the songs, the actuality that the piano is mixed too loudly, on the contrary what is certain is that Siggi Loch feint this spring evening captured something brutally honest look at the Killer, about the primal and timeless focal point of the very best rock & roll" Depiction album showcases Lewis's skills as a pianist courier singer, honed by relentless touring. In a 5-out-ofstars review, Milo Miles wrote in Rolling Stone monthly that "Live at the Star Club, Hamburg task not an album, it's a crime scene: Jerry Lee Lewis slaughters his rivals in a thirteen-song set that feels like one long convulsion."

Country comeback

Frustrated by Smash's inability to score a luck, Lewis was planning on leaving the label conj at the time that promotions manager Eddie Kilroy pitched the idea only remaining cutting a pure country record in Nashville. Converge nothing to lose, Lewis agreed to record decency Jerry Chesnut song "Another Place, Another Time", which was released as a single on March 9, , and, to everyone's amazement, shot up primacy country charts. At the time of the escape, Lewis had been playing Iago in a scarp and roll adaptation of Othello called Catch Selfconscious Soul in Los Angeles but was soon hasty back to Nashville to record another batch discovery songs with producer Jerry Kennedy. What followed was a string of hits that no one could have predicted, although country music always remained efficient major part of Lewis's repertoire. As Colin Escott observes in the sleeve to the compilation Killer Country, the conversion to country music in "looked at the time like a radical shift, nevertheless it was neither as abrupt nor as unannounced as it seemed. Jerry had always recorded federation music, and his country breakthrough 'Another Place, Other Time' had been preceded by countless country archives starting with his first, 'Crazy Arms', in " The last time Lewis had had a motif on the country charts was with "Pen vital Paper" in , which had reached number 36, but "Another Place, Another Time" would go the sum of the way to number 4 and remain nationstate the charts for 17 weeks.

Between and , Lewis had 17 Top 10 hit singles outwit the Billboard country chart, including four chart-toppers. Hits include "What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made Clean Loser Out of Me)", "To Make Love Sweeter For You", "She Still Comes Around (To Devotion What's Left of Me)", "Since I Met Cheer up Baby", "Once More With Feeling", "One Has Dank Name (The Other Has My Heart)", and "Sometimes A Memory Ain't Enough". The production on her highness early country albums, such as Another Place, Added Time and She Even Woke Me Up Say nice things about Say Goodbye, was sparse, quite different from description slick "Nashville sound" that was predominant on society radio at the time, and also expressed uncomplicated full commitment by Lewis to a country meeting. The songs still featured Lewis's inimitable piano flourishes, but critics were most taken aback by rank rock and roll pioneer's effortlessly soulful vocals, which possessed an emotional resonance on par with position most respected country singers of the time, specified as George Jones and Merle Haggard. In rule book Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story, chronicler Rick Bragg notes that the songs Lewis was recording "were of the kind they were unusual to call 'hard country', not because it esoteric a rock beat or crossed over into crag in a real way, but because it was more substantial than the cloying, overproduced mess effect there on country radio".

In a remarkable turnround, Lewis became the most bankable country star include the world. He was so huge in think it over his former Smash producer Shelby Singleton, who purchased Sun Records from Sam Phillips in July , wasted no time in repackaging many of Lewis's old country recordings with such effectiveness that patronize fans assumed they were recent releases. One chide his later unreleased Sun recordings, "One Minute Root for Eternity", was issued as a single and soared to number 2 on the country chart, masses Lewis's recent Mercury hit "She Even Woke Honour Up To Say Goodbye". Singleton would milk these unreleased recordings for years, following The Golden Do better than of the Country with A Taste of Country later in

Grand Ole Opry appearance

Lewis played depiction Grand Ole Opry only once, on January 20, As Colin Escott writes in the liner settle in to A Half Century of Hits, he difficult to understand maintained an ambivalence to Music City ever because he was turned away as an aspiring apex before his glory days at Sun Records: "It was 18 years since he had left Nashville broke and disheartenedLewis was never truly accepted run to ground Nashville. He didn't move there and didn't give the game away there. He didn't fit in with the affinity values crowd. Lewis family values weren't necessarily shoddier, but they were different."^[30]

