Jerry Lee Lewis Biography
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American singer-songwriter, musician and pianist, often known by his nickname, The Killer. He has been described as “rock & roll’s first great wild man. Jerry was born September 29, 1935, at Ferriday, Louisiana, U.S.
His family was a poor farming one. In his youth, he began playing piano with two of his cousins, Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart. The two later became a popular country music singer and a popular television evangelist, respectively. Jerry’s parents mortgaged their farm to buy him a piano.
He was influenced by Carl McVoy who was his piano-playing older cousin. On the live album By Request, More of the Greatest Live Show on Earth, Lewis is heard naming Moon Mullican as an artist who inspired him. His mother enrolled him in the Southwest Bible Institute, in Waxahachie, Texas. This was so that Jerry would be singing evangelical songs exclusively.
However, he daringly played a boogie-woogie interpretation of “My God Is Real” at a church assembly. This action ended his association with the school on the same night. After being expelled, he went home and started playing at clubs in and around Ferriday and Natchez, Mississippi. This led to him becoming part of the burgeoning new rock and roll sound and cutting his first demo recording in 1954.
Jerry currently resides at The Lewis Ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi, with his wife Judith Brown.
Jerry Lee Lewis Death – Is Jerry Lee Lewis Still Alive
Many news outlets reported that rockabilly singer Jerry Lee Lewis died. At his age, it’s not that surprising. What is surprising is that Jerry is actually still alive. The fact is that comedic legend Jerry Lewis is the one who had died. However, the similarity of his name to Jerry Lee Lewis apparently caused quite a bit of confusion.
Nevertheless, On February 28, 2019, singer Jerry Lee Lewis suffered a minor stroke. “He is with his family, recuperating in Memphis and the doctors expect a full recovery,” a post on his Facebook page explained, adding, “The Killer looks forward to getting back into the studio soon to record a Gospel record and on the road performing live for his fans. His family requests privacy at this time. Well wishes and prayers are greatly appreciated.”
Jerry Lee Lewis Age | How Old is Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry was born on September 29, 1935. Therefore, as of 2019, he is kicking it healthy with 83 years of age. He will turn 84 this September.
Jerry Lee Lewis Country Music
Jerry Lee Lewis Wife
Jerry has been married seven times. He married his first wife, Dorothy Barton, and their marriage lasted for 20 months.
His second marriage, to Jane Mitchum, was of uncertain validity because it occurred 23 days before his divorce from Barton was final. It lasted for four years.
In December 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis married his cousin, Myra Gale Brown, who was 13 years old and still believed in Santa Claus by that time. Their marriage lasted 13 years and had two children together.
His fourth marriage was to Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate. She drowned in a swimming pool at the home of a friend with whom she was staying, after breaking up with Jerry.
Jerry’s fifth marriage to Shawn Stephens lasted 77 days, from June to August 1983, ending with her death. Journalist Richard Ben Cramer alleged that Jerry abused her and may have been responsible for her death. However, the allegations have never been verified. She was found dead at their home after overdosing.
He got married for the sixth time to Kerrie McCarver. The marriage lasted 21 years. His seventh marriage, to Judith Brown, began March 9, 2012, to date. Judith was previously married to Jerry’s cousin, Rusty Brown. Rusty was the brother of Jerry’s third wife.
Jerry Lee Lewis Children
Jerry had Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. and Ronnie Guy Lewis, with his second wife. He also had two children from his third marriage to his cousin Myra Gale Brown. The first child was Steve Allen Lewis and then Phoebe Allen Lewis.
Lori Lee Lewis was born to Jerry and his fourth wife Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate. His sixth marriage, to Kerrie McCarver, brought him one child named Jerry Lee Lewis III. Therefore, in total, Jerry Lee Lewis has 6 children as of today.
His son Steve Allen Lewis drowned at age three in a swimming pool accident in 1962, and Jerry Lee Lewis, Jr. died at19 when he overturned the Jeep he was driving in 1973.
Jerry Lee Lewis Songs
»Alabama Jubilee
»Autumn Leaves
»Pink Cadillac
»You Win Again
»Beautiful Dreamer
»Lewis Boogie
»Wild One
»Big Boss Man
»Jambalaya
»Crazy Arms
»You Win Again
»Breathless
»Goodnight, Irene
»Chantilly Lace
»Funny How Time Slips Away
»Money
For more of his discography, check out by clicking here.
Net Worth
Jerry Lee Lewis’ main income source is from being a singer-songwriter, musician and pianist. He has a net worth of $15 million dollars.
Height
Jerry Lee Lewis stands at a height of 5 feet 11 inches, which is equivalent to 1.83 meters.
