Jerry Lee Lewis facts for kids
Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935 – died October 28, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He was known as "The Killer" because of his wild and energetic performances. Lewis was one of the first big stars of rock and roll and rockabilly music.
He started recording music in 1952 and became famous worldwide in 1957 with his hit song "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." He followed this with other popular songs like "Great Balls of Fire" and "Breathless." His early rock and roll career faced challenges after a personal controversy.
Even with these challenges, Lewis continued to perform live with great energy. His 1964 live album, Live at the Star Club, Hamburg, is considered one of the best live rock albums ever. In 1968, he successfully switched to country music, topping the charts with songs like "Another Place, Another Time." Over his long career, Lewis had 30 songs reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Country and Western Chart.
Lewis kept making music and touring for decades. His 2006 album Last Man Standing was his best-selling, selling over a million copies. He won four Grammy awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022. His life was even made into a movie called Great Balls of Fire! in 1989.
Lewis was the last surviving member of the famous "Million Dollar Quartet" from Sun Records, which also included Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley. Music critics often praise his powerful voice and unique piano style, calling him a true rock and roller.
Quick facts for kids
Jerry Lee Lewis
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Lewis in a 1950s publicity portrait
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| Born | September 29, 1935 Ferriday, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Died | October 28, 2022 (aged 87) Nesbit, Mississippi, U.S.
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| Years active | 1949–2022 |
| Spouse(s) |
Dorothy Barton
(m. 1952; div. 1953)Jane Mitcham
(m. 1953; div. 1957)Myra Gale Brown
(m. 1957; div. 1970)Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate
(m. 1971; died 1982)Shawn Stephens
(m. 1983; died 1983)Karrie McCarver
(m. 1984; div. 2005)Judith Brown
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 6 |
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Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Jerry Lee Lewis was born in Ferriday, Louisiana. He grew up in a family that farmed for a living. From a young age, he started playing the piano with his cousins, Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart. His parents even mortgaged their farm to buy him a piano.
Lewis was inspired by another piano-playing cousin, Carl McVoy, and by the music he heard on the radio. He also listened to sounds from Haney's Big House, a local club that featured blues music.
In November 1949, Lewis performed for the first time in public with a country and western band. He played a cover of "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee."
A Different Kind of Music School
Lewis's mother sent him to the Southwest Bible Institute in Waxahachie, Texas. She hoped he would only sing gospel songs there. However, Lewis played a lively boogie-woogie version of "My God Is Real" at a church event. This led to him being asked to leave the school that very night.
After this, he returned home and began playing in clubs around Ferriday and Natchez, Mississippi. He became part of the new rock and roll sound. In 1952, he made his first demo recording in New Orleans. Around 1955, he tried to get noticed in Nashville, Tennessee, but was turned down by the Grand Ole Opry.
Music Career Highlights
Early Recordings at Sun Records
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In November 1956, Lewis went to Memphis, Tennessee, to try out for Sun Records. Even though the owner, Sam Phillips, wasn't there, producer Jack Clement recorded Lewis playing "Crazy Arms" and his own song "End of the Road."
In December 1956, Lewis started recording many songs. He recorded as a solo artist and also played piano for other Sun artists like Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. You can hear his unique piano style on many songs from late 1956 and early 1957.
On December 4, 1956, a famous jam session happened at Sun Records. Elvis Presley visited while Perkins was recording with Lewis. Johnny Cash was also there. The four musicians started playing together, and Sam Phillips recorded it. These recordings, which included many gospel songs, were later released as the Million Dollar Quartet album.
Lewis's own songs, where he was called "Jerry Lee Lewis And His Pumping Piano," quickly made him famous in 1957. Hits like "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire" brought him international fame. Some radio stations even stopped playing his songs because of their wild style. In 2005, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" was chosen to be saved forever in the National Recording Registry.
Lewis was known for his exciting stage shows. He would hit the piano keys with his heel, kick the piano bench away, and play standing up. He would even rake his hands up and down the keys, sit on the keyboard, and stand on the piano! His first TV appearance was on The Steve Allen Show in July 1957, where he showed off these moves.
