Jerry Lee Lewis Biography
Lewis was born to a poor family, and began playing piano in his youth. By his mid-teens, he had developed an original, engergetic style (part rhythm and blues, part boogie woogie), and was playing professionally.
Like Elvis Presley, he was raised singing the Christian gospel music of integrated southern Pentecostal churches. In 1950 he attended Southwestern Bible Institute in Texas but was expelled for misconduct, including playing rock and roll versions of hymns in church. Pearry Green (then president of the student body) related how during a talent show Jerry played some "worldly" music. The next morning the dean of the school called both Jerry and Pearry into his office to expel them both. Jerry then said that Pearry shouldn't be expelled because "he didn't know what I was going to do." Years later Pearry asked Jerry "Are you still playing the devil's music?" Jerry replied "Yes, I am. But you know it's strange, the same music that they kicked me out of school for is the same kind of music they play in their churches today. The difference is, I know I am playing for the devil and they don't."
Leaving religious music behind, he became a part of the burgeoning new rock and roll sound, cutting his first record in 1954. Two years later, at Sun Records studio in Memphis, Tennessee, producer and engineer Jack Clement discovered and recorded Lewis for the Sun label, while owner Sam Phillips was away on a trip to Florida. As a result, Lewis joined Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash as stars who began their recording careers at Sun Studios around this same time.
Lewis' first recording at Sun studios was his own distinct version of the country ballad "Crazy Arms". In 1957, his piano and the pure rock and roll sound of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" propelled him to international fame. "Great Balls of Fire" soon followed, and would become his biggest hit. Watching and listening to Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis said if he could play the piano like that, he'd quit singing. Lewis' early billing was Jerry Lee Lewis and his Pumping Piano.
Lewis was a pioneer of Piano rock, not only through his sound by also through his dynamic performance. He would often kick the piano bench out of the way to play standing, rake his hands up and down the keyboard for dramatic accent, and even sit down on the instrument. His frenetic performance style can be seen in films such as "High School Confidential" (he sang the title song from the back of a flatbed truck), and "Jamboree". These performance techniques have been adopted by later Piano rock artists, notably admirer Elton John.
'Million Dollar Quartet' captures the thrills of Elvis Presley ... - Chicago Tribune
'Million Dollar Quartet' captures the thrills of Elvis Presley ...Chicago Tribune, United States - 47 minutes agoThis show is based on the actual night in 1956 when Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash showed up at Sam Phillips' Sun Studios in ...
Chicago: World Capital of the Broken Lighter - Theater Loop - Chicago Tribune Blog
Chicago: World Capital of the Broken LighterTheater Loop - Chicago Tribune Blog, IL - 15 hours agoIn the new musical "Million Dollar Quartet," characters based on Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash drink, sing, party and fight ...
'Million Dollar Quartet' rocks the house in stage musical - Chicago Sun-Times
'Million Dollar Quartet' rocks the house in stage musicalChicago Sun-Times, United States - Oct 3, 2008Jerry Lee Lewis connected rock 'n' roll with the devil. Johnny Cash had integrity that ran as far as his homestead in Kingsland, Ark. And Carl Perkins was a ...
Pop and Rock Listings - New York Times
Pop and Rock ListingsNew York Times, United States - Oct 2, 2008(Sisario) JERRY LEE LEWIS (Friday) Playing a piano has everything to do with moving your fingers, but for Jerry Lee Lewis, it also involves a lot of ...
Happy Birthday, Jerry Lee Lewis!!! - CJFW
Happy Birthday, Jerry Lee Lewis!!!CJFW, Canada - Sep 29, 2008Legendary rock-and-roller Jerry Lee Lewis celebrates his 73rd birthday today(September 29th). "The Killer," as Jerry Lee was nicknamed in high school, ...
Farm Aid '08 mp3s: Willie Nelson, The Pretenders, Jerry Lee Lewis ... - Providence Journal
Farm Aid '08 mp3s: Willie Nelson, The Pretenders, Jerry Lee Lewis ...Providence Journal, RI - Sep 29, 2008By Sheila Lennon Email this author | Email this entry According to The Providence Journal, "Jerry Lee Lewis is just short of 73; he shuffled onto the stage, ...
Ben Lewis Jr. - Aiken Standard (subscription)
Ben Lewis Jr.Aiken Standard (subscription), SC - Sep 25, 2008Survivors include a daughter, Debra Denise Lewis of Charlotte, NC; four sons, Paul Lewis, Ben Lewis III, Jerry Lee Lewis and Michael Jerome Lewis, ...
Roy Orbison Delivers Torment Casually, and Schlock Gracefully - Village Voice
Roy Orbison Delivers Torment Casually, and Schlock GracefullyVillage Voice, NY - Sep 30, 2008Orbison might have lacked Jerry Lee Lewis's rhythmic savvy (Lewis did "Go! Go! Go!" retitled as "Down the Line," and it's sublime) or Charlie Rich's ...
Tribute to a balladeer king - Canada.com
Tribute to a balladeer kingCanada.com, Canada - 31 minutes ago... a peerless balladeer of sweeping symphonic odes to lost love who had come up through the same Memphis studio that gave us the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, ...
Relishing real-life role - Akron Beacon Journal
Relishing real-life roleAkron Beacon Journal, OH - 18 hours agoQuaid has played real-life characters before, among them Jerry Lee Lewis, Doc Holliday and baseball player Jimmy Morris. ...
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