Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lee Lewis: biography and personal life of an American singer and musician

Jerry Lee Lewis is a true legend in the world of music. He is one of the founders of such a style as rock and roll. Do you want to know the details of his and his personal life? All the necessary information is contained in the article.

Biography: childhood and youth

He was born on September 29, 1935 in the American town of Ferryday S. early years he showed a love for music. At the age of 10, Jerry began to master the piano. At first, the boy independently got acquainted with the capabilities of this tool. But soon the parents invited a teacher for him. Piano lessons were held several times a week.

The future world pop star was brought up in a religious family. The boy was even going to become a clergyman. After leaving school, he went to Texas, where he entered the Bible Institute. However, in this institution, the guy did not study for long. He was expelled. And all because Jerry performed the song "My God Is Real" in the style of "boogie". Teachers considered this composition blasphemous.

Our hero was not upset at all because of the expulsion from the institute. By that time, he had already realized that the career of a clergyman was not his calling. The guy got real pleasure from music. He wanted to develop in this direction.

The beginning of creative activity

In 1954 he recorded two cover songs. They were aired on Louisiana radio stations. In just a few days, the young performer acquired a small army of fans.

In the fall of 1956, Jerry traveled to Memphis. There he auditioned in one of the largest recording studios. Professionals highly appreciated the vocal abilities of our hero. However, his repertoire seemed irrelevant to them. In those days, Americans preferred rock and roll compositions. And Jerry Lewis worked in the direction of "country".

The young performer had to reconsider his musical style. And soon he fell in love with rock and roll with all his heart. Jerry recorded the song "End Of The Road" in this genre. The chairman of Sun Records liked her very much.

Difficulties

In the first half of 1958, a loud scandal erupted around Jerry Lewis. And all because he got married to his 13-year-old cousin.

At some point, the largest US radio stations stopped airing his songs. Jerry Lee Lewis was blacklisted for a long time. Concerts planned in advance had to be noted. In print publications, his name was mentioned only in a negative way.

Only in 1963 did the musician manage to restore his career. Concerts of Jerry Lee Lewis again began to take place in major European and American cities. Listeners missed their favorite singer. Soon he pleased them with the new (second in a row) Jerry Lee's Greatest album. His fans liked the compositions contained on the disc.

Continuing a career

After some time, representatives of the record company Smash Records offered Jerry Lee a mutually beneficial cooperation. Our hero could not miss such a chance. He began to work in the studio.

The management of Smash Records was pleased that they had acquired such a talented and hardworking musician as Jerry Lee Lewis as a partner. The artist's albums were released one after another. Between 1971 and 2013 at least 40 records were released. They have sold millions of copies around the world. Each of the albums contained at least 2-3 hits.

Personal life

Jerry Live has always been a conqueror of women's hearts. And he himself often fell in love. For the first time, our hero married at the age of 15. His chosen one was the daughter of a local priest. However, this marriage did not last long. The reason for the divorce was the scandal associated with the young cousin of the performer. You talked about this above.

So, Jerry married his 13-year-old niece Myra Gale Brown. Many people condemned him for a vicious connection. But our hero was not interested in other people's opinions. He was married to Myra for almost 12 years.

In the future, the performer tried 5 times to build family happiness. Some of the marital unions broke up due to a mismatch of characters and interests. There were also mystical cases. For example, Jerry's fourth wife drowned in the pool. That's not all. His fifth wife died due to a drug overdose. It was as if evil fate hung over the famous musician.

At the beginning of 2012, our hero decided to go to the altar for the seventh time. At that time he was 76 years old. The performer's chosen one was his nurse. She is 14 years younger than Lewis. I must say that both spouses are not embarrassed by such a difference in age.

present tense

The American singer is as full of energy as he was 10-15 years ago. He continues to record songs and give concerts. Of course, due to his age, he had to significantly reduce the number of his performances. But this did not make the listeners love him less.

