Jerry Lee Lewis is an iconic singer and songwriter from the United States of America. After gaining popularity, the maestro was given the nickname The Killer. On stage, Jerry "made" a real show. He was the best and openly said the following about himself: "I am a diamond."
He managed to become a pioneer of rock and roll, as well as rockabilly music. At one time, he held in his hands many prestigious awards, including the Grammy. It is impossible to forget about the works of Jerry Lee Lewis. Today, compositions performed by him are heard in modern films and rating shows.
To feel the creativity of the maestro, it is enough to include tracks from the 50s-80s. His work is brilliant. He perfectly conveyed the mood that reigned in the musical world of that time.
Childhood and adolescence Jerry Lee Lewis
He was born back in 1935, in the town of Ferriday (East Louisiana). Jerry was born into a very poor family. My parents worked as farmers all their lives. Despite this, they strived to give their son all the best.
The parents took care of their child. When Jerry became interested in playing the piano, the head of the family decided to mortgage the property in order to buy an expensive musical instrument for him.
Soon, his mother enrolled him in the Bible Institute. Such a prospect did not please the young talent. It was also there that he showed his daring character for the first time. Once, right in an educational institution, he played boogie-woogie. On the same day he was expelled from the institute.
The young man did not hang up his nose. Classes at the Bible Institute were not at all included in the plans of the young man. He returned home and began to make a living by playing in local bars. Then he recorded the first demo. Together with his musical creation, desperate Jerry went to the territory of Nashville. He was in search of a record company.
The creative path and music of Jerry Lee Lewis
Arriving at the place of the young musician, a great disappointment awaited. The producers were rather skeptical about the work of the young talent. But, no one guaranteed that such a difficult thing would turn out the first time.
In the mid-50s, record label owner Sam Phillips agreed to give Jerry a contract to release several solo albums. Sam set the singer one condition - he must take part in the recording of records by other artists of his label. He became the first musician to play in the rockabilly style.
A year will pass and Jerry will be talked about in a completely different way. World popularity perky guy will bring such tracks as: Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, Crazy Arms and Great Balls of Fire. After the presentation of the work, he was finally able to come to grips with the development of a creative career.
This is one of the few singers that was very interesting to watch on stage. He acted like crazy. With the heels of his shoes, he pounded on the keys of a musical instrument, threw a bench aside and played without it. Sometimes he sat on the edge of the stage, and sometimes just on the piano.
Jerry Lee Lewis scandal
At the end of the 50s, a real scandal erupted during the next celebrity concert. The basis for intrigue was the personal life of a celebrity. In light of the ongoing events, all the singer's concerts were cancelled. Moreover, Jerry's track was no longer played on the radio. The star was blacklisted.
Sam Phillips after the incident turned away from his ward, pretending that they never cooperated. It seemed that the whole world was against him then. And only Alan Freed remained faithful to the singer. He regularly put compositions by Jerry Lee Lewis on the air.
It was one of the most difficult periods in his life. He had no choice but to perform in bars and pubs. This situation motivated the artist to record an instrumental boogie arrangement of the musical work of the Glenn Miller Orchestra In the Mood under the pseudonym The Hawk. The scam did not take place. Jerry was declassified pretty quickly. By that time, almost every second inhabitant of America knew his voice.
In the 63rd year of the last century, the contract with the recording studio Sun Records was exhausted. This freed Jerry's hands, and he decided to become part of the Mercury Records label.
The fact that it was the right choice became clear after the release of the song I'm on Fire. The track shot and became a hit. Jerry hoped that the public would believe him again, but the miracle didn't happen. Then the American public switched their attention to the Beatles. Rock and roll music lovers have practically ceased to be interested.
But the musician did not give up. He hoped to win back the love of fans. At the new recording studio, he writes several more LPs. We are talking about the collections The Return Of Rock, Memphis Beat and Soul My Way. Jerry relied on creativity and quality, but, alas, his plan did not work. From a commercial point of view, the work was a failure.
Return of popularity
The situation changed only in the mid-60s. It was then that the artist expanded his discography with the brilliant album Live at the Star Club. Note that today the disc is considered the pinnacle of rock and roll.
However, he finally secured the position of a sought-after singer only after the presentation of the composition Another Place, Another Time. The track was released as a single. The piece of music topped the top lines of the American charts. On the wave of popularity, he records a number of compositions in the same style. This allows you to strengthen the authority of the musician.
Fans were fascinated by the melodiousness and lightness of Jerry's new compositions. As a result, he became one of the highest paid singers in the United States of America. Now fans wanted to get acquainted with the artist's early recordings. The owner of Sun Records caught the situation in time, releasing the first plastics in large numbers.
