Jerry Lee Lewis

Nearly 2 weeks ago Saturday morning on October 29th I saw on Facebook and the internet about the passing of iconic American rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis and it was sad to hear that as 2 days before there was an report that he had died but it was not true but sadly this time it was true 2 days later that he passed away. He was born in Ferriday Louisana September 29th 1935 which he was one of 4 children to Elmo and Mamie Lewis he had an brother Elmo Jr who passed away in 1938 and sisters Frankie and Linda who is an well known pianist and singer in her own right and had 3 cousins Mickey Gilley an well known American country, American televangelist Jimmy Swaggart and Carl McVoy who would record with the Bill Black Combo. He started playing piano in his youth and in 1949 made his first public performance doing Sticks McGhee's song Drinkin Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee at an car dealership with an country and western band. He studied at the Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie Texas but didn't last as he was expelled for playing an boogie woogie version of My God Is Real at an church assembly and then started playing the clubs in Ferriday and natchez Mississippi. He started recording at J&M Studio in New Orleans owned by Cosimo Matassa which he did Don't Stay Away an Lefty Frizzel song and Jerry's Boogie aka New Orleans Boogie. He auditioned for Sun Records in Memphis Tennessee in November 1956 and released his first single Crazy Arms which sold 300,000 copies in the South but then the 2nd single Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On which was an cover of the Big Maybelle was the song that launched him on the music scene in 1957 which went to number 3 in the USA pop charts, number 1 in the USA country charts, Number 1 in the USA R&B charts and number 8 in the UK and number 11 in Australia but it did not chart in Brisbane atually until in 1970 when it was re-issued and it went to number 30 there and it was the start of the string of hits that he would achieve throughout 1957 and 1958 which then following that was Great Balls of Fire going to number 2 in the USA pop charts, number 1 in the country charts, number 3 in the USA R&B charts, number 1 in the UK, number 11 in Australia and number 30 in Brisbane with the b side You Win Again the Hank Williams song going to number 95 in the USA pop charts and number 4 in the USA country charts, Breathless going to number 7 in the USA pop charts, number 4 in the USA country charts, number 3 in the USA R&B charts, number 8 in the UK, number 28 in Australia and number 39 in Brisbane and High School Confidential which was also from an movie of the smae of the same name that starred Russ Tambyb, Jan Sterling,Mamie Van Dore and Mamie Vanm Doren going to umber 21 in the USA pop charts, number 9 in the country charts, number 5 in USA R&B charts, number 20 in Australia and number 32 in Brisbane with the b side Fools Like Me going to number 11 in the USA R&B charts and touring around the USA as well as doing appearances on American Bandstand and the Steve Allen Show and also did his first international tour which was Australia from January-February 1958 with Buddy Holly, Paul Anka, Jodie Sands and Johnny O'Keefe and the Dee Jays which included Brisbane at the Cloudland Ballroom February 3rd 1958. In May Jerry Lee went over to England for what was to be an 6 week tour but only did 3 as the news about his 3rd wife Myra being 13 as well as being his cousin once removed and it caused an outroar which the remaining shows were cancelled and went back to the USA which his career quickly enroded and althought he would have an few more US Top 100 hits including his version of What I'd Say (his version of the Ray Charles song) going to number 30 in the USA as well as an few UK only hits including Good Golly Miss Molly and Lovin Up A Storm he never regained his success in the pop charts which he was with Sun until 1963 and joined up with Smash he had a few minor on the pop charts including I'm On Fire number 98 and an live version of Hi Heeled Sneakers number 91 in the USA as well as albums including Golden Hits of Jerry Lee Lewis which including re-recordings of his Sun Recordings which went to number 40 in the USA in 1964, The Return of Rock number 64 in the USA in 1965 and the number 36 USA country album Country Songs For City Folks as well as the live album Live At the Star Club Hamburg backed by British group the Nashville Teens known for the hit single Tobacco Road which is hailed one of the greatest live albums ever made and another one called the Greatest Live Show On Earth which was recorded in Montgomery and Birmingham Alabama which went to 32 in the USA in 1964. Then in the late 60's he changed his music to country and would achieve great success in the country charts with country hits including Another Place Another Time, What's Made Milwaukee Famous, To Make Love Sweeter For You, There Must Be To Love Than This, Touching Home and many others which he achieve great success in the country charts throughout the late 60's, 1970's and 1980's as well as coming back to the pop charts 4 more times Me and Bobby McGee, Chantilly Lace, Turn On Your Love Light and Drinkin Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee and Country Albums including She Still Comes Around, The Golden Cream Of Country, Southern Roots Back Home To Memphis and many others. It was around that time that Jerry Lee had issues with drugs and alcohol as well as going through losses of 2 sons Steve Allen in 1962 and Jerry Lee Jr in 1973 as well as being arrested and an major health scare which he had internal bleeding in the stomach which almost killed him in 1981 and accidently wounded his bass player Norman Owens in 1976. Besides from Myra he had 6 more wives Dorothy Barton from 1952-53, Jane Mitcham from 1953-57, 4th wife was Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate from 1971 until her death in 1982, Shawn Stevens through 1983 until her passing that year, Karrie McCaver from 1984 until 2005 and from 2012 until his passing Judith Brown and besides from Jerry Lee Jr and Steve Allen there were 4 more children Phoebe, Lori, Ronnie and Jerry Lee III. In 1989 there was an bio movie called Great Balls Of Fire about Jerry Lee which starred Dennis Quaid and Winona Ryder and continued to record and perform throughout the 80's and 90's. In 1986 he was one of the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and got an star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989 and also in 2005 got an Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2006 released the album last Man Standing which he recorded with acts like Mick Jagger, John Fogerty, Robbie Robertson, Jimmy Page and many others which went to number 26 in the USA and number 46 in Australia and did the album Mean Old Man in 2010 with acts like Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Willie Nelson and others which went to number 30 in the USA. In 2014 the book Jerry Lee Lewis His Own Story by Ricky Bragg was released and his very last album Rock and Roll Time was released that same year which went to number 140 in the USA pop charts and number 27 in the USA country charts. in 2019 he had an minor stroke and in early 2022 released an album with his cousin Jimmy Swaggart called Jimmy and Jerry Lee The Boys From Ferriday. Just before his passing he was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame as well as an documentary called Trouble In Mind done by Ethan Cohen. Besides from the 1958 Australian tour he came back to Australia in April 1959 with Sammy Davis Jr, March 1960 with Johnny Preston, Jimmy Clanton, Tommy Sands, Chan Romero, Johnny and the Hurricanes, Mark Dinning, Rod Lauren, Marv Johnson, Dick Caruso, Jack Scott and Johnny O'Keefe which included Brisbane March 24th at the Festival Hall, November 1970 which included Brisbane November 7th as well as an clip of him being interviewed by Dick Matthews on the ABC music show Hit Scene, September 1978 when he played at the St George's Club in sydney, August-September 1979 and 1989 as part of the Legends of Rock and Roll tour with Col Joye, Lesley Gore, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, mary Wilson and Bo Diddley which was to be his last Australian tour and it's an shame that he never came back to tour Australia which it would have been great for many rock fans to see Jerry Lee putting an show and showing us what it was all about. He has left an great legacy of great music that will live forever and it's great music which you can never get tired of so really he should be really be remembered for the Music.