Jerry Lee Lewis loves his fans. Sign Jerry Lee Lewis’ Official Guestbook by adding your comment below.
Jerry Lee Lewis loves his fans. Sign Jerry Lee Lewis’ Official Guestbook by adding your comment below.
Somewhere in the world, in a mean little honky-tonk or big music hall or church basement rec room, someone is playing a Jerry Lee Lewis song. Wherever there is a piano, someone is shouting…
You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane…
“But they won’t play it like the Killer,” Lewis liked to say, as if he needed to make sure the whole world was hearing him right, hearing the pounding genius of it, in songs like “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Breathless” and “Great Balls of Fire.”
“’Cause,” he liked to say, “ain’t but one of me.”
You broke my will
But what a thrill…
Lewis, perhaps the last true, great icon of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, whose marriage of blues, gospel, country, honky-tonk and raw, pounding stage performances so threatened a young Elvis Presley that it made him cry, has died.
He was there at the beginning, with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and the rest, and watched them fade away one by one till it was him alone to bear witness, and sing of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll.
“Who would have thought,” he said, near the end of his days, “it would be me?”
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!
He suffered through the last years of his life from various illnesses and injuries that, his physicians have often said, should have taken him decades ago; he had abused his body so thoroughly as a young man he was given little chance of lasting through middle age, let alone old age.
“He is ready to leave,” his wife Judith said, just before his death.
Lewis, who performed everything from “Over the Rainbow” to Al Jolson, who played the Opry and the Apollo and even Shakespeare, was 87 years old.
Some music historians have wondered if Lewis, regarded by his fans and many music historians as rock’s first, great wild man, might be indestructible; his obituary has been written, re-written, then shelved, gathering dust for a day that seemed inevitable, but seemed to never come. He defied death in his old age just as he shrugged off the hard-driving, self-destructive lifestyle of his younger years, to play his music to a worldwide audience across seven decades, decorate the walls of his home with Grammys and gold records, and spawn a million outrageous stories — most of them true.
Once, when asked by a biographer: “Is it true that…”
“Yeah,” interrupted Lewis, without waiting to hear the particulars, “it probably was.”
His beginnings sounded like myth. His father, Elmo, and mother, Mamie, mortgaged their farm to buy him a piano, after he climbed onto a piano bench and, without ever having touched a keyboard before, began to play. His nickname, Killer, had nothing to do with his playing, but came from a schoolroom fight in Ferriday when he tried to choke a grown man with his own necktie; still, it fit the man, the musician to come, but there was more to him than a barroom piano pounder who sometimes kept a pistol in his pants.
Musicians and music journalists called him a true virtuoso, whose music was so rich and complex that some of them swore there were two pianos on stage instead of one. He played honky-tonk and blues across the same keyboard in the same instant, could play melody with both hands. He sang rockabilly before he knew it had a name, sang blues, gospel and country in the same set and sometimes the same breath, to become No. 24 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Sam Phillips, who launched the careers of Elvis and Lewis at Sun Records in Memphis, called Lewis the most talented person he had ever seen. A talent that made him one of the very few to be inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s first class in 1986 and, most recently this past week, at long last, into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
As Lewis stacked hits on the charts in ’57 and Elvis received his draft notice, the reigning king of rock ‘n’ roll drove to Sun Records in tears, to tell Lewis: “You can have it.”
But if Jerry Lee’s life was a comet that streaked across the sky of American music, it was also a thing that scorched him inside and out, and so many of the people around him.
Judith, his seventh wife, was by his side when he passed away at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, south of Memphis. He told her, in his final days, that he welcomed the hereafter, and that he was not afraid.
Born into the Assembly of God church in his hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana, he never stopped believing, even when his lifestyle made the specter of hell seem closer. His greatest fear, that he would be condemned to a lake of fire for playing what many in his Pentecostal faith called “the devil’s music,” haunted him. He shared his fear with Elvis, who begged him to never mention it again. Lewis thought Elvis, also a Pentecostal, was the one person who might understand, but he died in ’77, leaving Lewis to wonder, alone.
He had prayed every day across his long life for forgiveness, and for salvation. His was a church that believed in miracles; why, he sometimes wondered, should he not be one of them? He found peace near the end of his life in a simple idea: that a music that brought such joy to so many could only come from God, “and the devil,” he said, “didn’t have nothin’ to do with it.”
“He said he was ready to be with Jesus,” said Judith.
His last album was a gospel record with his cousin, lifetime televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, who had preached against his music when they were younger. In Jerry Lee’s final months, they took turns at the keyboard, singing songs they learned as children: “Old Rugged Cross” and “Lily of the Valley” and “In the Garden.” Lewis, though his voice and body were weakened by his injury and a recent stroke, seemed happy, content.
Much of his life, Lewis had seemed determined to leave the world in the great fire he sang about. He set pianos ablaze, busted hecklers in the head with the butt-end of his microphone stand and rammed the gates of Graceland with his Rolls Royce. He shot holes in the wall of his Memphis office with a .38 revolver, shot his bass player in the chest, “by accident,” with a .357. His life, at different times, was a blur of high-speed chases and Crown Royal. The DEA met his planes on the runway. Fortunes came and went; all the wild rock musicians who came after him, he said, were mostly amateurs. Keith Richards tried to toss up a bottle of Crown Royal and catch it by the neck, like him, “but he never did it right … wasted a bunch of good liquor.”
