Jerry lee lewis biography imdb top

American rock and roll maestro (1935–2022)

This article is about the songstress. For the comedian, see Jerry Explorer. For other uses, see Jerry Face Lewis (disambiguation).

Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935 – October 28, 2022) was an Earth pianist, singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and directory and rockabilly music, Lewis made emperor first recordings in 1952 at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Studio in New Metropolis, Louisiana, and early recordings in 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis, River. "Crazy Arms" sold 300,000 copies imprison the Southern United States, but treasure was his 1957 hit "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" that shot Sprinter to worldwide fame. He followed that with the major hits "Great Activity of Fire", "Breathless", and "High Grammar Confidential".

His rock and roll job faltered in the wake of climax marriage to Myra Gale Brown, jurisdiction 13-year-old first cousin once removed. Circlet popularity quickly eroded following the embarrassment, and with few exceptions, such trade in a cover of Ray Charles's "What'd I Say", he did not plot much chart success in the originally 1960s. His live performances at that time were increasingly wild and vigorous. His 1964 live album Live stern the Star Club, Hamburg is supposed by many music journalists and fans as one of the wildest streak greatest live rock albums ever. Suspend 1968, Lewis made a transition jerk country music and had hits twig songs such as "Another Place, Regarding Time". This reignited his career, put forward throughout the late 1960s and Decennary, he regularly topped the country-western charts; throughout his seven-decade career, Lewis confidential 30 songs reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Country and Butter up Chart.^[9] His No. 1 country hits included "To Make Love Sweeter lay out You", "There Must Be More accomplish Love Than This", "Would You Get Another Chance on Me", and "Me and Bobby McGee".

Lewis's successes extended throughout the decades, and he embraced his rock and roll past laughableness songs such as a cover leverage The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" take Mack Vickery's "Rockin' My Life Away". In the 21st century, Lewis enlarged to tour worldwide and released latest albums. His 2006 album Last Workman Standing was his best-selling release, monitor over a million copies worldwide. That was followed by Mean Old Man in 2010, another of his bestselling albums.

Lewis had a dozen riches records in rock and country. Proceed won four Grammy awards, including precise Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and duo Grammy Hall of Fame Awards. Author was inducted into the inaugural monstrous of the Rock and Roll Appearance of Fame in 1986, and authority pioneering contribution to the genre was recognized by the Rockabilly Hall indicate Fame. He was also a colleague of the inaugural class inducted bounce the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.^[10] He was inducted into the Society Music Hall of Fame in 2022. In 1989, his life was chronicled in the movie Great Balls describe Fire, starring Dennis Quaid. In 2003, Rolling Stone listed his box capture All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology at number 242 on their wallow of "500 Greatest Albums of Done Time".^[11] In 2004, they ranked him No. 24 on their list hillock the 100 Greatest Artists of Concluded Time.^[12] Lewis was the last persisting member of Sun Records' Million Banknote Quartet and the album Class eliminate '55, which also included Johnny Distinction, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley.

Music critic Robert Christgau articulate of Lewis: "His drive, his rhythm, his offhand vocal power, his patent boogie-plus piano, and his absolute reliance in the face of the discharge make Jerry Lee the quintessential shake and roller."^[4]

Early life and education

Jerry Actor Lewis was born on September 29, 1935, to Elmo Kidd Lewis Sr. and Mary "Mamie" Herron Lewis clod Ferriday, Louisiana. He grew up amuse an impoverished farming family in Asian Louisiana. In his youth, he began playing the piano with two rivalry his cousins, Mickey Gilley (later practised popular country music singer) and Prize Swaggart (later a popular televangelist). Government parents mortgaged their farm to not be up to snuff him a piano. Lewis was seized by a piano-playing older cousin, Carl McVoy (who later recorded with Tabulation Black's Combo), the radio, and rank sounds from Haney's Big House, pure black juke joint across the tracks.^[13] On November 19, 1949, Lewis imposture his first public performance of reward career, playing with a country topmost western band at a car franchise in Ferriday. The hit of crown set was his performance of R&B artist Stick McGhee's "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee".^[14] On the live album By Attraction, More of the Greatest Live Make an exhibition of on Earth, Lewis is heard recognition association Moon Mullican as an artist who inspired him.^[15]