A Career Shift
Lewis's contract with Sun Records ended in 1963, and he joined Smash Records. He recorded several rock songs there, but they didn't become big hits. The music scene changed quickly when the Beatles became popular in America.
One important success during this time was his live album, Live at the Star Club, Hamburg, recorded in 1964. Many people consider it one of the greatest live albums ever. It really shows off Lewis's amazing piano and singing skills.
Country Music Comeback
Lewis was thinking about leaving Smash Records when a manager suggested he record a pure country song. With nothing to lose, Lewis agreed to record "Another Place, Another Time." This song was released in March 1968 and quickly became a hit on the country charts.
This song restarted his career. From 1968 to 1977, Lewis had 17 Top 10 hit songs on the Billboard country chart, including four number-one hits. Some of these were "What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out of Me)" and "She Still Comes Around (To Love What's Left of Me)." His country albums showed his strong, soulful singing, which impressed many critics.
Lewis became one of the most popular country stars. His former producer even re-released many of Lewis's old country recordings from Sun Records, and they became hits again.
Grand Ole Opry Performance
Lewis played at the Grand Ole Opry only once, on January 20, 1973. He had been turned away from Nashville as a young musician, so he had mixed feelings about the city.
During his performance, Lewis ignored the time limits and played for 40 minutes, much longer than the usual eight minutes. He played his hit "Another Place, Another Time" and many other classics.
Later Career and Continued Success
Lewis returned to the pop charts with "Me and Bobby McGee" in 1971. This led to him recording an album in London in 1973 called The Session...Recorded in London with Great Artists. This album was a big success on the pop charts.
In 1979, Lewis moved to Elektra Records and released an album that critics loved. In 1986, he was one of the first musicians inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That same year, he returned to Sun Studio to record the album Class of '55 with Orbison, Cash, and Perkins.
In 1989, the movie Great Balls of Fire!, based on his early life, brought him back into the public eye. Lewis re-recorded all his songs for the movie's soundtrack. The movie showed his early career and his relationship with his wife, Myra.
Lewis continued to perform and release new music. In 1998, he toured Europe with Chuck Berry and Little Richard. In 2005, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. His 2006 album, Last Man Standing, featured many famous rock and roll artists and was very successful.
He continued to tour and release albums like Mean Old Man in 2010. In May 2013, Lewis opened his own club in Memphis. He continued to perform until a stroke in 2019. In 2020, he recorded a new album of gospel songs.
In 2022, a documentary about Lewis called Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind was released. He was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame that year.
Music Legacy and Awards
Jerry Lee Lewis received many awards for his music. In 1986, he won a Grammy Award for a rare album of interviews released with the Class of '55 album. His original song "Great Balls of Fire" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" received this honor in 1999. These honors are given to recordings that are at least 25 years old and have made a lasting impact.
In 2005, Lewis received the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1989, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honored him with the American Music Masters Award. His album Mean Old Man reached No. 30 on the Billboard 200 album chart in 2010.
In 2008, Lewis was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was honored with a Mississippi Country Music Trail marker at his ranch. In May 2022, he was announced as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Piano Style
Lewis was a very exciting performer. He often played the piano with his fists, elbows, feet, and even his backside! Sometimes he would climb on top of the piano during his shows. His unique piano style became a key part of rock and roll and influenced many piano players.
While his piano playing is often called boogie-woogie, gospel music also had a big influence on his technique. His style was seen as revolutionary and helped define rock and roll piano.
Personal Life
Lewis was married seven times and had six children.
His first marriage was to Dorothy Barton from 1952 to 1953. His second marriage was to Sally Jane Mitcham, and they had two children: Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. (1954–1973) and Ronnie Guy Lewis (born 1956). Sadly, Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. died at age 19 in a car accident.
His third marriage was to Myra Gale Brown. They had two children: Steve Allen Lewis (1959–1962) and Phoebe Allen Lewis (born 1963). Steve Allen Lewis tragically drowned at age 3.
His fourth marriage was to Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate from 1971 to 1982. They had one daughter, Lori Lee Lewis (born 1972). Jaren Pate also died in a swimming pool accident.