But if you asked him, in his waning years, what he hoped people would say about him, he had a simple answer.
“You can tell ‘em I played the piano and sang rock ‘n’ roll.”
His career, like his body, seemed doomed a dozen times.
After soaring to the top of the charts in ’57 with songs like “Shakin’” and “High School Confidential,” he was castigated in the press for his marriage to his 13-year-old cousin, Myra. His rock’n’ roll star seemed to burn out even as it began to rise, and after a few big hits in the early 1960s his career seemed to be over. He responded by loading two cars with instruments and musicians and hitting the road, to play some big rooms, still, but also every honky-tonk and beer joint that would pay him to perform. He fought his way out of beer joints in Iowa, then drove all night and all day to another town and another show.
Sometimes he gave them magic and sometimes, if the mood was on him, he gave them less, but in his old age he swore he gave them the magic all the time. In ’64, record producers taped his show at a Hamburg, Germany, nightclub and made what would become music history. Live at the Star Club would be regarded as one the rawest, wildest, and greatest live albums of all time.
Then, in a twist that surprised many of his rock fans, Jerry Lee Lewis went country. “Another Place, Another Time,” was just the beginning of a string of soulful country chart-toppers that made him rich and famous all over again. He had more than 30 songs reach Billboard’s Top 10, including “To Make Love Sweeter for You” and a haunting “Would You Take Another Chance on Me.” It seemed only natural to Jerry Lee. He had always believed that Hank Williams hung the moon.
In this new stardom he finally played the Grand Ole Opry, the organization that had once snubbed him, and ignored the two-song protocol to play what and for long as he pleased, even playing through the commercials. Then, in perhaps the oddest twist of his musical career, he was cast as Shakespeare’s sinister Iago in a musical production in Los Angeles; he was a natural.
Once again, he flew around the world, sometimes on his own plane, and once again his lifestyle made almost as many headlines as his music. Tragedy followed him; he buried two sons. His health began to fail, marriages failed, but somehow he always rallied, always kept playing, for big paydays, or for free in a Memphis nightclub, living the life he sang about in his songs.
In 2006, his Last Man Standing album sold a million copies, his best-selling album of his long career. He followed that with another success, Mean Ol’ Man. You could hear the ghosts of the old honky-tonks in them, as if Jerry Lee Lewis had, truly, found a way to stop time. He did a duet with Springsteen.
His Lifetime Achievement Grammy was a kind of crowning achievement, and he appeared at Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame shows to accept his due and to school the whippersnappers on how it was done.
In 2012, when he was 76, he fell in love and married Judith, and they lived quietly – quietly for Jerry Lee Lewis – in northern Mississippi, though Lewis continued to do shows here in the U.S. and abroad. That year they took a trip to Ferriday to visit the family cemetery, and to drive across the bridge to Natchez where, as a boy, Jerry Lee used to dangle over the girders high above the brown water of the Mississippi and the passing boats below. The other boys begged him to get down, but he just hung there, grinning, till they were in tears. When asked if he was scared, a lifetime later, he just looked surprised. The Killer didn’t get scared. But looking down at the river as an old man, he said he might have been crazy.
Later, they drove past the church where he beat the piano to pieces with his cousins Swaggart and Mickey Gilley, who would go on to country music stardom, pounding a little blues and honky-tonk into the hymns they were supposed to be practicing.
Just across town from the tiny church had once stood the other temple of his musical education, a blues joint called Haney’s Big House, where some of the biggest acts in the country came to play. As a little boy, he snuck in the door and hid under the tables to hear rolling blues piano and wicked guitar. And somewhere in between it all, between the hymnals and the beer joints, between Hank Williams and Ray Charles, he found something that was his alone. It was always a waste of breath to ask if he had any regrets.
He had a million, and he had none. It all just depended on the song that was running through his head at the time.
“I’ve had an interesting life,” he said, in his 2014 biography, “haven’t I?”
Written by Rick Bragg
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Jerry Lee Lewis 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 Jimmy Swaggart and many grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Elmo and Mamie Lewis, sons Steve Allen Lewis and Jerry Lee Lewis Jr., his siblings Elmo Lewis Jr. and Frankie Jean Lewis and his cousin Mickey Gilley.
Services and more information will be announced in the following days. In lieu of flowers, the Lewis family requests donations be made in Jerry Lee Lewis’ honor to the Arthritis Foundation or MusiCares – the non-profit foundation of the GRAMMYs / National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Dear Killer,
We love you and hope you are doing well!!
Kurt and Jill. 🙂
Live at the Star Club remains the most hair raising boogie woogie recording of all time!!!
Jerry, indeed, your music is what people will always remember you by and many generations that follow will discover your music through the decades and millennium to come. That album will survive forever.
I am interested in purchasing in purchasing your 2021 recording. Can you assist me with the projected release date and how I might be able to purchase it.
