This has been a confusing week for Jerry Lee Lewis fans. Earlier this week someone claiming to be a representative for ‘The Killer’ Jerry Lee Lewis called TMZ to inform them that Lewis had passed away. Shortly after they, and seemingly every other news publication in the world, had reported on Lewis’s death, the REAL representative for Jerry Lee Lewis cleared up the mistake, reporting that he was in fact alive.
Today however, it seems that while the rocker was alive he may not have been very well. Jerry Lee Lewis passed away today at the age of 87. Lewis was one of the first real rock and roll stars, and his piano playing and stage presence were incredibly influential to many musicians, regardless of style, that followed him. Lewis was an original recording artist for Sun Records whose roster also included Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins. Lewis was the last remaining member of that ‘Million Dollar Quartet’. While Lewis became a bit of a pariah in the 1950’s for marrying his 14 year old cousin, which really put a damper on his rock career, he rebounded by going back to his country roots and by 1986, when the movie ‘Great Balls of Fire’ with Dennis Quaid as Lewis came out his stature as one of rocks greatest pioneers was restored.
Lewis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 as part of it’s first class, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, though he was unable to attend the ceremony due to ill health.
During the 2000’s, a string of albums ‘Last Man Standing’ (2006), ‘Mean Old Man’ (2010) and ‘Rock And Roll Time’ (2014) featured some of rock’s pioneers and legends playing alongside The Killer. In 2020 it was reported that Lewis was working on a new album, though nothing has been released from those sessions as of yet.
Our condolences to the family and friend of a true rock star, Jerry Lee Lewis will be greatly missed!