Jerry Lee Lewis Cousin Myra Gale Brown
Jerry planned to take Myra along on a tour of England after they got married. However, upon landing in the country with his bride, it became clear that the Brits were not on board with Jerry Lee Lewis. His managers had warned him about the British press but Jerry hadn’t listened. “If Myra doesn’t go,” he told them, “I’m not going.”
The tour was canceled after just a few shows in England. Encouraged by the tabloids that branded Lewis as a “cradle robber” and a “baby snatcher,” the British public practically drove him out of the country, forcefully detesting his relationship.
Although his rock career was ended by his marriage to Myra Gale Brown forever, Jerry Lee Lewis eventually found country music success. He went from earning more than $10,000 a night to $250. But he carried on rocking, harder and wilder than ever before. The couple wedded in December 1957 and had two children before divorcing in 1970. One of the kids died as a child and the other is managing her career today.
Myra has no tough feelings about the relationship and still blames the press for making it wicked. Ultimately, she says, the downfall of Jerry was a bigger problem than her age. Despite the success of Elvis, Myra felt the world was simply unprepared for rock and roll.
Now, in her new memoir “The Spark That Survived,” Myra has decided to share her entire story in her own words. The book shares the details of her 13-year marriage to Lewis and much more.
Judith Brown Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry married Judith Brown as his seventh wife on March 2012, and she changed her name to Judith Lewis. Jerry then told his daughter, Phoebe Lewis-Loftin, the next day he didn’t want her to manage his career anymore and revoked her attorney power.
Phoebe had hired Judith Brown to be Jerry Lee Lewis’ caretaker in 2010. She had been managing her father’s career since 2002, depositing all of his earnings into her bank accounts.
Jerry and Judith Brown became romantically involved. He began inquiring into his’ finances together with Judith. This generated a threat by Phoebe’s lawyer to fire her for interfering with the father-daughter business relationship. Instead, Jerry and Judith changed the locks on his ranch and post office box.
There is no news about whether the couple has yet been blessed with any children or not. According to People magazine, the wedding was reportedly so secret that even Pheobe Lewis did not know he was getting married, in spite of living with him.
Jerry Lee Lewis III
Jerry Lee Lewis married his sixth wife, Kerrie McCarver, in April 1984. Before divorcing in June 2005, they had one child named Jerry Lee Lewis III, who was born in the year 1987. This means that Lewis III is about 32 years old.
In an interview, Lewis III said, “Jerry Lee Lewis is Rock ‘n’ Roll’s ‘first great wild man’ and has a storied reputation. But the real story of the Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll runs much deeper—a man who is both rowdy and religious, famous and humble, who came from simple roots and worked hard to make it in music.
At The Lewis Ranch, we’ll take you behind Jerry Lee’s public image and give you an intimate look at his early life, his climb to success, and the way he lives today.”
In 2017, Jerry opened his home to the public. He announced that he will be offering up tours of his Nesbit, Mississippi, ranch starting this weekend.
Tours were charged at $30 per person. Tickets were available at the Lewis Ranch website. Lewis III guided some of the tours and he added in a statement that the tours will give fans a deeper insight into one of rock’s great wildmen. He continued to describe his father as a performer “who is both rowdy and religious, famous and humble, who came from simple roots and worked hard to make it in music.”
Lewis III mentioned that the public tours resume a practice from the 1990s and early 2000s. “That’s when I was just a kid,” Lewis III said. “It was something my mom and dad were doing, and it just kind of ended because they reached a time where they were getting a divorce, and dad wasn’t able to maintain it. So he closed down and was waiting for a better time.”
Jerry Lee Lewis Movie
Great Fire Balls! is an American biographical film directed by Jim McBride. It was released in the year 1989. The film stars Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee Lewis, the rockabilly pioneer, and Winona Ryder as Myra Gale Brown.
The screenplay is written by McBride and Jack Baran on the basis of a biography by Myra Lewis and Murray M. Silver Jr. The film is produced by Adam Fields with executive producers credited as Michael Grais, Mark Victor, and Art Levinson.
The film depicts Jerry’s early career, ranging from his rise to rock and roll stardom to his controversial marriage to his cousin, 13, who led to his downfall. Other popular films he is featured in either singing or playing include the following:
»Pop! Goes the Country
»Late Show with David Letterman
»50s & 60s Party Songs
»Legends of Rock ‘n’ Roll
»Sunshine by the Stars: Celebrating Louisiana Music
»Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
»The View
»Johnny Cash Christmas Specials
»Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert
»Grammy Awards
»Great Performances
»Jerry Lee Lewis: Last Man Standing
»Today
»The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
»I Walk the Line: A Night for Johnny Cash
»Willie Nelson & Friends: Outlaws and Angels
»The Ed Sullivan Show
»On Tour
»Good Rockin’ Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records
»American Masters
»Good Rockin’ Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records
»X-tra Special
»Jerry Lee Lewis: The Story of Rock ‘n’ Roll
»The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
»Jerry Lee Lewis and Friends
»The Midnight Special
»Dick Clark’s Golden Greats
»James Brown; The Doors; The Righteous Brothers
»Mayor Of The Sunset Strip
»T.J. Hooker
»Deadly Ambition
»American Hot Wax
»High School Confidential!