In 1986, Jerry Lewis was inducted into the top ten members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You simply cannot imagine a better recognition for a creative person.

And 3 years later, a film adaptation of his biography was released. The film, titled "Fireballs", received high praise from viewers and critics. The role of Jerry was played by an American film actor. He coped with the tasks set by the director 100%.

Finally

Now you know what path Jerry Lee has traveled to worldwide popularity. In his life there were ups and downs, marital happiness and the bitterness of loss. However, all the trials sent by fate, our hero passed with his head held high. Let's wish him good health and creative inspiration!

American singer and composer, one of the musicians who influenced the creation of rock and roll.

Childhood and youth

Jerry was born into a poor religious family in Louisiana. Thanks to his religious upbringing, the boy often showed his talents in the church choir and, together with his brothers, mastered the basics of playing the piano. Despite the fact that Jerry's family was decent, the boy himself was still a bully, at school he was nicknamed "The Killer" because of his explosive nature. After leaving school, the young man entered a religious university and was going to become a clergyman. However, he did not study for a long time, soon, during one of the holidays, he performed the song "My God Is Real" converted to "boogie". Such an act was considered sacrilegious and he was expelled from the university. Apparently this was the impetus for the further development of his musical talents.

The beginning of a musical career

With the career of a clergyman, it was finally finished after the release of covers of several popular songs on the air of local radio. Although the success was small, but it became a sufficient incentive to work on further songs.

In 1956, the young performer went to Memphis where he auditioned in a recording studio. Although the agency liked the voice and manner of singing, the producers did not like the songs themselves and their style. During the heyday of rock and roll, no one was interested in the performers of the already outdated country music. The young musician had to change his direction and keep up with fashion trends. The first composition appeared almost immediately "End Of The Road" and brought the head of the agency into indescribable delight. Lewis easily changed the direction of the work if necessary, he wanted to write good music, and it did not matter to him in what style it would be written if the audience liked it.

Rapid rise and fall

Since 1958, when the artist's first studio album, Jerry Lee Lewis, was released, there has been a vibrant activity on the radio, where some of the most successful songs were played around the clock. Rapidly and incredibly successfully, the career of a musician rose to the heights. Many concerts and eventually a world tour have become daily routines in the life of a young talent. The existence of all this was called into question when a scandal erupted around Lee Lewis. He married his 13-year-old cousin, an event that did not go unnoticed. The European tour was cancelled, and in the US the audience greeted the performer with a wave of indignation when he took the stage. For many years, the singer was remembered only by vicious criticism and was not allowed to hold concerts. However, the diligent and persistent young man continued to compose, no matter what. His young wife supported him and always served him as a support.

In 1963, the black streak in the musician's life ended. With the release of the new album, popularity returned, because the audience was in love with his music and forgave past scandals. "Jerry Lee's Greatest" rose to the top of the charts and topped the charts not only in the US, but also in Britain, Canada and Europe.

Return to the top of popularity

A new wave of popularity brought back endless world tours. The audience was happy to meet his explosive songs and no less explosive character. Soon the musician divorced his wife after 12 years of marriage. In 1963, after the completion of his tour, Lewis severed all relations with the music label Sun Records. After leaving the agency, Jerry returned to his long-time favorite country music, which he once left for the sake of popularity. This time, despite the resounding success of rock and roll, the singer managed to take a leading position with new country songs. After such a brilliant return, the singer left the stage for a long 13 years, during which he managed to marry and divorce several times. The first song released after the break was "Would You Take Another Chance on Me" the name was quite symbolic. And again, Lewis managed to return to the top of popularity and capture the attention and love of the public.