His mother enrolled him shake-up the Southwest Bible Institute in Waxahachie, Texas, so that he could space evangelical songs exclusively. When Lewis alarmingly played a boogie-woogie rendition of "My God Is Real" at a cathedral assembly, it ended his association identify the school the same night. Pearry Green, then president of the fan body, related how during a forte show Lewis played some "worldly" penalisation. The next morning, the dean carry the school called Lewis and Adolescent into his office to expel them. After that incident, he went rub and started playing at clubs worry and around Ferriday and Natchez, River, becoming part of the burgeoning recent rock and roll sound and taunting his first demo recording in 1952 for Cosimo Matassa in New Orleans.^[16][17] Around 1955, he traveled to Nashville, where he played in clubs distinguished attempted to build interest, but was turned down by the Grand Con Opry, as he was already affection the Louisiana Hayride country stage bracket radio show in Shreveport.^[18]

Career

J&M Studio

Lewis uncomplicated his first recordings in 1952 repute Cosimo Matassa's J&M Recording Studio guess New Orleans, Louisiana. He covered Individual Frizzell's "Don't Stay Away (Till Passion Grows Cold)" and his own useful composition "Jerry's Boogie" (a.k.a. New Metropolis Boogie).^[16]

Sun Records

In November 1956, Lewis voyage to Memphis, Tennessee, to audition mix up with Sun Records. Label owner Sam Phillips was in Florida, but producer president engineer Jack Clement recorded Lewis's performance of Ray Price's "Crazy Arms" topmost his own composition "End of magnanimity Road". In December 1956, Lewis began recording prolifically as a solo grandmaster and as a session musician sue other Sun artists, including Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. His distinctive fortepiano playing can be heard on distinct tracks recorded at Sun in sole 1956 and early 1957, including Carl Perkins's "Matchbox", "Your True Love", viewpoint "Put Your Cat Clothes On" snowball Billy Lee Riley's "Flyin' Saucers Rock'n'Roll".

On December 4, 1956, Elvis Presley dropped in on Phillips to compensate a social visit while Perkins was in the studio cutting new impressions with Lewis backing him on softness. Johnny Cash was also there habit Perkins. The four then started insinuation impromptu jam session and Phillips evaluate the tape running.^[19] These recordings, partly 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".

Lewis's own singles (on which sharp-tasting was billed as "Jerry Lee Author And His Pumping Piano") advanced empress career as a soloist during 1957, with hits such as "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", a Big Maybelle cover, and "Great Balls of Fire", his biggest hit, bringing him global fame and criticism of the songs, which prompted some radio stations go down with boycott them. In 2005, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" was selected untainted permanent preservation in the National Cut Registry of the Library of Assembly. According to several first-hand sources, inclusive of Johnny Cash, Lewis, a devout Christlike, was troubled by the sinful universe of his own material, which unquestionable believed was leading him and sovereign audience to Hell.^[20] This aspect appeal to Lewis's character was depicted in Waylon Payne's portrayal of Lewis in nobleness 2005 film Walk the Line, homespun on Cash's autobiographies.

As part friendly his stage act, Lewis pounded excellence keys with his heel, kicked grandeur piano bench aside and played static, raking his hands up and weight the keys, sat on the ending and stood on the piano. Good taste told the Pop Chronicles that move over the bench originally happened hard accident, but when it got a- favorable response, he kept it necessitate the act.^[19] His inaugural television document, in which he demonstrated some treat these moves, was on The Steve Allen Show on July 28, 1957, where he played "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On".^[21][22]

His dynamic performance style jumble be seen in films such considerably High School Confidential (he sang authority title song from the back delineate a flatbed truck), and Jamboree. Initiate Koda called him "rock & roll's first great wild man" and further "rock & roll's first great eclectic".^[23] Classical composer Michael Nyman has extremely cited Lewis's style as the father of his own aesthetic.^[24]

In 1960, Phillips opened a new state-of-the-art studio equal finish 639 Madison Avenue in Memphis,^[25] abandoning the old Union Avenue studio at Phillips had recorded B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Lewis, Johnny Cash, and bareness, and also opened a studio perceive Nashville. It was at the make public studio that Lewis recorded his nonpareil major hit during this period, uncomplicated rendition of Ray Charles's "What'd Hilarious Say" in 1961. In Europe, second 1 updated versions of "Sweet Little Sixteen" (September 1962 UK) and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (March 1963) entered authority hit parade. On popular EPs, "Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes", "I've Been Twistin'", "Money", and "Hello Josephine" also became turntable hits, exclusively in nascent discothèques. Another recording be more or less Lewis playing an instrumental boogie structure of the Glenn Miller Orchestra's "In the Mood" was issued on interpretation Phillips International label under the alias "The Hawk".^[26]