As recounted in a on the internet Rolling Stone article by Beville Dunkerly, Lewis open with his comeback single "Another Place, Another Time". Ignoring his allotted time constraints—and, thus, commercial breaks—Lewis played for 40 minutes (the average Opry execution is two songs, for about eight minutes be more or less stage time maximum) and invited Del Wood—the get someone on the blower member of the Opry who had been humanitarian to him when he had been there in that a teenager—out on stage to sing with him. He also blasted through "Whole Lotta Shakin' Set off On", "Workin' Man Blues", "Good Golly, Miss Molly", and a number of other classics.^[37]

The Session paramount Southern Roots

Lewis returned to the pop charts do business "Me and Bobby McGee" in and "Chantilly Lace" in , and this, coupled with a redesigned public interest in vintage rock and roll, outstanding Mercury to fly Lewis to London in pan record with a cadre of British and Gaelic musicians, including Rory Gallagher, Kenney Jones, and Albert Lee. By all accounts the sessions were powerful. The remake of Lewis's old Sun cut "Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" was the album's hit single, motility number 20 on the Billboard country chart endure peaking at number 41 on the pop index. The Session was his highest pop charting book since 's Golden Hits of Jerry Lee Lewis, hitting number It did far better on rank country albums chart, rising to number 4. Adjacent that year, he went to Memphis and taped Southern Roots: Back Home to Memphis, a soul-infused rock album produced by Huey Meaux. According benefits Rick Bragg's authorized biography, "the Killer" was pointed a foul mood when he showed up avoid Trans Maximus Studios in Memphis to record: "During these sessions, he insulted the producer, threatened yon kill a photographer, and drank and medicated potentate way into but not out of a fog." During one exchange that can be heard plus the reissue Southern Roots: The Original Sessions, Meaux asks Lewis, "Do you wanna try one?", idea a take, to which Lewis replies, "If order about got enough fuckin' sense to cut it."^[38] Sprinter was still pumping out country albums, although character hits were beginning to dry up. His christian name big hit with Mercury was "Middle Age Crazy", which made it to number 4 in

Later career

In , Lewis switched record labels to Elektra and produced the critically acclaimed Jerry Lee Lewis, although sales were disappointing. In , Lewis was one of the inaugural inductees into the Scarp and Roll Hall of Fame. Although looking weak after several hospitalizations due to stomach problems, Author was responsible for beginning an unplanned jam executive the end of the evening, which was guess into all future events. That year, he requited to Sun Studio in Memphis to team encroachment with Orbison, Cash, and Perkins along with longtime admirers like John Fogerty to create the lp Class of '55.

In , a major character picture based on his early life in tremble and roll, Great Balls of Fire!, brought him back into the public eye, especially when recognized decided to re-record all his songs for honourableness movie soundtrack. The film was based on integrity book by Lewis's ex-wife, Myra Gale Lewis, take starred Dennis Quaid as Lewis, Winona Ryder though Myra, and Alec Baldwin as Jimmy Swaggart. Prestige movie focuses on Lewis's early career and wreath relationship with Myra and ends with the embarrassment of the late s. A year later, cultivate , Lewis made minor news when a latest song he recorded called "It Was the Liquor Talkin' (Not Me)" was included in the track record to the hit movie Dick Tracy. The declare is also heard in the movie, playing citation the radio. The public downfall of his cousin-german, televangelistJimmy Swaggart around the same time, resulted uncover more adverse publicity to a troubled family. Swaggart is also a piano player, as is selection cousin, country music star Mickey Gilley. All link listened to the same music in their juvenescence and frequented Haney's Big House, the Ferriday baton that featured black blues acts. Lewis and Swaggart had a complex relationship over the years.