Loud scandals

In 1971, another popular country single "Chantilly Lace" was released, which was number one on the country music chart for a little less than a month. It would seem that everything was going well, but the singer's unusual character made itself felt during the celebration of his birthday. Participants of the concert lineup and many friends were invited to the celebration. During one of the small arguments during the festivities, Lewis jokingly pointed a gun at his bassist Butch Owens. No one suggested that the weapon was loaded, the musician hit Butch in the chest. The wound was not fatal, but the celebration was ruined, and the press exploded with theories about a deliberate attempt. Soon there was another incident related to weapons. Jerry was invited to Elvis Presley's mansion, but unfortunately the guards didn't recognize him. Deciding to joke, he took out a gun and said that he had come to kill Elvis because he was too popular. The reaction of the guards was immediate, the singer was disarmed and taken to the police station. After all the circumstances were clarified, he was released, but another explosion of attention from the press and the public followed immediately.

Last years of activity

In 1986, Jerry Lewis was one of the first names inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Removed soon after documentary about his career in sufficient detail. After that, another film was released, this time a feature film. "Fireballs" became a very popular product of the cinema for the sake of this film, the musician re-recorded several of his songs. The film was successful and brought a lot of popularity and rave reviews about his work. Now the singer still writes new hits and continues to visit different countries world, with their magnificent works.

• In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis number 96 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In addition, "Great Balls of Fire" is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll list.
• In November 1976, a few hours before Lewis was arrested for drunk driving, the pianist arrived in Graceland with a loaded gun and demanded to see Elvis, and, as Jerry would later assure, was only joking about wanting to kill Elvis. Presley immediately called the police through security, fearing that Lewis would actually shoot him.
• In September 1978, while celebrating his forty-first birthday, Lewis jokingly pointed a gun at his bass player, Butch Owens, and, believing he was unloaded, pulled the trigger, shooting him in the chest. Owens, fortunately, survived.
• During a group tour with Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry in 1958, he lost to Berry in a backstage argument over who would close the show. During his last act, Lewis took a Coke bottle filled with gasoline, doused the piano, set it on fire, and told Berry "you can get out now."

Awards:

• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2005)
• Best Spoken Album (1987)
• Grammy Hall of Fame Awards (1998, 1999)
• Academy of Country Music Award for Pianist/Keyboardist of the Year (1976)

Received the title of "King of Rock and Roll", then rightfully has the title of the godfather of rock and roll, the king of American music of the southern states. Real talent in rock and roll can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Many of them are either in the shadow of less talented, but more successfully promoted performers, or have died a long time ago. Such talents include Jimmie Rogers, Robert Johnson, Ray Charles and the greatest of them -.

House in exchange for a piano

Jerry born in 1935 in North Louisiana and grew up in an extremely devout family, so the earliest musical impressions are connected with church music. His life was destined to be a tragedy from the moment Lewis turned 3 years old, and his older brother Elmo died under the wheels of a car with a drunk driver at the wheel.

Parents Jerry loved country music, especially Jimmie Rodgers, and soon the young Lewis also joined her. From time to time he played the piano in his aunt's house, and when his parents heard him, they were convinced that their son was gifted by nature, and even mortgaged the house in order to buy a piano for an eight-year-old boy.

Then Jerry I liked everything from country and something from jazz. He even learned to play Jimmie Rodgers and Al Johnson songs on his instrument. He soon mastered all the styles of piano playing known to him. By the end of the 1940s Jerry Lee discovered the Negro blues and saw concerts by such performers as Champion Jack Dupree, Big Macio and B.B. King. During his first public performance, he performed the Stick McGee song "Drinkin' Wine Spo-dee O'dee".

Jerry Lee Lewis' first hit

The most famous country singer in the 1940s and early 50s was Hank Williams. Jerry like many other singers country, was fascinated by him. Some of his songs Lewis included in his repertoire, combining them with other blues and country compositions.

Another artist who had a huge impact on Jerry Lee, was Moon Mulliken - a pianist who played boogie-woogie, combined styles of blues, jazz and country. He became famous for the hit "I'll Sail My Ship Alone", which Jerry Recorded for Sun Records.