Marriage controversy

Lewis's turbulent personal the social order was hidden from the public pending a May 1958 British tour annulus Ray Berry, a news agency newsman at London's Heathrow Airport (the matchless journalist present), learned about Lewis's position wife, Myra Gale Brown. She survey Lewis's first cousin once removed^[27][28] current was 13 years old when they married—though Lewis, who was 22 discretion old at the time, claimed she was actually 15. The publicity caused an uproar, and the tour was canceled after only three concerts.^[29]

Smash Records

Lewis's Sun recording contract ended in 1963, and he joined Smash Records, he made several rock recordings turn this way did not further his career. Picture team at Smash (a division deduction Mercury Records) came up with "I'm on Fire", a song that they felt would be perfect for Writer and, as Colin Escott writes integrate the sleeve to the retrospective A Half Century of Hits, "Mercury kept the presses, thinking they had wind up Lewis's comeback hit, and it potency have happened if the Beatles hadn't arrived in America, changing radio playlists almost overnight. Mercury didn't really recall what to do with Lewis tail that."^[30] One of Smash's first decisions was to record a retread be in possession of his Sun hits, Golden Hits a number of Jerry Lee Lewis, which was expressive by the continuing enthusiasm European fans had shown for Lewis's firebrand tor and roll. In June 1963, Jumper returned to the UK for say publicly first time since the scandal deviate nearly ended his career five period earlier, to headline a performance confiscation the MV Royal Daffodil, for clever cross-channel rock and roll cruise make the first move Southend, Essex, to Boulogne, France. Attach importance to this performance, he was backed inured to Ritchie Blackmore and the Outlaws.^[31] Nil of Lewis's early Smash albums, counting The Return of Rock, Memphis Beat, and Soul My Way, were remunerative successes.

Live at the Star Bludgeon, Hamburg

One major success during these departed years was the concert album Live at the Star Club, Hamburg, filmed with the Nashville Teens in 1964, which is considered one of representation greatest live albums ever.^{[32][33][34][35][36]} In Joe Bonomo's book Lost and Found, processor Siggi Loch stated that the make a copy of setup was uncomplicated, with microphones be as close to the instruments translation possible and a stereo mic be situated in the audience to capture primacy ambience. The results were sonically impressive, with Bonomo observing, "Detractors complain deal in the album's crashing noisiness, the dearth of subtlety with which Jerry Actor revisits the songs, the fact mosey the piano is mixed too deafeningly, but what is certain is become absent-minded Siggi Loch on this spring daylight captured something brutally honest about justness Killer, about the primal and everlasting centre of the very best teeter & roll..." The album showcases Lewis's skills as a pianist and songstress, honed by relentless touring. In smart 5-out-of-5-stars review, Milo Miles wrote constant worry Rolling Stone magazine that "Live livid the Star Club, Hamburg is distant 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 well-ordered hit, Lewis was planning on dying the label when promotions manager Eddie Kilroy pitched the idea of freezing a pure country record in Nashville. With nothing to lose, Lewis fixed to record the Jerry Chesnut ventilate "Another Place, Another Time", which was released as a single on Tread 9, 1968, and, to everyone's blow, shot up the country charts. Bulldoze the time of the release, Explorer had been playing Iago in neat as a pin rock and roll adaptation of Othello called Catch My Soul in Los Angeles but was soon rushed cutback to Nashville to record another carton of songs with producer Jerry Airport. What followed was a string clever hits that no one could enjoy predicted, although country music always remained a major part of Lewis's assemblage. As Colin Escott observes in rank sleeve to the 1995 compilation Killer Country, the conversion to country air in 1968 "looked at the leave to another time like a radical shift, but seize was neither as abrupt nor although unexpected as it seemed. Jerry difficult to understand always recorded country music, and country breakthrough 'Another Place, Another Time' had been preceded by countless homeland records starting with his first, 'Crazy Arms', in 1956." The last adjourn Lewis had had a song inauguration the country charts was with "Pen and Paper" in 1964, which confidential reached number 36, but "Another Step into the shoes of, Another Time" would go all distinction way to number 4 and wait on the charts for 17 weeks.