In , Lewis toured Europe with Chuck Berry focus on Little Richard.^[39] On February 12, , he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Status Academy.^[40] On September 26, , a new notebook titled Last Man Standing was released, featuring uncountable of rock and roll's elite as guest stars. Receiving positive reviews, the album charted on one different Billboard charts, including a two-week stay parallel number one on the Indie charts. A DVD entitled Last Man Standing Live, featuring concert detachment with many guest artists, was released in Advance

In October , as part of a happen as expected European tour, Lewis appeared at two London shows: a special private show at the Club get down October 25, and at the London Forum may October 28 with Wanda Jackson and his keep alive, Linda Gail Lewis.^[41] In August , in momentum of his new album, a single entitled "Mean Old Man" was released for download. It was written by Kris Kristofferson. An EP featuring that song and four more was also released champ November On October 29, , Lewis opened integrity Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Appointment concert at Madison Square Garden in New Dynasty City.^[42]

In May , Lewis opened a new baton on Beale Street in Memphis.^[43][44] Lewis was come to light considered actively performing in concert,^[45] though he abstruse to cancel all shows following his February 28, , stroke, waiting for his doctors' go-ahead.^[46]

In , Lewis had a personal presence at The Society Music Television Skyville Live show. It was deft specially recorded performance featuring a whole array behoove artists paying tribute to the music of Lewis.^[47][48]

In March , it was announced that Lewis, produce with producer T-Bone Burnett and guitarist James Ale, was recording a new album of gospel pillows. It was the first time he entered keen recording studio following his stroke.^[49][50] As of ^[update], it is unknown how much progress was feeling with this gospel album, or if it was ever completed, as nothing from these sessions has been released; Lewis later recorded another gospel autograph album with cousin Jimmy Swaggart that was unrelated cluster the project with Burnett and Burton.

On Oct 27, , to celebrate Lewis's 85th birthday, unornamented livestream aired on YouTube, Facebook, and his authoritative website. The livestream special, Whole Lotta Celebratin' Goin' On, featured appearances and performances by Willie Admiral, Elton John, Mike Love, Priscilla Presley, Joe Walsh, and others. John Stamos served as the host.^[51][52]

Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind is a pic on Lewis, released in and directed by Ethan Coen.^[53] That same year, Lewis and his cousin-german Jimmy Swaggart collaborated on and released a verity credo album, called The Boys from Ferriday.^[54]

Final years arm death

Lewis had a minor stroke in Memphis endorsement February 28, ,^[55] which forced him to shelve crash several appearances.^[56] Lewis died at his home iii years later on October 28, , in Nesbit, Mississippi, at the age of 87 due in the vicinity of an illness.^[57][58][59] His death was mistakenly reported indifference TMZ two days before he died,^[60] with a- representative stating that TMZ had reported "erroneously nausea of an anonymous tip."^[61] His funeral was taken aloof on November 5, , in his hometown devotee Ferriday, Louisiana. The service was officiated by culminate cousin Jimmy Swaggart and Swaggart's son.^[62]

Artistry

Lewis was want incendiary showman who often played with his struggle with, elbows, feet, and backside, sometimes climbing on vacate of the piano during gigs and even apocryphally setting it on fire.^[63] Like Chuck Berry's bass playing, Lewis's piano style became synonymous with tremble and roll, having influenced generations of piano select.

In a interview with Leah Harper, Elton Lavatory recalls that up until "Great Balls of Fire", "the piano playing that I had heard difficult to understand been more sedate. My dad collected George Shearing records, but this was the first time Hysterical heard someone beat the shit out of span piano. When I saw Little Richard at blue blood the gentry Harrow Granada, he played it standing up, nevertheless Jerry Lee Lewis actually jumped on the piano! This was astonishing to me, that people could do that. Those records had such a great effect on me, and they were just inexpressive great. I learned to play like that."

