Mickey Gilley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mickey Gilley
Gilley in 1970
Background information
Birth name	Mickey Leroy Gilley
Born	(1936-03-09)March 9, 1936 Natchez, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	May 7, 2022(2022-05-07) (aged 86) Branson, Missouri, U.S.
Genres	Country, pop, countrypolitan, urban cowboy
Occupation(s)	Singer-musician
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	1957–2022
Labels	Astro Dot Paula Playboy Epic Branson Varèse Sarabande TAP Music
Associated acts	Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl McVoy, Charly McClain

Mickey Leroy Gilley (born March 9, 1936 – died May 7, 2022) was an American country music singer and musician. He started his career singing traditional country songs in the 1970s. Later, in the 1980s, he changed his style to a more pop-friendly sound. This helped him become even more successful on both country and pop music charts.

Some of his biggest songs include "Room Full of Roses", "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time", and his version of the famous song "Stand by Me". Mickey Gilley had 42 songs that reached the top 40 on the US Country chart. He was also a cousin to famous musicians Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl McVoy, and preacher Jimmy Swaggart.

Biography

Early Life and Becoming Famous

Mickey Gilley was born in Natchez, Mississippi. His parents were Arthur Fillmore Gilley and Irene Gilley.

For many years, Mickey Gilley was known as the cousin of Jerry Lee Lewis. Jerry Lee Lewis was a very famous rock and roll singer in the 1950s. Mickey grew up in Louisiana, which is right across the Mississippi River from where Lewis lived. In the 1940s, Mickey's family moved to Houston, Texas. He went to Galena Park High School and often brought his guitar to play for his friends.

Mickey, Jerry Lee Lewis, and their cousin Jimmy Swaggart played music together when they were kids. Lewis even taught them how to play the piano in his unique style.

They sang both boogie-woogie and gospel music. Mickey did not become a professional singer until Jerry Lee Lewis became very famous in the 1950s. After that, Mickey recorded some songs and played music with others in New Orleans. His song "Call Me Shorty" was released in 1958 and sold well. In the 1960s, he played in many clubs and bars. He became very popular at the Nesadel Club in Pasadena, Texas. His first album, Down the Line, came out in 1967. He had a small hit from that album called "Now I Can Live Again".

In 1970, Mickey Gilley partnered with Sherwood Cryer. Sherwood owned a club called Shelly's. They reopened it as Gilley's Club in Pasadena, Texas. It became known as the "world's biggest honky-tonk", which is a type of country music club. Gilley's Club and its famous mechanical bull were shown in the 1980 movie Urban Cowboy. The club part of Gilley's burned down in 1990. The rodeo arena part was taken down in 2005 to build a school.

Music Career in the 1970s

In 1974, Mickey Gilley recorded a song called "Room Full of Roses". He recorded it just for fun. The song was first released by Astro Records. Then, Playboy Records helped the song become popular across the country. Mickey Gilley then signed with Playboy Records and worked with his friend Eddie Kilroy. "Room Full of Roses" became a huge hit, reaching the top of the Country charts that year. It also made it to number 50 on the pop music chart.

He had many songs reach the top 10 and number 1 throughout the 1970s. Some of these were new versions of older songs. These included "City Lights" by Bill Anderson, "The Window Up Above" by George Jones, and "Bring It On Home to Me" by Sam Cooke. He remained a popular country artist for the rest of the 1970s. Other hits from this time were "Chains of Love" (1977), "Honky Tonk Memories" (1977), "She's Pulling Me Back Again" (1977), and "Here Comes the Hurt Again" (1978). These songs mixed traditional country with a smoother "countrypolitan" sound.

By the late 1970s, new singers were becoming popular in country music. These artists, like Glen Campbell and Kenny Rogers, had songs that were popular on both country and pop charts. To keep up, Mickey Gilley also started to make music that appealed to both country and pop fans.

In 1978, Mickey Gilley joined Epic Records. By 1979, his songs were not doing as well. Songs like "The Power of Positive Drinkin'" and "Just Long Enough to Say Goodbye" only just made it into the top 10.

