Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the most well-known and influential musicians in American history. He is credited with helping to define the sound of rock ‘n’ roll and has sold over 150 million records worldwide. His career spans over fifty years, during which time he has recorded iconic songs such as “Great Balls of Fire,” “That’s All Right,” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” Lewis was born in 1925 in Louisiana, but his family soon moved to Texas.
Lewis did not have much money growing up and he often spent his free time playing the piano with two of his cousins, Mickey Gilley (later a popular country music singer) and Jimmy Swaggart (later a popular televangelist). . In 1957, Lewis left Monroe County to pursue a career in music. He moved to Nashville and started working as a backing musician for other artists. In 1960, Lewis released his first album, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Jerry Lee Lewis was a pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music. He made his first recordings in 1956 at Sun Reco Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis is known for his powerful vocals and explosive stage performances. He has sold over 150 million records worldwide and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame multiple times. Lewis continues to tour today and is still one of the most popular performers on the planet.
Personal Life
Lewis has been married seven times, including bigamous marriages and a marriage with his underage co. In total Lewis has had over 20 wives and children 10 of them. Lewis was married to his first wife, Audrey Mae Best, for only six months before getting divorced in 1946. Lewis’s second marriage was to Sara Lee Bascom from 1947-1951. Lewis then married his third wife Claudia Anderson from 1951-1954. Claudia filed for divorce in 1954 after just two years of marriage claiming that Jerry Lee was too much into drinking and drugs.
Lewis then married his fourth wife Myra Brown in 1955 who he would stay with until her death in 1987. Lewis’s fifth and final marriage was to Tammy Wynette in 1968. Tammy would also die within a decade of their union leaving Jerry Lee single once again. Elvis Presley paid a social visit to Jerry Lee Lewis on December 4, 1956, while Perkins was in the studio. The two had met earlier in 1956 when Elvis appeared on the Louisiana Hayride.
Jerry Lee Lewis had six children during his marriage to his first wife, Myra. His son Steve Allen Lewis drowned in a swimming pool in 1962. Jerry Lee’s other five children are Jerry Lee Jr., Dee Dee Lewis, Tammy Wynette Lewis, Jamie Lee Lewis, and Gary Lewis. He has eleven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.
Career
Lewis had a musical career that spanned over fifty years and encompassed country, rockabilly, blues, and gospel music. Lewis began his musical journey at the age of fifteen when he started playing the harmonica in local juke joints. He eventually moved on to playing guitar in various nightclubs around Louisiana. In 1956, Lewis traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to audition for Sun Records.
The owner of Sun Records, Sam Phillips, was impressed with Lewis and offered him a record deal. Lewis recorded his first single for Sun Records in 1957- “That’s All Right.” The song became a huge hit and launched Lewis’ music career. Over the next few years, Lewis recorded numerous hits including “Sweet Little Angel” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.
Elvis Presley paid a social visit to Jerry Lee Lewis on December 4, 1956, while Perkins was in the studio. The two had met earlier in 1956 when Elvis appeared on the Louisiana Hayride. Perkins recalled that Elvis was unassuming and friendly, joking with him and giving him a guitar pick. The two sang together for a few minutes and Elvis left.
Jerry Lee Lewis’s own singles (on which he was billed as “Jerry Lee Lewis And His Pumping Piano”) advanced his career considerably. The original article is titled: All About Jerry Lee Lewis. These records showcased Lewis’ powerful blues piano playing and energetic live performances, which helped to propel him to national stardom. In total, Lewis recorded over fifty solo singles between 1957-1973 and his popularity continued to grow throughout the seventies with hits like “Great Balls Of Fire” and “The Wild One”.
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