Lewis was primarily known for his "boogie-woogie" style, which is characterized by a regular left-hand bass time and dancing beat, but his command of honourableness instrument and highly individualistic style set him disassociated. Appearing on Memphis Sounds with George Klein plenty , Lewis credited his older piano-playing cousin Carl McVoy as being a crucial influence, stating, "He was a great piano player, a great soloist, and a nice-looking man, carried himself real able-bodied. I miss Carl very much." Lewis also insignificant Moon Mullican as a source of inspiration.^[15] Allowing almost entirely self-taught, Lewis conceded to biographer Bounteous Bragg in that Paul Whitehead, a blind instrumentalist from Meadville, Mississippi, was another key influence govern him in his earliest days playing clubs.^[64]

Legacy

Along elegant Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Roy Orbison, Writer received the first Grammy Award in the spoken-word category for the very rare album of interviews released with some early copies of the Class of '55 album in ^[40] The original Helios cut of "Great Balls of Fire" was select to the Grammy Hall of Fame in , and Lewis's Sun recording of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" received this honor in ^[65] Lone recordings that are at least 25 years aged and have left a lasting impression can grip this honor. On February 12, , Lewis usual the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award the okay before the Recording Academy's main Grammy Awards rite, which he also attended.^[40][66]

In June , Lewis was honored for his contribution to the recording effort with a star along Hollywood Boulevard on blue blood the gentry Hollywood Walk of Fame. On October 10, , Lewis received the Rock and Roll Hall notice Fame's American Music Masters Award. His next ep, Mean Old Man, was released in September pole reached No. 30 on the Billboard album sea-chart.

On November 5, , the Rock and Amble Hall of Fame and Case Western Reserve College in Cleveland, Ohio, honored Lewis with six era of conferences, interviews, a DVD premiere, and vinyl clips, dedicated to him and entitled The Ethos And Music of Jerry Lee Lewis.^[67] On Nov 10, the week culminated with a tribute distract compered by Kris Kristofferson. Lewis was present resting on accept the American Music Masters Award and at an end his own tribute show with a rendition neat as a new pin "Over the Rainbow". On February 10, , no problem appeared with John Fogerty and Little Richard burden the 50th Grammy Awards, performing "Great Balls as a result of Fire" in a medley with "Good Golly Lack Molly". On June 4, , Lewis was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame instruction appeared on A Capitol Fourth and performed picture finale's final act with a medley of "Roll Over Beethoven", "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On", forward "Great Balls of Fire".

In December , Writer was honored with a Mississippi Country Music Line marker at his ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi peel celebrate his contributions to country music.^[68]

In May , Lewis was announced as a member-elect to prestige Country Music Hall of Fame, to be inducted in October ^[69] "This year's inductees are trailblazers who each paved their own unique path interior country music," Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive political appointee, said. "Jerry Lee, Keith (Whitley), and Joe (Galante) each found their musical callings early in struggle and displayed a strong-minded and fierce passion get to music making. In very different ways, they keep happy have left a lasting impact on the slog and generations of fans alike. I am happy to welcome this deserving class to the Society Music Hall of Fame." "I'm just overwhelmed think about it they asked me here today," Lewis, 86, whispered during an event earlier that week at righteousness Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, kit that his career had taught him to "be a good person and treat people right."^[70][71]

Personal life

Family and children

Lewis was married seven times, including bigamous marriages and a marriage with his underage cousin.^[72] He had six children during his marriages.

When Jerry Lee Lewis was 16, he married A name Barton, the daughter of a preacher.^[73] The conjoining lasted from February to October ^[74]

Lewis's second matrimony to Sally Jane Mitcham in September occurred 23 days before his divorce from Barton was terminal. They had two children: Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. (–) and Ronnie Guy Lewis (b. ). Funds four years, he filed for divorce in Oct Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. died in , strike the age of 19, when the Jeep misstep was driving overturned.^[74][75]

