Jerry Lee Lewis, unbridled early rocker, dies at 87
Source: Washington Post
Jerry Lee Lewis, the influential singer and pianist whose unbridled performances and scandalous life defined the personal rebellion at the heart of rock-and-roll music, died Oct. 28 at his home in Southaven, Miss. He was 87.
His death was announced by his publicist Zach Farnum, who did not give a cause.
Mr. Lewis, a Louisiana tenant farmers son and the cousin of televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, performed with a riveting, maniacal quality. On storming 1950s hits such as Great Balls of Fire, Breathless and High School Confidential, he slashed up and down the keys with his right hand, deliberately sped up tempos in mid-song and often finished songs onstage by standing on the piano.
His high-energy music was a distinctly Southern synthesis of rhythm and blues, country, gospel and boogie-woogie, and his barely contained stage frenzy thrilled and unnerved audiences. He was called The Killer because of his ability to completely overshadow other performers. His Rock and Roll Hall of Fame biography he was inducted in 1986 as a member of the inaugural class describes him as the wild man of rock and roll, embodying its most reckless and high-spirited impulses.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/10/28/jerry-lee-lewis-dead-great-balls-of-fire/
Aristus
(66,452 posts)"Marry my thirteen year-old cousin. Yeah, that's a good idea!"
Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)In my defense, I was only 8 at the time.
And she was (and still is) stunningly beautiful, and one of the coolest people you'd ever want to meet
Xolodno
(6,398 posts)...and how that was still better than Kentucky, Arkansas, etc. marriages.
But I'll just keep my trap shut.
Elessar Zappa
(14,046 posts)he was a sexual predator.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,187 posts)Omaha Steve
(99,706 posts)There are some reports now saying he didn't die.
Edit: Sorry for the confusion.
iemanja
(53,056 posts)This was from WaPo, which is generally reliable.
Omaha Steve
(99,706 posts)She is on a work call now, so I can't ask her her source.
iemanja
(53,056 posts)Omaha Steve
(99,706 posts)First reported dead, then nope... he is alive.
Journeyman
(15,038 posts)Hekate
(90,787 posts)nuxvomica
(12,440 posts)He is probably Jerry Lee's biggest fan. He met him backstage years ago and they spoke at length, my brother giving him a copy of his own album of piano music. But my brother, who has Williams Syndrome, was very philosophical about the news. For all Jerry Lee's "issues", he was very kind to my brother, and a phenomenal performer. Rest in peace, Killer.
Ray Bruns
(4,111 posts)867-5309.
(1,189 posts)n/t
what I thought.
iemanja
(53,056 posts)OnlinePoker
(5,725 posts)Still raking in money from the gullible through his various enterprises.
Rebl2
(13,549 posts)Swaggart was dead.
RVN VET71
(2,697 posts)moniss
(4,274 posts)on "The Lloyd Thaxton Show". I saw him live in the early '70's. "The Killer" had energy like a lightning bolt.
VGNonly
(7,505 posts)Dion of the Belmonts is still alive. Drummmer Jerry Allison of the Buddy Holly and the Crickets passed about two months ago.
JohnnyRingo
(18,641 posts)I heard "Got My Eyes On You" on internet radio and had to buy the cd "Stomping Ground", an album of Duets with the greatest in the business. Then a while later he released "Blues With Friends", a duet album with many of the same musicians but a little more blues oriented. They are updated and better than his music from the '60s
There's a trend for the early progenitors of rock to put out a call for one last album to carry them to the end. It seems most stars are only glad to appear and contribute. It was noted that Dion could have made one album but had so much material he made two separate releases.
Jerry Lee did the same kind of duet album in '06 titled "Last Man Standing. I'll be listening to that today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Man_Standing_(Jerry_Lee_Lewis_album)
VGNonly
(7,505 posts)Dion with the always great Jeff Beck. Dion sounds like Gregg Allman.
[link:
JohnnyRingo
(18,641 posts)I loved nearly every one, but the one he did with Peter Frampton on the album "Stomping Ground" made me grab the cd box to see who was playing with him. It's solid blues guitar, but not on the Blues With Friends album.
Frampton is better than ever and the two of them are incredible together.
twodogsbarking
(9,805 posts)JohnnyRingo
(18,641 posts)It was the title of his swan song album. Released a few years ago it features help from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Page and Plant, Neil Young, Ringo, and more.
It was obvious he put out a call for one last album of duets before he died and ended his rock & roll legacy that spanned over 60 years and outlived most of his label mates. The music industry responded in droves.
I highly recommend it for anyone who wants one album to remember him by.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Man_Standing_(Jerry_Lee_Lewis_album)
BBbats
(89 posts)This wasn't released here until the 1980's. Recorded in 1964. Jerry Lee Lewis had another live LP released here about the same time(The Greatest Live Show On Earth) that's real good but this one drives. I'll let an explanation from the Guardian describe it.
"At his lowest point in 1964, a German producer taped his performance backed by the Nashville Teens at Hamburgs Live at the Star Club, ironically one of the Beatles pre-fame haunts. Roughly recorded, it captured the astonishing sound of Lewis with his back against the wall. Audibly accelerated by something whether rage, bitterness or chemicals its a performance of scarcely believable ferocity: from the first note, the backing musicians struggle to keep up with him. The end result is undoubtedly the greatest album Lewis ever put his name to. It may well also be the greatest live album ever made or the greatest rocknroll album of all time: whichever you choose, its an implausibly thrilling listen."
Here's some other mentions.
Milo Miles raved in Rolling Stone that "Live At The Star Club, Hamburg is not an album, it's a crime scene: Jerry Lee Lewis slaughters his rivals in a thirteen-song set that feels like one long convulsion. Recorded April 5th, 1964, this is the earliest and most feral of Lewis' concert releases from his wilderness years.
Rhino put it out on CD. Bear Family has a real nice vinyl pressing. Wasn't released over here for many years. The whole thing is on YouTube. Essential. One of my all time favorite live albums.
Response to iemanja (Original post)
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