Well idk ? I just got finished watching a rerun of pop goes the country with Jerry and mickey and Carl perkins and was just wondering if Jerry actually read any of these comments. If so you are the greatest in the world ! Well if not you still the greatest but just a Ahole and the greatest lol ! Ben tryn to figure out how to work this dam I-net to comment for a hour ! Happy new! year from deepeasttexas goodnite !!!check me back
I was introduced to 50’s rock and roll when I was a kid. You are the true king of rock and roll. Hope all is well and stay well. You are the best.
Neil and I grew up with your music, always loved it I grew up in North Eastern Iowa and now live in Lake Cormorant,MS. A hop and skip from you. To bad I didn’t contact you sooner , we are in our 80’s my daughter and her husband are visiting from Iowa and Neils son visiting from Pennsylvania ,they will be leaving Friday early, it would have been super neat to show them your place and maybe meet you. Warm regards, and Happy Holiday’s Reva.
I’ve enjoyed your music thru Elvis time your the king
I have loved your music since I first heard it way back in 1956. Especially Great Balls of Fure. Which has remained my most favourite. Live ya Jerry Lee.
l know that you have recieved postage certified mail from Waldman, !!!!! Angelina @ l are part of your Family , Both You and Myself know, what had happened between us yet im shunned! Angelina, not included as family. May God, Rest you in Peace, l Struggle! For you and family for 33 years, As You Rocked I had to Roll!!!! Going into Secret Military Facilities, l could not have any communications with outside world! Going into Area 51, Groom lake, Roswell! @ many more. l gave my life to our Country so you and All could Sleep at Night!!!!!!!! Yet you have Helped Me, with Nothing. May God Bless You. Sincerely, Janine Parton
Hi my name is Larry and my wife is Theresa I play piano as well I just lost our son to brain cancer he was only 38 years old he was my wife’s only son he went in to hospital on October 28and we had to take him off life sapport on November 7 20/21 I can’t play piano any more becouse ihave were much sadness in my heart and my wife jerry you are my faveret artist I was proud to play piano becouse you have inspired me for years thank you Larry and Theresa
🎹🎹🎹🎼🎼🎼🎶🎶🎶🎶🎙🎙🎙
Hi KILLER,
I hope you are well.
Back in 1986 I was your pilot for a while with J. Liddell flying for Trans Aero out of Memphis.
I’m the one who was from Baton Rouge.
These times are some of my favorite memories of my flying career.
We flew you to a show in Dallas once and I was able to get a poster of the show and I got Kenny, Bob and Buddy to autograph it for me but I never got the chance to get your signature.
Now I’m retired after 30 years of airline flying and I would love to add this poster to my “memory” wall in my study but it would not be complete without your signature.
If there is any chance of getting you to sign it for me I would be forever grateful.
Please let me know via my e-mail.
Either way, thanks for the memories Killer.
Skipper
I think you are one of the greatest piano players to this day I love every song you wrote or song all through the year God bless hope is all well
Jerry Lee I love your music! I’m 10 months older than you. Had my daughter in 56 and my son in 57. I just had a radio and there was a station in Wichita, Kansas that played all country. I was in Topeka, Kansas and the dial was never turned to another one. I have such regrets I never saw you in person. I’m listening to your album The Best of Jerry Lee Lewis. It doesn’t have a year just Smash and Mercury on it. My best to you! Thank you for the best piano and singing I’ve ever heard !! Patty Bean
Your music,your performances, your entertaining persona is sunshine on my darkest days. Was priveledged to visit your home the Ranch in 2018. It is one of my most treasured memories and having a picture sitting at your piano. God Bless and Rock On.
Greetings from Boston!
Hello Mister Lewis, I hope you doing fine. Since I was a child your music give me joy and this will never end. I am 53 years old and the people say I am old- fashioned. Yes and that makes me proud.
There are a lot of things of the fifties that I like and do.
Regards from good old Germany. Thomas
since the 6os, Jerry Lee has been my favorite . Sorry I never got to meet him .
With best wishes from Germany
Kurt Astor
Jerry Lee your music brought my father such happiness. He passed away February 10, 2017. His memory will live with me forever along with his love of music. Thank you for every smile you put on my Daddy’s face.
I love you Killer!
Thank you for the Rock and Roll Jerry!!!
Saw you at the Grizzly Rose over 20 years ago. Unforgettable!!!
Greetings from Greece! Rock on!
hi i am a big fan and i hope you are doing well and you are amazing
Jerry Lee Lewis, I grew up listening to you and still do. You play the piano like no other. I wish you good health and many more years to come.
J ai vu Jerry Lee en 1966 à Beaulieu Lausanne.
Depuis j ai tous ses disques et plus. j’ai visité son ranch… Just.Great!
Happy Belated Birthday, Jerry!!! I cannot express the impact your music has had on my life! No matter how low I might feel or how up I might be, your music ALWAYS makes me feel good! Thank you so much for giving the world your talents!! I’m really looking forward to the release of your new gospel album! God Bless You, Jerry!!!
Hope you’re doing well sir. Longtime fan as well as my parents, and my grandparents. Keep rockin…..