Music Career in the 1980s and Urban Cowboy Success

By 1980, Mickey Gilley wanted a new sound. He wanted to have the same success on pop charts that other country singers were having. His career got a big boost when one of his songs was used in the popular movie Urban Cowboy. The song was his country version of the classic "Stand by Me". As the movie became a hit, so did "Stand by Me". The song went to the top of the country charts in 1980. It also reached the top 5 on the Adult Contemporary charts and made it into the Pop Top 40.

After Urban Cowboy, Mickey Gilley had six more number-one hits on the country chart. These included "True Love Ways", "A Headache Tomorrow (Or a Heartache Tonight)", "You Don't Know Me", and "Lonely Nights". In 1983, he had more country hits like "Fool For Your Love". He also had a duet with Charly McClain called "Paradise Tonight". All these songs were number-one country hits for him in 1983. In 1984, his song "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" almost reached the top of the country chart. He also had another duet with Charly McClain, "Candy Man", and a solo hit "Too Good To Stop Now". Both of these made the top 5 that year.

In 1985, he had songs like "I'm the One Mama Warned You About" and "You've Got Something on Your Mind" in the top 10. In 1986, "Your Memory Ain't What It Used To Be" was a top 5 hit, and "Doo-Wah Days" made the top 10. "Doo-Wah Days" was his last top 10 hit on the country charts. This was because new country singers, who played a more traditional style, were becoming popular in Nashville. These included artists like Clint Black and Randy Travis. His songs were not charting as high, and his club in Pasadena, Texas, closed.

In 1988, Mickey Gilley released an album called Chasin' Rainbows. From this album, "She Reminded Me of You" became his last top 40 country hit, reaching number 23. Over his career, Mickey Gilley had 17 number-one country hits.

Later Career

After his chart success slowed down, Mickey Gilley focused on Branson, Missouri. He built a theater there, as Branson was becoming a popular place for country music shows.

Mickey Gilley also appeared on a TV show called American Pickers in 2011. In 2012, he signed a group called Six to perform in his theater.

In 2017, Mickey Gilley went back to the studio and released a new album called Kickin' It Down the Road. It had new songs and new versions of his classic hits. In 2018, he recorded his last album, Two Old Cats, with his friend Troy Payne. This album featured 13 classic country duets.

Personal Life

Mickey Gilley married Geraldine Garrett in 1953 when he was 17. They had three children: Keith Ray, Michael, and Kathy. They divorced in 1961. Geraldine passed away in 2010. In 1962, Mickey married Vivian McDonald. They had a son named Gregory. Vivian passed away in 2019. Mickey married Cindy Loeb, a longtime friend, in June 2020. Mickey Gilley was a double first cousin to both Jerry Lee Lewis and preacher Jimmy Swaggart.

In July 2009, Mickey Gilley was helping a neighbor move furniture. He fell, and a couch fell on him, hurting his spine. This made him temporarily unable to move from his neck down. But after a lot of physical therapy, he was able to walk again and return to the stage a year later. However, he could no longer play the piano because of his injury.

Mickey Gilley passed away on May 7, 2022, due to problems from bone cancer.

Honors

Mickey Gilley has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California. This star honors his contributions to the music industry.

On March 2, 2002, Mickey Gilley, along with his cousins Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart, was added to the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Ferriday, Louisiana.

In 2017, Mickey Gilley received the Key to the City of Winchester, Virginia. This was given to him by Mayor David Smith at a concert.

In 2020, a road in Pasadena, Texas, was renamed Mickey Gilley Boulevard in his honor.

There is also an entertainment complex in Dallas, Texas, called Gilley's Dallas, which is named after him.

Other Interests

Mickey Gilley was also a licensed pilot. He was allowed to fly multi-engine airplanes for commercial purposes and single-engine planes for private use.

The Mickey Gilley Golf Classic

The "Gilley" is a golf event that started in 2009. It was created by a group of people who loved golf, country music, and rhinestone shirts. After being held in Branson, Missouri, and Northwest Arkansas, the event moved to its current location in 2014. It is now held at Old Kinderhook Resort in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.

Discography

Awards and Nominations

Music City News Country Awards

Academy of Country Music Awards