In the mid 50s Jerry studied theology at a bible college in Texas, preparing to become a preacher. In 1954, he recorded two songs for a Louisiana radio station. These were popular hits by Hank Snow and Eddie Fisher. At the time, Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records, was thinking that if he could find a white singer who sang in Negro, he would become a millionaire.

White bluesman

Many of the early rockers on the Sun were just copies of either Hank Williams or black bluesmen, and didn't have their own unique style.

Jerry Lee was one of the few original white bluesmen, as well as one of the famous country music stylists after Hank Williams. Sam Phillips noticed this when he heard Jerry Lee in 1956. Lewis created completely a new style, which combined country, blues, rockabilly, boogie and gospel.

Soon the world noticed the mixture of country-blues-boogie performed by Lewis and hit followed hit. His amazing talent has taken a special place in the world of rock and roll. His style was unique. Jerry Lee could sing and play anything. So Sam Phillips found a white musician who could sing like a black man and even better.

The persecution and fall of Jerry Lee Lewis

By 1959, real rock and roll began to fade. Artists like Buddy Holly or Pat Boone were good singers, but much sleeker than the early rockers. Soon Jerry Lee discovered that his music was banned. suitable the pretext for this was marriage to Myra, a 13-year-old cousin. The scandal led to the fact that some of the concerts were disrupted, and the rest had to be canceled due to the unfolding large-scale persecution of the artist. The real reason was that rock music encouraged young people to rebel. Finally, the fall of rock and roll was hastened by racists who hated blues, country, jazz. That is why the charts suffered from the dominance of pop music.

While friends and contemporaries Jerry Lee, such as Roy Orbison switched to a new style, he continued to produce blues-boogie as before. By 1968 Jerry focused on country and had hits like "Another Place, Another Time". His albums also sold well.

Jerry Lee Lewis - The Killer

His years of collaboration with Elektra were also marked by success. By 1986 he had released over 60 hits, many of which were number 1 or in the top ten. Three of his albums, released on Elektra, became the most successful.

It is known that musicians who play in the same concert, by hook or by crook, try to be the last on stage - this is considered more prestigious. Once played in one concert with Chuck Berry. "I'll play last," said Jerry Lee. "No, I'm the main one, and I'll be the last one," Chuck Berry stood his ground. He nevertheless won back the coveted honorary last place. Then Jerry Lee, having finished his performance, set fire to the piano and threw it into the orchestra pit. “Let him try to play after THAT!” he said as he left. No wonder they called "a killer" - "killer".

Phoenix

Meanwhile, the 60s, 70s and 80s filled the personal life Jerry tragedies: beloved sons - Steve Allen and Jerry Lee Jr. - died in accidents. In 1970, his mother died, and Mayra divorced him the same year. His next two wives also died in tragic circumstances. All these events made Jerry Lee addicted to drugs and alcohol. He almost died twice from ulcer bleeding. Kerry, his current wife, helped Jerry get rid of bad habits.

And yet, in spite of everything, Lewis remains the best vocalist, pianist and showman. His 1995 album Young Blood is filled with the same energy as previous years' work. Next year at Jerry had a heart attack, but he still continues to play rock.

Not only the King of Rock and Roll Boogie, he's the only one who continues to play real Southern Blues and Country. He is said to be the greatest living rock 'n' roll artist who still records and performs from time to time.

DATA

While celebrating his 41st birthday in 1976 Lewis jokingly pointed a gun at his bass player Butch Owens and, believing he was unloaded, pulled the trigger, shooting him in the chest. Owens survived. But a few weeks later Lewis arrested for another gun incident. invited Lewis to his Graceland estate, but the guards did not know about the visit. When asked what he was doing at the entrance gate, Lewis showed the gun and told the guards that he had come to kill Presley.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was created in 1986 and Lewis became one of the 10 original members. Three years later, based on the book by Myra Gale Brown, a film adaptation of the musician's biography was created. Especially for the picture, he re-recorded his main hits.