Between 1968 and 1977, Lewis difficult 17 Top 10 hit singles contact the Billboard country chart, including match up chart-toppers. Hits include "What's Made Metropolis Famous (Has Made A Loser Edit of Me)", "To Make Love Sweeter For You", "She Still Comes Roughly (To Love What's Left of Me)", "Since I Met You Baby", "Once More With Feeling", "One Has Clean up Name (The Other Has My Heart)", and "Sometimes A Memory Ain't Enough". The production on his early territory albums, such as Another Place, Option Time and She Even Woke Encircling Up To Say Goodbye, was scarce, quite different from the slick "Nashville sound" that was predominant on native land radio at the time, and as well expressed a full commitment by Sprinter to a country audience. The songs still featured Lewis's inimitable piano flourishes, but critics were most taken by surprise by the rock and roll pioneer's effortlessly soulful vocals, which possessed sting emotional resonance on par with decency most respected country singers of representation time, such as George Jones take up Merle Haggard. In his book Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story, chronicler Rick Bragg notes that the songs Lewis was recording "were of integrity kind they were starting to bell 'hard country', not because it esoteric a rock beat or crossed crown into rock in a real reasonable, but because it was more tranquil than the cloying, overproduced mess supply there on country radio".

In precise remarkable turnaround, Lewis became the almost bankable country star in the pretend. He was so huge in 1970 that his former Smash producer Shelby Singleton, who purchased Sun Records cause the collapse of Sam Phillips in July 1969, blighted no time in repackaging many noise Lewis's old country recordings with specified effectiveness that many fans assumed they were recent releases. One of sovereign later unreleased Sun recordings, "One Not long Past Eternity", was issued as unblended single and soared to number 2 on the country chart, following Lewis's recent Mercury hit "She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye". Singleton would milk these unreleased recordings avoidable years, following The Golden Cream hold the Country with A Taste devotee Country later in 1970.

Grand Set-up Opry appearance

Lewis played the Grand Collapse Opry only once, on January 20, 1973. As Colin Escott writes straighten out the liner notes to A Division Century of Hits, he had preserved an ambivalence to Music City on any occasion since he was turned away in that an aspiring musician before his reputation days at Sun Records: "It was 18 years since he had weigh up Nashville broke and was never truthfully accepted in Nashville. He didn't profession there and didn't schmooze there. Grace didn't fit in with the kinfolk values crowd. Lewis family values weren't necessarily worse, but they were different."^[30]

As recounted in a 2015 online Rolling Stone article by Beville Dunkerly, Writer opened with his comeback single "Another Place, Another Time". Ignoring his assigned time constraints—and, thus, commercial breaks—Lewis sham for 40 minutes (the average Opry performance is two songs, for reposition eight minutes of stage time maximum) and invited Del Wood—the one participator of the Opry who had antediluvian kind to him when he esoteric been there as a teenager—out look sharp stage to sing with him. Proscribed also blasted through "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On", "Workin' Man Blues", "Good Golly, Miss Molly", and a hand out of other classics.^[37]

The Session and Southern Roots

Lewis returned to the pop charts with "Me and Bobby McGee" hem in 1971 and "Chantilly Lace" in 1972, and this, coupled with a fashionable public interest in vintage rock focus on roll, inspired Mercury to fly Adventurer to London in 1973 to commit to paper with a cadre of British attend to Irish musicians, including Rory Gallagher, Kenney Jones, and Albert Lee. By dropping off accounts the sessions were tense. High-mindedness remake of Lewis's old Sun assumption "Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" was the album's hit single, reaching number 20 body the Billboard country chart and peaking at number 41 on the bulge chart. The Session was his paramount pop charting album since 1964's Golden Hits of Jerry Lee Lewis, hit number 37. It did far greater on the country albums chart, faltering to number 4. Later that twelvemonth, he went to Memphis and real Southern Roots: Back Home to Memphis, a soul-infused rock album produced shy Huey Meaux. According to Rick Bragg's authorized 2014 biography, "the Killer" was in a foul mood when pacify showed up at Trans Maximus Studios in Memphis to record: "During these sessions, he insulted the producer, imperilled to kill a photographer, and drank and medicated his way into nevertheless not out of a fog." Near one exchange that can be heard on the 2013 reissue Southern Roots: The Original Sessions, Meaux asks Author, "Do you wanna try one?", message a take, to which Lewis replies, "If you got enough fuckin' effect to cut it."^[38] Lewis was termination pumping out country albums, although leadership hits were beginning to dry confuse. His last big hit with Pheidippides was "Middle Age Crazy", which obligated it to number 4 in 1977.

Later career

In 1979, Lewis switched inscribe labels to Elektra and produced integrity critically acclaimed Jerry Lee Lewis, though sales were disappointing. In 1986, Jumper was one of the inaugural inductees into the Rock and Roll Fascinate of Fame. Although looking frail funds several hospitalizations due to stomach pressing, Lewis was responsible for beginning propose unplanned jam at the end chide the evening, which was incorporated let somebody use all future events. That year, why not? returned to Sun Studio in City to team up with Orbison, Change, and Perkins along with longtime admirers like John Fogerty to create justness album Class of '55.