In the early 70s, the artist appeared in the popular Grand Ole Opry radio show. Here, too, was not without Jerry's antics. He was given only 8 minutes to speak. Instead, the musician sang to his heart's content, and then managed to talk about life and plans for the future.
Until the end of the 70s, the vocalist continued to record LPs in his favorite country genre. In 1977, he presented his last super-hit to fans of his work. Of course, we are talking about the piece of music Middle Age Crazy.
In the mid-80s, his name graced the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Soon it became known about his return to the recording studio Sun Records. Maestro took part in the recording of the Class of '55 LP. He was accompanied by brilliant performers: Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. As planned by the organizers, the collection was supposed to become an analogue of the Million Dollar Quartet. Music critics greeted the work cool. According to experts, the singers failed to convey the atmosphere that prevailed in the 50s.
Rise in the creative biography of the singer Jerry Lee Lewis
Only three years will pass and another wave of popularity will fall on Jerry. Then he re-recorded several old pieces of music for the film Big Fireballs. The tape is based on the memories of the former wife of the artist.
In the early 90s, the track It Was the Whiskey Talkin' (Not Me) premiered. The song became the soundtrack to the tape "Dick Tracy". Then he went on a long tour. Flesh until the end of the 90s, he will travel around the world with his rich repertoire.
In 2005 another significant event took place. The fact is that he was awarded the prestigious Grammy award. He received an award for "Contribution to the Development of Music".
On the wave of popularity, the artist presents a new album. We are talking about the LP Last Man Standing. He recorded most of the new tracks in a duet with American celebrities. The album took an honorable fourth place in the prestigious American chart.
Details of the artist's personal life
The musician was a loving man. It's hard to believe, but he managed to combine a busy tour schedule with love adventures. He was married 7 times. The first wife of a celebrity was a girl named Dorothy Barton. They lived together for a little over a year and a half. He then married Jane Mitchum. A charming woman bore him two children, but even they could not keep Jerry in the family nest. After 4 years, the couple divorced.
Until 1958, there was no information about the personal life of a celebrity. However, during a tour of the UK, media spokesman Ray Berry learned that the singer had married his great-niece Myra Gale Brown. Fans were outraged that the girl was only 13 years old.
Myra and Jerry legalized their relationship at the end of the 50s. Soon she gave birth to a son from her husband, who lived only a few years, and then a daughter, Phoebe. In the 70th year it became known that the woman left the man. According to Myra, she is tired of her husband's constant pressure. The woman said that her ex-husband is a real abuser.
The singer, who apparently was not used to spending time alone, soon married a girl named Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate. She gave birth to a daughter from him. But these relationships did not work out either. The woman took a lover and even filed for divorce. It was not possible to dissolve the marriage for the reason that a week before him, she drowned in her own pool. Many suspected that this was not just an accident, but a murder planned by Jerry. However, the celebrity had a XNUMX% alibi.
Further Relationships
In the status of a widower, he will spend no more than a year. Soon he liked a girl named Sean Stevens. The man decided not to change traditions. And he took this girl to the registry office. The marriage lasted a month and a half. He became a widower again. His new wife died of a drug overdose. The public again began to throw accusations towards Jerry, but it turned out that this time he had an alibi.
Soon he legalized relations with Kerry Mackaver. By the way, this is the only woman who managed to take a place in the heart of the singer for so long. They lived together for 21 years. She gave birth to a star of one child. In 2004, it became known about the divorce of Kerry and Jerry.
The last, and maybe extremely wife of the singer was a woman named Judith Brown. They legalized the relationship in 2012. The couple looks incredibly harmonious and cute.
Interesting facts about the singer
- At one of his concerts, he set fire to his own piano and even managed to play a little on it.
- Musical instruments often suffered from his antics. For example, he beat the piano with his lower limbs and head. Sometimes he himself was injured.
- He almost killed his bass player. Lewis aimed his gun and, thinking it was unloaded, shot him in the chest. Fortunately, the musician survived.
- In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Great Balls of Fire #96 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
- It was said that the nickname "Killer" became attached to him because of the stunning effect that the young virtuoso had on the public.
Singer at present
The artist lives in Nesbit with his family. The club is under its control. The institution is decorated in the spirit of the best rock and roll traditions. In the club there was a place for a piano, on which the musician himself played.
In 2018, a number of maestro concerts took place. The audience incredibly warmly accepts the artist. Age makes itself felt, so today he spends most of his time passively. Jerry has a lot of rest and loves to spend time with his family.
A year later, it became known that the artist had suffered a stroke. This event took place on February 23rd. According to relatives, Jerry has fully recovered and feels good.
Jerry turns 2020 in 85. In honor of this event, American stars congratulated the artist by organizing a gala concert for him. Especially for the singer, they performed the top and most significant compositions of his repertoire.