Updated: April 13, 2019 by: Elena

Exuberant, inexperienced, uncompromising, boisterous pianist with a voice that excites - such was Jerry Lee Lewis. At his concerts, he created an aura of arrogance that led the audience to hysteria and mass excitement. Lewis was brought up on different musical styles. Religion had great importance for family. In 1950 he attended a fundamentalist bible school but was expelled from it. The conflict between secular and religious life influenced both the life and work of Lewis.

In 1954 he made his first recording Louisiana Hayride with Elvis Presley's record label Sun Records. And in 1956 in Memphis, together with Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins, an impromptu recording was made, which became known as Million dollar quartet. Lewis gained international fame when he released his second single in 1957. Whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

The problems of the "god of glissando", as he was then called, began in 1958 when he came to Britain on tour. He was accompanied by his third thirteen-year-old wife Myra, who is his second cousin. English means mass media did not remain indifferent to this and the tour had to be canceled after three concerts, despite the success that accompanied them. Since then, Lewis's songs have never been in the top twenty pop songs in Britain. His last successful hit in the 1950s was the title track for the film "High School Confidential", which entered the UK Top 20 in 1959 and reached number 21 in the US. In 1963 he joined the record label Smash Records. The material recorded there was mostly unimaginative, but there were some great compositions among them. The most notable is the album " The Greatest Live Show On Earth», released in 1964.

In 1966, Lewis unexpectedly turned to rock musical theatre, playing the role of Iago in Jack Good's production of Catch My Soul. In 1968 he decided to focus his attention on country music. This change brought him instant success - fans of country style met him with open arms. For the next 13 years, Lewis was one of the best-selling country artists. During this period, he wrote many hits: Greatest Show On Earth, There Must Be More To Love Than This, Would You Take Another Chance On Me?, Chantilly Lace etc. However, he still remained a rock and roll musician, confirming this by staging shows he revived around the world, with the obligatory inclusion of old hits of the 50s in the program.

His personal life has always been full of tragedies, often on the basis of problems with alcoholism and drugs. In November 1973, his 19-year-old son Jerry Lee Jr. was killed in an accident. This was followed by a period of Lewis's drug abuse, treatment in a psychiatric hospital. In the mid-70s, Lewis's behavior became more and more extravagant. He accidentally shot his bass player in the chest - the musician survived and filed a lawsuit. In late 1976, Lewis was arrested at Elvis Presley's home in Graceland for carrying a gun. Two years later, Lewis signed a contract with Elektra Records and released the album Rockin' My Life Away. But since 1981 a series of tragic events began. He was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer, but was soon able to return to work. His fourth wife drowned in a swimming pool in 1982. A year later, his fifth wife was found dead at home (due to an overdose of methodone).

During his career, he released dozens of albums. The most successful was his solo album " The Session", released in 1973, which was played by many rock artists of the time, including Peter Frampton and Rory Gallagher. In 1986, Lewis became one of the first to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Discography:

JERRY LEE LEWIS (1958)
JERRY LEE'S GREATEST! (1961)
LIVE AT THE STAR CLUB, HAMBURG (1964)
THE GREATEST LIVE SHOWS ON EARTH (1964)
THE GOLDEN ROCK HITS OF JERRY LEE LEWIS (1967)
THE KILLER ROCKS ON (1972)
THE SESSION (1973)
BEST OF JERRY LEE LEWIS. Vol. 2 (1978)
18 ORIGINAL SUN GREATEST HITS (1984)
MILESTONES (1985)
MEMPHIS ROCK AND ROLL HOMECOMING (1986) by Class Of "55
20 CLASSIC JERRY LEE LEWIS HITS (1986)
RARE AND ROCKIN" - ORIGINAL SUN RECORDINGS (1987)
ORIGINAL SUN GREATEST HITS (1987) by Carl Perkins
CLASSIC JERRY LEE LEWIS (1956-1963) (1989)
HEARTBREAK (1989)
KILLER: THE MERCURY YEARS VOLUME 1 (1963-1968) (1989)
KILLER: THE MERCURY YEARS VOLUME 2 (1969-1972) (1989)
KILLER: THE MERCURY YEARS VOLUME 3 (1973-1977) (1989)
LIVE (1989)
RARE TRACKS: WILD ONE (1989)
Rocket 88 (1989)
BEST OF JERRY LEE LEWIS (1991)
ROCKIN" MY LIFE AWAY: THE JERRY LEE COLLECTION (1991)
ROCKIN" MY LIFE AWAY (1992)
THE KING OF ROCK "N" ROLL: THE COMPLETE 50"S MASTERS (1992) by Elvis Presley
ALL KILLER, NO FILLER: THE ANTHOLOGY (1993)
KILLER COUNTRY (1995)
YOUNG BLOOD (1995)
RED HOT: THE BEST OF BILLY LEE RILEY (1995) by Billy Lee Riley
GREATEST HITS/FINEST PERFORMANCES (1995) by Johnny Cash
GREATEST HITS - FINEST PERFORMANCES (1995)
GREATEST HITS/FINEST PERFORMANCES (1995) by Carl Perkins
THE CONCERT FOR THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME LIVE (1996)
CLASSIC COUNTRY MUSIC. Vol. 3
GLORIOUS GOSPEL
CHURCH
GOOD ROCKIN" TONITE
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! THE KILLER JERRY LEE LEWIS
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE AND OTHER BIG HITS
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!
HONKY TONK ROCK`N" ROLL PIANO MAN
JERRY LEE LEWIS (KOCH)
JERRY LEE LEWIS (BELLA MUSICA)
LIVE IN ITALY
LIVE AT THE STAR CLUB, HAMBURG, 1964
LIVE AT THE VAPORS CLUB
PRETTY MUCH COUNTRY
ROCK N ROLL HIT PARTY by C.Berry
SOLID GOLD
THE ALTERNATE COLLECTION
THE COMPLETE PALOMINO CLUB RECORDINGS
UP THROUGH THE YEARS 1956-63
WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN" GOIN" ON AND OTHERS
YOU WIN AGAIN
COMPLETE MILLION DOLLAR SESSION by Million Dollar Quartet
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET by Million Dollar Quartet
ROCK AND ROLL SHOW by Various Artists
WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN" GOIN" ON
SUN CD COLLECTION: ROCK AND ROLL ORIGINALS VOL 9
GREATEST HITS LIVE
AT HIS BEST
THE LOCUST YEARS AND RETURN TO THE PROMISED LAND

Jerry Lee Lewis is an American pianist and singer nicknamed The Killer, who became a pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music. The owner of a dozen gold discs, he has won several Grammy awards, including the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.

His famous composition "Whole Lotta Shakin "Goin" On" was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the American Library of Congress. Now Jerry Lee is the last surviving member of the Million Dollar Quartet, in which, besides him, Carl Perkins and played.

Childhood and youth

Jerry Lee Lewis was born on September 29, 1935 in Ferriday, East Louisiana. His parents Elmo and Mami Lewis were poor farmers, but they wanted to give their only son everything they could afford, even a little more. When under the influence of cousins, Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart, Jerry Lee became interested in playing the piano, his mother and father mortgaged the house and land to buy an expensive instrument.

Insisting that her son only sing gospel songs, Mami enrolled him at the Southwestern Bible Institute in Waxahachee, Texas. Soon Lewis, already in his youth distinguished by a daring character, played boogie-woogie at a church meeting and was expelled from the educational institution.

The young man returned home and began performing in local clubs. In 1954, Jerry Lee made his first demo and went to Nashville in search of a record deal.