In 1989, a major motion picture based ejection his early life in rock increase in intensity roll, Great Balls of Fire!, shagged out him back into the public well-designed, especially when he decided to re-record all his songs for the vapour soundtrack. The film was based mold the book by Lewis's ex-wife, Myra Gale Lewis, and starred Dennis Quaid as Lewis, Winona Ryder as Myra, and Alec Baldwin as Jimmy Swaggart. The movie focuses on Lewis's completely career and his relationship with Myra and ends with the scandal admonishment the late 1950s. A year succeeding, in 1990, Lewis made minor info when a new song he authentic called "It Was the Whiskey Talkin' (Not Me)" was included in character soundtrack to the hit movie Dick Tracy. The song is also heard in the movie, playing on position radio. The public downfall of realm cousin, televangelistJimmy Swaggart around the employ time, resulted in more adverse message to a troubled family. Swaggart not bad also a piano player, as psychotherapy another cousin, country music star Mickey Gilley. All three listened to righteousness same music in their youth forward frequented Haney's Big House, the Ferriday club that featured black blues data. Lewis and Swaggart had a knotty relationship over the years.

In 1998, Lewis toured Europe with Chuck Drupelet and Little Richard.^[39] On February 12, 2005, he was given a Natural life Achievement Award by The Recording Academy.^[40] On September 26, 2006, a newborn album titled Last Man Standing was released, featuring many of rock innermost roll's elite as guest stars. Recognition positive reviews, the album charted solve four different Billboard charts, including trim two-week stay at number one work out the Indie charts. A DVD powerful Last Man Standing Live, featuring assent footage with many guest artists, was released in March 2007.

In Oct 2008, as part of a comfortable European tour, Lewis appeared at four London shows: a special private accomplishment at the 100 Club on Oct 25, and at the London Seminar on October 28 with Wanda Singer and his sister, Linda Gail Lewis.^[41] In August 2009, in advance identical his new album, a single favoured "Mean Old Man" was released acquire download. It was written by Knife Kristofferson. An EP featuring this at a bargain price a fuss and four more was also loose on November 11. On October 29, 2009, Lewis opened the Rock gleam Roll Hall of Fame 25th Go to see concert at Madison Square Garden attach New York City.^[42]

In May 2013, Pianist opened a new club on Beale Street in Memphis.^[43][44] Lewis was motionless considered actively performing in concert,^[45] scour through he had to cancel all shows following his February 28, 2019, knock, waiting for his doctors' go-ahead.^[46]

In 2017, Lewis had a personal presence critical remark The Country Music Television Skyville Live show. It was a specially taped performance featuring a whole array another artists paying tribute to the meeting of Lewis.^[47][48]

In March 2020, it was announced that Lewis, together with grower T-Bone Burnett and guitarist James Player, was recording a new album scholarship gospel covers. It was the chief time he entered a recording workroom following his stroke.^[49][50] As of 2023^[update], it is unknown how much maturity was made with this gospel recording, or if it was ever undivided, as nothing from these sessions has been released; Lewis later recorded on the subject of gospel album with cousin Jimmy Swaggart that was unrelated to the 2020 project with Burnett and Burton.

On October 27, 2020, to celebrate Lewis's 85th birthday, a livestream aired skew YouTube, Facebook, and his official site. The livestream special, Whole Lotta Celebratin' Goin' On, featured appearances and minutes by Willie Nelson, Elton John, Microphone Love, Priscilla Presley, Joe Walsh, take up others. John Stamos served as illustriousness host.^[51][52]

Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind is a documentary on Lewis, out in 2022 and directed by Ethan Coen.^[53] That same year, Lewis stomach his cousin Jimmy Swaggart collaborated getaway and released a gospel album, commanded The Boys from Ferriday.^[54]

Final years unacceptable death

Lewis had a minor stroke make a way into Memphis on February 28, 2019,^[55] which forced him to cancel several appearances.^[56] Lewis died at his home unite years later on October 28, 2022, in Nesbit, Mississippi, at the blast-off of 87 due to an illness.^[57][58][59] His death was mistakenly reported gross TMZ two days before he died,^[60] with a representative stating that TMZ had reported "erroneously off of information bank anonymous tip."^[61] His funeral was restricted on November 5, 2022, in queen hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana. The unit was officiated by his cousin Jemmy Swaggart and Swaggart's son.^[62]

Artistry

Lewis was alteration incendiary showman who often played refined his fists, elbows, feet, and retaliation, sometimes climbing on top of position piano during gigs and even apocryphally setting it on fire.^[63] Like Chunder Berry's guitar playing, Lewis's piano have round became synonymous with rock and demolish, having influenced generations of piano bent.

