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iemanja

(53,056 posts)
Fri Oct 28, 2022, 01:12 PM Oct 2022

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 farmer’s 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/

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Jerry Lee Lewis, unbridled early rocker, dies at 87 (Original Post) iemanja Oct 2022 OP
His "high-spirited" impulses also led him to think: Aristus Oct 2022 #1
I remember when I totally wanted to marry my 13 year old cousin ... Hugh_Lebowski Oct 2022 #5
I could make a very bad and tasteless joke right now... Xolodno Oct 2022 #22
I like some of his music but Elessar Zappa Oct 2022 #2
Lived a while considering his wild life Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Oct 2022 #3
Here we go again EDIT IT SEEMS HE REALLY IS DEAD THIS TIME Omaha Steve Oct 2022 #4
Really? iemanja Oct 2022 #6
Marta texted me about it Omaha Steve Oct 2022 #7
There are a lot of sources reporting his death iemanja Oct 2022 #8
I wonder if she read the reports from two days ago Omaha Steve Oct 2022 #9
That reminds me . . . Journeyman Oct 2022 #10
On this grim day, you just made me laugh like hell Hekate Oct 2022 #12
I Facetimed my brother as soon as I saw this nuxvomica Oct 2022 #11
I thought he died years ago Ray Bruns Oct 2022 #13
Same - Mandela Effect! 867-5309. Oct 2022 #14
That's Rebl2 Oct 2022 #16
Maybe you were thinking of Jerry Lewis? iemanja Oct 2022 #20
And, somehow, "Christian" charlatan Jimmy Swaggart is still alive OnlinePoker Oct 2022 #15
Thought Rebl2 Oct 2022 #17
Only in his soul. RVN VET71 Oct 2022 #21
He was a regular of sorts moniss Oct 2022 #18
Last of a breed. VGNonly Oct 2022 #19
Dion's latest are some of my favorite albums right now. JohnnyRingo Oct 2022 #25
Blues With Friends VGNonly Oct 2022 #26
Yes, that was an amazing cut. JohnnyRingo Oct 2022 #29
Dennis Quaid was great in the movie "Great Balls of Fire". twodogsbarking Oct 2022 #23
I recommend "Last Man Standing" JohnnyRingo Oct 2022 #24
I recommend "Live At The Star Club Hamburg". BBbats Oct 2022 #27
Message auto-removed Name removed Oct 2022 #28

Aristus

(66,452 posts)
1. His "high-spirited" impulses also led him to think:
Fri Oct 28, 2022, 01:18 PM
Oct 2022

"Marry my thirteen year-old cousin. Yeah, that's a good idea!"

 

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)
5. I remember when I totally wanted to marry my 13 year old cousin ...
Fri Oct 28, 2022, 01:39 PM
Oct 2022

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)
22. I could make a very bad and tasteless joke right now...
Sat Oct 29, 2022, 01:51 AM
Oct 2022

...and how that was still better than Kentucky, Arkansas, etc. marriages.

But I'll just keep my trap shut.

Omaha Steve

(99,706 posts)
4. Here we go again EDIT IT SEEMS HE REALLY IS DEAD THIS TIME
Fri Oct 28, 2022, 01:32 PM
Oct 2022

There are some reports now saying he didn't die.

Edit: Sorry for the confusion.

nuxvomica

(12,440 posts)
11. I Facetimed my brother as soon as I saw this
Fri Oct 28, 2022, 02:51 PM
Oct 2022

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.

OnlinePoker

(5,725 posts)
15. And, somehow, "Christian" charlatan Jimmy Swaggart is still alive
Fri Oct 28, 2022, 04:23 PM
Oct 2022

Still raking in money from the gullible through his various enterprises.

moniss

(4,274 posts)
18. He was a regular of sorts
Fri Oct 28, 2022, 05:52 PM
Oct 2022

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)
19. Last of a breed.
Fri Oct 28, 2022, 06:03 PM
Oct 2022

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)
25. Dion's latest are some of my favorite albums right now.
Sat Oct 29, 2022, 11:30 AM
Oct 2022

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)

JohnnyRingo

(18,641 posts)
29. Yes, that was an amazing cut.
Sun Oct 30, 2022, 03:13 AM
Oct 2022

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.

JohnnyRingo

(18,641 posts)
24. I recommend "Last Man Standing"
Sat Oct 29, 2022, 11:19 AM
Oct 2022

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)
27. I recommend "Live At The Star Club Hamburg".
Sat Oct 29, 2022, 12:56 PM
Oct 2022

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 Hamburg’s 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 – it’s 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 rock’n’roll album of all time: whichever you choose, it’s 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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