Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the last survivors of the rock n’ roll golden age died at the age of 87, according to his agent.
In a statement, Lewis’s publicist Zach Farnum said, “He was there at the beginning, with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and the rest, and watched them fade away one by one till it was him alone to bear witness, and sing of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll.”
The singer passed away at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi. His wife, Judith was at his side when he died.
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Who was Jerry Lee Lewis?
Jerry Lee Lewis was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed the Killer, he was a pioneer of rock n’ roll who created music that greatly influenced rockabilly music.
Born on September 29, 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana, Lewis grew up playing the piano with his cousins. His family was so poor that they mortgaged their farm to afford a piano for the fledgling singer. Lewis was thrown out of two schools because of the way he played music.
After he was expelled from his second school, Lewis played in the clubs around Ferriday and Natchez. He cut his first ever record in 1952 for Cosimo Matassa, a sound engineer in New Orleans. By 1955, he had moved to Nashville to make a name for himself but he was turned down.
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Despite that, his iconic hits like Great Balls of Fire (1957) and A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On (1957) became a critical part of the rock and roll scene and became engrained in the sound of the 20th Century.
Despite being an icon, his personal life was marred by violence, addiction and scandal. The singer was married seven times, with two of his wives dying under suspicious circumstances. One of the most scandalous incidents of his personal life was when he married his 13-year-old cousin when he was 22-years-old.