Lewis's fifth marriage was to Shawn Stephens in 1983, but it lasted only 77 days before she passed away. His sixth marriage was to Kerrie McCarver, which lasted 21 years, from 1984 to 2005. They had one child: Jerry Lee Lewis III (born 1987).
Lewis lived on a ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi, with his family. He married his seventh wife, Judith Lewis, in 2012.
Religious Beliefs
As a teenager, Lewis studied at a Bible institute, but he was asked to leave for playing a lively boogie-woogie version of a gospel song. This event showed his lifelong struggle between his faith and his love for playing rock and roll music.
Lewis sometimes had arguments about whether his music was "sinful." During the famous Million Dollar Quartet jam, he and Elvis Presley sang many gospel songs. Gospel music was always an important part of his performances. In 1971, he released a gospel album.
Lewis was also a cousin of the famous TV preacher Jimmy Swaggart. Both Lewis and Swaggart, along with their cousin Mickey Gilley, listened to the same music when they were young.
Health and Passing
Lewis had a minor stroke in February 2019, which caused him to cancel some shows.
Jerry Lee Lewis passed away at his home in Nesbit, Mississippi, on October 28, 2022, at the age of 87, after dealing with pneumonia. His funeral was held in his hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana.
Selected Discography
- Jerry Lee Lewis (1958)
- Jerry Lee's Greatest! (1962)
- Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (1964)
- The Return of Rock (1965)
- Country Songs for City Folks/All Country (1965)
- Memphis Beat (1966)
- Soul My Way (1967)
- Another Place, Another Time (1968)
- She Still Comes Around (1969)
- Sings the Country Music Hall of Fame Hits, Vol. 1 (1969)
- Sings the Country Music Hall of Fame Hits, Vol. 2 (1969)
- The Golden Cream of the Country (1969)
- She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye (1970)
- A Taste of Country (1970)
- There Must Be More to Love Than This (1971)
- Touching Home (1971)
- Would You Take Another Chance on Me? (1971)
- The Killer Rocks On (1972)
- Who's Gonna Play This Old Piano? (1972)
- The Session...Recorded in London with Great Artists (1973)
- Sometimes a Memory Ain't Enough (1973)
- Southern Roots: Back Home to Memphis (1973)
- I-40 Country (1974)
- Boogie Woogie Country Man (1975)
- Odd Man In (1975)
- Country Class (1976)
- Country Memories (1977)
- Jerry Lee Keeps Rockin' (1978)
- Jerry Lee Lewis (1979)
- When Two Worlds Collide (1980)
- Killer Country (1980)
- Class of '55 (1986)
- Young Blood (1995)
- Last Man Standing (2006)
- Last Man Standing Live (2007)
- Mean Old Man (2010)
- Rock and Roll Time (2014)
Compositions
Jerry Lee Lewis wrote or helped write many songs, including: "End of the Road" (1956), "Lewis Boogie" (1956), "Pumpin' Piano Rock" (1957), "High School Confidential" (1958), "Memory of You" (1958), "Baby Baby Bye Bye" (1960), "Lewis Workout" (1960), "He Took It Like a Man" (1963), "Baby, Hold Me Close" (1965), "What a Heck of a Mess" (1966), "Lincoln Limousine" (1966), "Alvin" (1970), "Wall Around Heaven" (1972), "Rockin' Jerry Lee" (1980), "Pilot Baby" (1983), "Crown Victoria Custom '51" (1995), and "Ol' Glory" (2006).
Images for kids
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Lewis in a 1950s publicity portrait
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Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, where Lewis began his career and recorded many of his most famous singles
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Lewis performing with Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash on The Johnny Cash Christmas Special in November 1977
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Lewis performing in 1977
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Lewis performing in 2009
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Lewis performing at the Rhythm Festival in Bedford, England, in 2006
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Lewis performing in 2006
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Lewis's "Brass Note" at the Beale Street Walk of Fame in Memphis
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Jerry Lee Lewis Avenue in Ferriday, Louisiana
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The gate to Lewis's ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi
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See also
In Spanish: Jerry Lee Lewis para niños