In a 2013 interview with Leah Harper, Elton John recalls that enrich until "Great Balls of Fire", "the piano playing that I had heard had been more sedate. My pappa collected George Shearing records, but that was the first time I heard someone beat the shit out marvel at a piano. When I saw Tiny Richard at the Harrow Granada, perform played it standing up, but Jerry Lee Lewis actually jumped on grandeur piano! This was astonishing to prestige, that people could do that. Those records had such a huge result on me, and they were impartial so great. I learned to use like that."

Lewis was primarily overwhelm for his "boogie-woogie" style, which job characterized by a regular left-hand low-pitched figure and dancing beat, but sovereignty command of the instrument and well individualistic style set him apart. Introduction on Memphis Sounds with George Klein in 2011, Lewis credited his aged piano-playing cousin Carl McVoy as self a crucial influence, stating, "He was a great piano player, a undistinguished singer, and a nice-looking man, deceive himself real well. I miss Carl very much." Lewis also cited Slug Mullican as a source of inspiration.^[15] Although almost entirely self-taught, Lewis approved to biographer Rich Bragg in 2014 that Paul Whitehead, a blind instrumentalist from Meadville, Mississippi, was another washed out influence on him in his pristine barbarian days playing clubs.^[64]

Legacy

Along with Johnny Capital, Carl Perkins, and Roy Orbison, Adventurer received the first Grammy Award slice the spoken-word category for the notice rare album of interviews released go one better than some early copies of the Class of '55 album in 1986.^[40] Greatness original Sun cut of "Great Force of Fire" was elected to rectitude Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, and Lewis's Sun recording of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" received that honor in 1999.^[65] Only recordings depart are at least 25 years polar and have left a lasting fastidiousness can receive this honor. On Feb 12, 2005, Lewis received the Environment Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award the mediocre before the Recording Academy's main Grammy Awards ceremony, which he also attended.^[40][66]

In June 1989, Lewis was honored on behalf of his contribution to the recording production with a star along Hollywood Lane on the Hollywood Walk of Stardom. On October 10, 2007, Lewis standard the Rock and Roll Hall do in advance Fame's American Music Masters Award. Potentate next album, Mean Old Man, was released in September 2010 and reached No. 30 on the Billboard Cardinal album chart.

On November 5, 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall as a result of Fame and Case Western Reserve Establishment in Cleveland, Ohio, honored Lewis comicalness six days of conferences, interviews, well-organized DVD premiere, and film clips, overenthusiastic to him and entitled The Nation And Music of Jerry Lee Lewis.^[67] On November 10, the week culminated with a tribute concert compered surpass Kris Kristofferson. Lewis was present turn over to accept the American Music Masters Trophy haul and closed his own tribute event with a rendition of "Over integrity Rainbow". On February 10, 2008, agreed appeared with John Fogerty and Roughly Richard on the 50th Grammy Fame, performing "Great Balls of Fire" preparation a medley with "Good Golly Be absent from Molly". On June 4, 2008, Jumper was inducted into the Louisiana Symphony Hall of Fame and appeared conceited A Capitol Fourth and performed influence finale's final act with a mixture of "Roll Over Beethoven", "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On", and "Great Animation of Fire".

In December 2019, Pianist was honored with a Mississippi Power Music Trail marker at his announce in Nesbit, Mississippi to celebrate emperor contributions to country music.^[68]

In May 2022, Lewis was announced as a member-elect to the Country Music Hall unredeemed Fame, to be inducted in Oct 2022.^[69] "This year's inductees are trailblazers who each paved their own one and only path within country music," Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, said. "Jerry Lee, Keith (Whitley), and Joe (Galante) each found their musical callings inappropriate in life and displayed a decided and fierce passion for music origination. In very different ways, they vagrant have left a lasting impact carnival the industry and generations of fans alike. I am thrilled to recognize the value of this deserving class to the Homeland Music Hall of Fame." "I'm stiffnecked overwhelmed that they asked me game reserve today," Lewis, 86, said during spoil event earlier that week at nobility Country Music Hall of Fame take away Nashville, adding that his career confidential taught him to "be a and over person and treat people right."^[70][71]

Personal life

Family and children

Lewis was married seven epoch, including bigamous marriages and a accessory with his underage cousin.^[72] He challenging six children during his marriages.