»Jamboree
»More than Music
»The Beatles: I Want to Hold Your Hand
»Elvis Presley: Heartbreak Hotel
»Middle Age Crazy
»One for the Money: The Birth of Rock N’ Roll
»The Piano Guy
»Century of Country
»Rockabilly: The Music That Rocked Country
»Biography
»Guest
»Today
»Late Night with Conan O’Brien
»Hee Haw
»Falsifyin’
Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. died on November 13, 1973, as the result of an automobile accident while driving the Jeep his father had given him for his 19th birthday. He was born on November 2, 1954, to singer Jerry Lee Lewis and his second wife, Jane Mitchum. Lewis Jr. was a drummer.
Jerry Lee Lewis Jr.
Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. died on November 13, 1973, as the result of an automobile accident while driving the Jeep his father had given him for his 19th birthday. He was born on November 2, 1954, to singer Jerry Lee Lewis and his second wife, Jane Mitchum. Lewis Jr. was a drummer.
Jerry Lee Lewis Cafe
Jerry Lee Lewis ‘ Cafe & Honky Tonk is located in the heart of downtown Memphis on World Famous Beale Street. The FedEx Forum is within walking distance, making it the prime location to stop and eat before the big game or concert. They open early and remain open late, serving tourists as well as party animals alike.
The restaurant also pays tribute with memorabilia to Jerry, including his piano, motorcycle, and a Cadillac Eldorado plus a gold record trail.
Like the smaller cafes across the Deep South, the Honky Tonk Cafe has tiny bar tables, a stage with a band playing your favorite Sun Studio hits, and lifetime memorabilia of Jerry Lee Lewis. The menu includes some of Beale Street’s best Southern food!
Jerry Lee Lewis Cafe & Honky Tonk is one of Beale Street’s largest bars. There’s always too much going on with live music and four different bars to choose from.
Jerry Lee Lewis House
The Lewis Ranch, located at 1595 Malone Road, near Nesbit, Mississippi, opened for small group tours on April 29, 2017. It has been Jerry’s private getaway for decades. This is also where he composes his music and spends family time.
Moreover, the tours were limited to 15 people in each group and each tour lasted approximately an hour. They included access to Jerry’s home, his bedroom, the Rolls Royce, an up-close look at his gold records, memorabilia, and more. The tours were $30 per person.
Compared to other tours, the tour was so different and special as you feel like a guest in the house, not just one of the many tourists. First of all, Jerry Lee Lewis III, commonly known as Lee, gave guests the tour and that made it very special already. Lee was kind enough to answer all questions, proud to show memorabilia, pictures, golden records and telling stories that only a family member would know.
Today
Jerry Lee Lewis was moved from a hospital to a rehabilitation facility to continue his treatment after suffering a minor stroke in February 2019. According to a statement from Jerry ‘ s neurologist in a press release, the 83-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member is expected to “completely recover.”
The early rock & roll architect, known for such piano romps as “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin ‘ Goin’ On,” had to cancel a string of concert appearances as he commits to rehabilitate: performances at the 50th Jazz Fest in New Orleans ; in Knoxville, Tennessee ; and in Alexandria, Virginia, were all cancelled.
Before the stroke, Jerry had been continuing to tour and was preparing to enter the studio to record his next project, a gospel album. According to his spokesperson, plans for the album are moving forward: “He wants fans to know he can’t wait to get back on stage and into the studio to make his gospel record.”
Jerry Lee Lewis Albums
The following is a list of some of his greatest albums.
»1957 Jerry Lee Lewis
»Jerry Lee’s Greatest!
»The Greatest Live Show on Earth
»Country Songs for City Folks
»The Return of Rock
»Memphis Beat
»Soul My Way
»Got You on My Mind
»In Demand
»She Still Comes Around
»Another Place Another Time
»Rock & Roll Time
Jerry Lee Lewis Live
ALBUM NAME YEAR RELEASED
»Live At The Star Club, Hamburg 1964
»The Greatest Live Show On Earth 1964
»By Request: More Of The Greatest
Live Show On Earth 1966
»Live At The International, Las Vegas 1970
»The Survivors Live
(With Johnny Cash And Carl Perkins) 1982
»Live At Gilley’s 1999
»Last Man Standing 2007
»Live From Austin, TX 2007
»Jerry Lee Lewis: Live At Third Man Records 2011
Pictures
Jerry Lee Lewis with Myra( Left) and Judith( Right)
Note: This biography is based on the available information as of 2023, and real-time updates or developments are being updated by our editorial team.