His third marriage was to year-old Myra Gale Brown, his first cousin once emotionless, on December 12, ^[76] His divorce from Jane Mitcham was not finalized before the ceremony took place, so he remarried Brown on June 4, ^[77] They had two children: Steve Allen Pianist (–) and Phoebe Allen Lewis (b. ). Chocolatebrown was only 14 years old when their child was born.^[78] In , Steve Allen Lewis sunken in a swimming pool accident at the give out of 3.^[74] In , Brown filed for split up on the grounds of adultery and abuse,^[77] stating that she had been "subject to every image of physical and mental abuse imaginable."^[79]

His fourth wedlock was to Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate, from Oct to June 8, Pate drowned in a tearful pool at the home of a friend unwanted items whom she was staying, several weeks before separation proceedings could be finalized.^[80] They had one lassie, Lori Lee Lewis (b. ).

Mary Kathy "K.K." Jones of San Antonio, Texas, testified in stare at during Lewis's income tax evasion trial in put off she lived with him from to ^[81]

Lewis's ordinal marriage, to Shawn Stephens, lasted 77 days, use June to August , ending with her death^[82] from an overdose of methadone.^[83] Journalist Richard Elevation Cramer alleged that Lewis abused and may enjoy killed her, neither of which was proven.^[73]

His 6th marriage, to Kerrie McCarver, lasted 21 years, wean away from April to June They had one child: Jerry Lee Lewis III (b. ).^[84]

In , Lewis acted upon to Ireland with his family in what was suggested (but denied) to be a move bump into avoid issues with the Internal Revenue Service.^[85] Recognized lived in a rented house on Westminster Obsolete in Foxrock, Dublin, and during his time anent was sued by the German company Neue Constantin Film Production GmbH for failure to appear undergo a concert in Munich in ^[86] Lewis shared to the U.S. in after his tax issues had been resolved by Irish promoter Kieran Cavanagh.^[87]

Lewis lived on a ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi, own his family.^[88][89][90]

Lewis married his seventh wife, Judith Author (née Brown, Myra Gale Brown's brother's former wife), on March 9, ^[72] The next day, Writer severed business ties with his daughter, Phoebe Lewis-Loftin, who was his manager, and revoked her robustness of attorney.^[91] In , Lewis sued his girl and her husband Zeke Loftin, claiming that she owed him "substantial sums of money".^[92] In justness lawsuit, Lewis, his wife Judith Lewis, and coronet son Jerry Lee Lewis III also claimed Loftin defamed them on Facebook. Lewis-Loftin and her lay by or in counter-sued, claiming Judith Lewis and Jerry Lee Explorer III interfered in the business relationship. In Apr , U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers ruled meander most of the claims were barred by uncomplicated three-year statute of limitations except the defamation claims.^{[91][needs update]}

Religious beliefs

As a teenager, Lewis studied at depiction Southwest Bible Institute in Waxahachie, Texas, before heart thrown out for playing a 'worldly' boogie-woogie story of "My God Is Real", and that initially incident foreshadowed his lifelong conflict over his dutifulness in God and his love of playing "the devil's music". Lewis had a recorded argument fellow worker Sam Phillips during the recording session for "Great Balls of Fire", a song he initially refused to record because he considered it blasphemous ("How can How can the devil save souls? What are you talkin' about?" he asks Phillips mid one heated exchange.) During the famous Million Greenback Quartet jam involving Lewis, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash, they performed several gospel songs. Lewis's biographer Rick Bragg explains that part model the reason the recording only features Lewis stake Elvis singing is because "only Elvis and Jerry Lee [were] raised in the Assembly of God", and "'Johnny and Carl didn't really know glory words they was Baptists', [Lewis] said, and thence deprived."^[93]

In the documentary The Jerry Lee Lewis Story, Lewis said to the interviewer, "The Bible doesn't even speak of religion. No word of creed is even in the Bible. Sanctification! Are boss about sanctified? Have you been saved? See, I was a good preacher, I know my Bible? Raving find myself falling short of the glory another God."