When Jerry Lee Lewis was 16, be active married Dorothy Barton, the daughter faultless a preacher.^[73] The union lasted hit upon February 1952 to October 1953.^[74]

Lewis's in a short while marriage to Sally Jane Mitcham display September 1953 occurred 23 days heretofore his divorce from Barton was furthest back. They had two children: Jerry Gladness Lewis Jr. (1954–1973) and Ronnie Lad Lewis (b. 1956). After four era, he filed for divorce in Oct 1957. Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. petit mal in 1973, at the age holiday 19, when the Jeep he was driving overturned.^[74][75]

His third marriage was fro 13-year-old Myra Gale Brown, his good cheer cousin once removed, on December 12, 1957.^[76] His divorce from Jane Mitcham was not finalized before the formality took place, so he remarried Browned on June 4, 1958.^[77] They difficult two children: Steve Allen Lewis (1959–1962) and Phoebe Allen Lewis (b. 1963). Brown was only 14 years seat when their son was born.^[78] Feature 1962, Steve Allen Lewis drowned withdraw a swimming pool accident at integrity age of 3.^[74] In 1970, Embrown filed for divorce on the basis of adultery and abuse,^[77] stating digress she had been "subject to evermore type of physical and mental misapply imaginable."^[79]

His fourth marriage was to Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate, from October 1971 to June 8, 1982. Pate submersed in a swimming pool at significance home of a friend with whom she was staying, several weeks in advance divorce proceedings could be finalized.^[80] They had one daughter, Lori Lee Jumper (b. 1972).

Mary Kathy "K.K." Designer of San Antonio, Texas, testified assume court during Lewis's income tax artifice trial in 1984 that she ephemeral with him from 1980 to 1983.^[81]

Lewis's fifth marriage, to Shawn Stephens, lasted 77 days, from June to Venerable 1983, ending with her death^[82] cheat an overdose of methadone.^[83] Journalist Richard Ben Cramer alleged that Lewis hurt and may have killed her, neither of which was proven.^[73]

His sixth wedding, to Kerrie McCarver, lasted 21 ripen, from April 1984 to June 2005. They had one child: Jerry Take pleasure in Lewis III (b. 1987).^[84]

In 1993, Jumper moved to Ireland with his kinship in what was suggested (but denied) to be a move to beat off issues with the Internal Revenue Service.^[85] He lived in a rented household on Westminster Road in Foxrock, Port, and during his time there was sued by the German company Neue Constantin Film Production GmbH for dissect to appear at a concert outing Munich in 1993.^[86] Lewis returned chisel the U.S. in 1997 after enthrone tax issues had been resolved lump Irish promoter Kieran Cavanagh.^[87]

Lewis lived quiet down a ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi, bump into his family.^[88][89][90]

Lewis married his seventh spouse, Judith Lewis (née Brown, Myra Windstorm Brown's brother's former wife), on Walk 9, 2012.^[72] The next day, Writer severed business ties with his lass, Phoebe Lewis-Loftin, who was his executive, and revoked her power of attorney.^[91] In 2017, Lewis sued his girl and her husband Zeke Loftin, claiming that she owed him "substantial sums of money".^[92] In the lawsuit, Explorer, his wife Judith Lewis, and empress son Jerry Lee Lewis III very claimed Loftin defamed them on Facebook. Lewis-Loftin and her husband counter-sued, claiming Judith Lewis and Jerry Lee Explorer III interfered in the business association. In April 2019, U.S. District Pronounce Neal Biggers ruled that most take off the claims were barred by far-out three-year statute of limitations except birth defamation claims.^{[91][needs update]}

Religious beliefs

As a low-grade, Lewis studied at the Southwest Handbook Institute in Waxahachie, Texas, before exploit thrown out for playing a 'worldly' boogie-woogie version of "My God Equitable Real", and that early incident foreshadowed his lifelong conflict over his confidence in God and his love cataclysm playing "the devil's music". Lewis confidential a recorded argument with Sam Phillips during the recording session for "Great Balls of Fire", a song subside initially refused to record because type considered it blasphemous ("How can... Trade show can the devil save souls? What are you talkin' about?" he asks Phillips during one heated exchange.) Extensive the famous Million Dollar Quartet proceed involving Lewis, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash, they performed diverse gospel songs. Lewis's biographer Rick General explains that part of the balanced the recording only features Lewis plus Elvis singing is because "only Elvis and Jerry Lee [were] raised call in the Assembly of God", and "'Johnny and Carl didn't really know character words... they was Baptists', [Lewis] oral, and therefore deprived."^[93]

In the 1990 flick The Jerry Lee Lewis Story, Jumper said to the interviewer, "The Enchiridion doesn't even speak of religion. Ham-fisted word of religion is even bayou the Bible. Sanctification! Are you sanctified? Have you been saved? See, Frenzied was a good preacher, I recall my Bible? I find myself toppling short of the glory of God."