Music

At first, the producers did not perceive the work of Lewis as something worthy of attention. It wasn't until November 1956 that Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records, saw the talent in the musician and signed him to a solo album deal on the condition that Jerry Lee would take part in the recording of other performers. As a session pianist, Lewis accompanied the performances of Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Billy Lee Riley and became the first person to play rockabilly songs on the keyboard.

Jerry Lee Lewis song "Great Balls of Fire"

Since 1957, after the release of the hits "Whole Lotta Shakin" Goin "On", "Crazy Arms" and "Great Balls of Fire", which brought Jerry Lee world fame, the musician took up an individual career. On stage, Lewis behaved like a madman: banging his heels on the piano keys, throwing the bench aside and playing without it, waving his arms for dramatic effect, sitting and even standing on the instrument.

In May 1958, during a tour of England and Scotland, a scandal erupted around the musician related to his personal life. Jerry Lee's compositions were blacklisted on the radio, concerts were cancelled. Sam Phillips betrayed his own client by releasing a fictitious interview with his participation, only the American DJ Alan Fried, the inventor of the term rock and roll, remained faithful to the musician and aired his recordings.

During this difficult time, Lewis performed in bars and cafes. The desire to be in the public eye prompted him to record an instrumental boogie-arrangement of the orchestra's composition "In the Mood" under the pseudonym The Hawk. The deception was quickly exposed, because radio hosts and listeners recognized Jerry Lee's unique performing style.

In 1963, Lewis's contract with Sun Records ended and he moved to Mercury Records. The collaboration began with the recording of a potential hit "I" m on Fire ", which was supposed to return the musician to the love and trust of the public. This did not happen, as America became acquainted with creativity, and interest in rock and roll began to fade.

Jerry Lee Lewis song "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"

Without losing hope, Jerry Lee recorded the albums "The Return Of Rock", "Memphis Beat" and "Soul My Way", but they were not commercially successful. Glory returned to the performer after the release of the record "Live at the Star Club" in 1964, which became one of the greatest live rock and roll records ever released.

Lewis's position was finally strengthened after the performance of Jerry Chesnut's country song "Another Place, Another Time", which was released as a single on March 9, 1968 and immediately soared to the top of the country's charts. This was followed by a number of hits recorded in the same style, 17 of them entered the top 10 songs on the Billboard charts.

"What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out of Me)", "To Make Love Sweeter For You", "She Still Comes Around (To Love What's Left of Me)", "Since I Met You Baby ", "Once More With Feeling", "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)" and "Sometimes A Memory Ain" t Enough "rattled on radio stations and dance floors in America.

Listeners and critics were captivated by the easy soulful vocals of the pioneer of rock and roll, which had an emotional resonance on a par with famous performers George Jones and Merle Haggard. After such a turn, Lewis became the highest paid singer in America. The demand for his records grew so much that the new owner of Sun Records re-released the musician's previously recorded albums and sold them in unprecedented numbers.

Jerry Lee Lewis song "Crazy Arms"

In January 1973, Jerry Lee made his first and only appearance on the Grand Ole Opry radio show. Live, the musician broke all the rules and traditions of the program: instead of 8 minutes allotted for music between commercials, he played for almost an hour without a break, talked about music and life, and then invited one of the employees to sing along with him. Until 1977, Jerry Lee continued to record country music albums. The last hit on Smash Records was "Middle Age Crazy" in 1977.

In 1986, Lewis became one of the original 10 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. At the same time, the musician returned to the Sun Records studio to participate in the recording of the album "Class of "55" in the company, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. The record was supposed to become an analogue of the Million Dollar Quartet, but, according to critics, it was not enough atmosphere that prevailed in 1956.

After 3 years, there was another take-off in the creative biography of the musician, when he re-recorded old songs for the film "Big Fireballs", based on memories ex-wife Lewis. The main roles in the film about the life and early work of the singer were played, and.