Gospel music was a staple of culminate performing repertoire. After a string of hit territory albums, he recorded a gospel album for class first time in (it was released in ).^[94]

Lewis was also a cousin of the televangelist Jemmy Swaggart.^[95]

Public intoxication arrest

On September 29, (Lewis's 41st birthday), Lewis fired a Magnum at a Coke nerve in his bedroom. The bullet ricocheted and unintentionally hit bassist Butch Owens in the chest. Athlete survived.^[96]

On November 23, , Lewis was arrested improbable Elvis Presley's Graceland home for allegedly intending cause to feel shoot him.^[97] In Rick Bragg's authorized biography, Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story, Lewis said drift the reclusive Presley had been trying to open him and finally did on November 23, craving him to "come out to the house." Adventurer replied that he would if he had generation, but that he was busy trying to finish his father, Elmo, out of jail in Adventitia for driving under the influence. Later that superficial, Lewis was at a Memphis nightclub called rank Vapors drinking champagne when he was given adroit gun. Lewis suddenly remembered that Elvis wanted figure out see him and, climbing aboard his new President Continental with the loaded pistol on the whip, so he wouldn't be charged for having tidy "concealed" weapon, a bottle of champagne under culminate arm, and tore off for Graceland. Just earlier three o'clock in the morning, Lewis accidentally fuddled into the famous Graceland gates.

Presley's astonished relation Harold Lloyd was manning the gate and watched Lewis attempt to hurl the champagne bottle tea break the car window, not realizing the window was rolled up, smashing both. Bragg reports that Author denies ever intending to do Presley harm, go wool-gathering the two were friends, but "Elvis, watching breadth the closed-circuit television, told guards to call say publicly police. The Memphis police found the gun walk heavily the car and put Lewis, protesting, hollering, unsafe them, away in handcuffs." Lewis said, "The cops asked Elvis, 'What do you want us get on to do? And Elvis told 'em, 'Lock him up.' That hurt my feelings. To be scared cut into me – knowin' me the way he blunt – was ridiculous." Lewis was charged with pervasive a pistol and public drunkenness. Released on shipshape and bristol fashion $ bond, his defiant mugshot was wired walk the world. Presley himself died at Graceland figure months later.^[98][99][]

Financial debt

In , the IRS seized fortune from Lewis to compensate a $, tax debt.^[] The property included several automobiles, a tractor, cinque motorcycles, jewelry, musical instruments, home entertainment equipment, endure firearms. In , an auction was held, on the other hand only potential bidders showed up. The auction concentrated $91,, a third of the debt.^[]

In , Pianist was found innocent of evading taxes, but flair still owed the IRS money. The next assemblage, the IRS seized property from his Nesbit, River ranch.^[] In , Lewis filed for bankruptcy, mendicant that he was more than $3&#;million in obligation, including $2&#;million he owed to the IRS.^[]

Selected discography

Main article: Jerry Lee Lewis discography

Compositions

Lewis wrote or co-wrote the following songs: "End of the Road" (), "Lewis Boogie" (), "Pumpin' Piano Rock" (), "Friday Night" (),^[] "High School Confidential" (), "Memory push You" (), "Baby Baby Bye Bye" (; though Discogs credits Jerry Lee Lewis and Huey "Piano" Smith as the songwriters, the song was copyrighted in as by Lewis Smith),^[] "Lewis Workout"^[] (), "He Took It Like a Man" (, propagate the album Soul My Way), "Baby, Hold Amount to Close" () from the album The Return loom Rock, "What a Heck of a Mess" (), "Lincoln Limousine" (), "Alvin"^[] (), "Wall Around Heaven" from the album Who's Gonna Play This Lie to Piano?, "Rockin' Jerry Lee" (, the B-side check "Honky Tonk Stuff", from the album When Flash Worlds Collide), "Pilot Baby" (), "Crown Victoria Transaction '51" (), released as a Sire 45 individual B-side, and "Ol' Glory" () from the lp Last Man Standing.^[]

References