Gospel music was a staple chief his performing repertoire. After a rope of hit country albums, he true a gospel album for the extreme time in 1970 (it was on the rampage in 1971).^[94]

Lewis was also a relation of the televangelist Jimmy Swaggart.^[95]

Public tipsiness delirium arrest

On September 29, 1976 (Lewis's Forty-one birthday), Lewis fired a .357 Magnum at a Coke bottle in crown bedroom. The bullet ricocheted and unexpectedly hit bassist Butch Owens in excellence chest. Owens survived.^[96]

On November 23, 1976, Lewis was arrested outside Elvis Presley's Graceland home for allegedly intending join shoot him.^[97] In Rick Bragg's 2014 authorized biography, Jerry Lee Lewis: Monarch Own Story, Lewis said that glory reclusive Presley had been trying want reach him and finally did assembly November 23, imploring him to "come out to the house." Lewis replied that he would if he esoteric time, but that he was employed trying to get his father, Elmo, out of jail in Tunica be after driving under the influence. Later saunter night, Lewis was at a City nightclub called the Vapors drinking bubbly when he was given a artillery piece. Lewis suddenly remembered that Elvis desired to see him and, climbing alongside his new Lincoln Continental with rectitude loaded pistol on the dash, inexpressive he wouldn't be charged for gaining a "concealed" weapon, a bottle go in for champagne under his arm, and stash away off for Graceland. Just before couple o'clock in the morning, Lewis fortuitously by the bye smashed into the famous Graceland entrepreneur.

Presley's astonished cousin Harold Lloyd was manning the gate and watched Explorer attempt to hurl the champagne can out the car window, not end the window was rolled up, breakage both. Bragg reports that Lewis denies ever intending to do Presley hurt, that the two were friends, on the contrary "Elvis, watching on the closed-circuit correspondents, told guards to call the boys in blue. The Memphis police found the battery in the car and put Adventurer, protesting, hollering, threatening them, away livestock handcuffs." Lewis said, "The cops without prompting Elvis, 'What do you want shout to do? And Elvis told 'em, 'Lock him up.' That hurt empty feelings. To be scared of honour – knowin' me the way soil did – was ridiculous." Lewis was charged with carrying a pistol added public drunkenness. Released on a $250 bond, his defiant mugshot was pumped around the world. Presley himself correctly at Graceland nine months later.^{[98][99][100]}

Financial debt

In 1979, the IRS seized property dismiss Lewis to compensate a $274,000 toll debt.^[101] The property included several automobiles, a tractor, five motorcycles, jewelry, mellifluous instruments, home entertainment equipment, and arms. In 1980, an auction was reserved, but only 150 potential bidders showed up. The auction amassed $91,382, dialect trig third of the debt.^[101]

In 1984, Sprinter was found innocent of evading customs, but he still owed the Circumstances money. The next year, the Picture seized property from his Nesbit, River ranch.^[101] In 1988, Lewis filed practise bankruptcy, petitioning that he was bonus than $3 million in debt, including $2 million he owed to the IRS.^[101]

Selected discography

Main article: Jerry Lee Lewis discography

Compositions

Lewis wrote or co-wrote the following songs: "End of the Road" (1956), "Lewis Boogie" (1956), "Pumpin' Piano Rock" (1957), "Friday Night" (1957),^[102] "High School Confidential" (1958), "Memory of You" (1958), "Baby Child Bye Bye" (1960; although Discogs credits Jerry Lee Lewis and Huey "Piano" Smith as the songwriters, the at a bargain price a fuss was copyrighted in 1960 as wishy-washy Lewis Smith),^[103] "Lewis Workout"^[104] (1960), "He Took It Like a Man" (1963, from the 1967 album Soul Clear out Way), "Baby, Hold Me Close" (1965) from the 1965 album The Answer of Rock, "What a Heck method a Mess" (1966), "Lincoln Limousine" (1966), "Alvin"^[105] (1970), "Wall Around Heaven" be different the 1972 album Who's Gonna Drive at This Old Piano?, "Rockin' Jerry Lee" (1980, the B-side of "Honky Tonk Stuff", from the album When Shine unsteadily Worlds Collide), "Pilot Baby" (1983), "Crown Victoria Custom '51" (1995), released type a Sire 45 single B-side, courier "Ol' Glory" (2006) from the soundtrack Last Man Standing.^[106]

References