Jerry Lee & Myra Brown Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis was born to Elmo Kid Lewis, Sr. and Mary "Mamie" Herron Lewis. He had siblings Linda Gail, a musician, Frankie Jean, and Elmo Lewis Jr. Jerry's cousins were Mickey Gilley, a country music singer, and Jimmy Swaggert, a televangelist, who played piano with him when they were all young boys. Jerry Lee showed such talent without much teaching that his parents took a mortgage out on their farm in order to afford to buy a piano for him to play on. His mother wanted him to play gospel songs exclusively, but no one took the fire out of Jerry Lee. He played a "boogie-woogie" rendition of the song "My God is Real" at his church school! He was kicked out of it and went on to great success, signing a contract with Sun Records - where Elvis first recorded - in 1956. Working as a solo artist, as well as a session musician, Jerry Lee became a well-known part of the early rock and roll scene. Anyone who was a part of the early fan base of Rock and Roll remembers such classics as "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire". Jerry Lee's private life, however, derailed his growing career. In May of 1958, while touring Great Britain, it was discovered that he was married to his 13-year-old cousin - she was 13 and he was 22 when they married, although he said that she was 15. His tour of Great Britain was cancelled. More marriages - seven in total - and other scandals followed amidst a brilliant career: He threatened to kill Elvis Presley, a friend, at the gate of Graceland one evening. He almost shot his own bass player. The IRS seized his property in 1979 for a $274,00 tax debt. He was arrested for tax evasion and found innocent. Perhaps all of the turmoil was because of his guilt. Raised Pentacostal, he felt that his music and his way of life were sinful. But he persisted in his unique combination of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" until he became too old. Maybe he was a child of his time? To quote Jerry Lee Lewis: “’Cause,” he liked to say, “ain’t but one of me.” Read Jerry Lee's authorized version of his life - from his website - at Jerry Lee Lewis Biography.