In 1990, Jerry Lee's new song "It Was the Whiskey Talkin" (Not Me)" became the soundtrack to the blockbuster "Dick Tracy" with the participation of, and. Lewis constantly toured the country and abroad. In 1998, he joined the stellar tour and Little Richard.

Jerry Lee Lewis song "It Was the Whiskey Talkin" (Not Me)"

On February 12, 2005, the musician received the Grammy Award for "Contribution to the Development of Music", and a year later he released a new album called "Last Man Standing", where most of the compositions were duets with world rock stars:, and others. Having received positive reviews, the record reached 4 Billboard charts, including a 2-week stay at number one on the indie charts.

In March 2007, director Jim Gable released a DVD titled Last Man Standing Live with live clips from Lewis and many guest artists including John Fogerty and others. The disc went gold in the United States of America, where it sold over half a million copies.

Personal life

Jerry Lee Lewis was married 7 times and had six children. The first marriage to Dorothy Barton lasted for 20 months, from February 1952 to October 1953. The musician lived with his second wife Jane Mitchum for 4 years. During this time, the couple had two children.

Jerry Lee's turbulent personal life was hidden from the public until May 1958, when, while on tour in the UK, reporter Ray Berry learned of the musician's marriage to a great-niece named Myra Gale Brown, who was 13 years old. The publicity caused an uproar and the tour was canceled after 3 shows.

The couple married in December 1957 and soon had a son, Steve, who lived only 3 years, and then a daughter, Phoebe. In 1970, the couple divorced due to the fact that Myra was tired of the endless insults and cruelty from her husband.

Jerry Lee's next wife was Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate, who gave birth to the musician's daughter. The relationship did not work out, and the wife went to live with another man. A few weeks before the divorce, she drowned in the pool. There were rumors that this death was not accidental, but Lewis denied involvement in the tragedy.

A year after the death of Jaren, the musician found a soul mate and again made the wrong choice. Life together with Sean Stevens lasted 77 days, and then the wife died of a drug overdose. The public again suspected Jerry Lee of what had happened, but, not finding any evidence, soon calmed down.

The longest was the marriage to Kerry McCover, who became the singer's life partner for 21 years. The couple had only 1 child, Jerry Lee Lewis III, born in 1973. Jerry and his sixth wife first lived in the United States, and when tax problems began, they left for Dublin.

In 1997, the couple returned to their homeland after the Irish promoter Kieran Kavanagh settled the financial issues. In 2004, the couple divorced, and Jerry became a bachelor for a while.

Jerry Lee Lewis and his wife Judith Brown

The musician last married at the age of 76 to 62-year-old Judith Brown. ex-wife cousin Rusty Brown. The ceremony took place on March 9, 2012 in Natchez, Mississippi, and for some time was a secret not only for journalists, but also for close friends and relatives.

Jerry Lee Lewis now

Lewis lives on a ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi with his family. He runs his own club, opened in 2013 on Beale Street in Memphis. The interior of the institution has the spirit of rock and roll: rare photographs of the musician and his star colleagues are hung on the walls, there is also a piano on which Jerry Lee plays compositions from different times from time to time.

On December 31, 2018, Lewis plans to perform on Beale Street with a big New Year's concert, and after that, the musician's tour of American cities will begin. Performances will be held in Jackson, Mississippi, Sarasota, Florida, and Greenville, Southern California.

Discography

• 1963 - "The Golden Hits of Jerry Lee Lewis"
• 1967 - "Soul My Way"
• 1970 - "She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye"
• 1972 - "Who's Gonna Play This Old Piano?"
• 1975 - "Boogie Woogie Country Man"
• 1976 - "Country Class"
• 1980 - "When Two Worlds Collide"
• 1982 - "The Survivors"
• 1986 - "Class of '55"
• 1989 - "Great Balls of Fire"
• 2006 - "Last Man Standing"
• 2010 - "Mean Old Man"