Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the great pioneers of early rock and roll of the late 1950sdied today Friday, a 87 years old old, in Menfi. Controversial and controversial about his live behavior and in his personal life, the story that set his piano on fire while sharing a date with Chuck Berry, who was closing down, is legendary.
Lewis was known for such hits as Lots of shaking going, big fireballs, out of breath Y Reserved for high school. His life was portrayed in the famous biopic big fireballs.
So much A lot of shaking going on What Big fireballs They were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. His longtime collaborator Kris Kristofferson called Jerry Lee Lewis “one of the greatest American voices of all time”.
the history of the piano
It remained a myth, but it was real: Jerry Lee Lewis played with the piano really on firein a touring show with Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly.
It was 1958 when his first album was released. He has embarked on a tour in several cities in the southern United States with two great figures of young rock and roll. Jerry Lee, whose nickname was The Killer for his thirst for fame and glory, got angry when he discovered that in a show at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn (New York) it would not be the closing number, but Chuck Berry.
Vain and conceited, he could not bear to be the second, and decided to do something to make his performance unforgettable and that Berry could not get over: at the end of the show he pulled out a bottle of Coke that he had filled with petrol, he sprayed the piano , took out a match, set it on fire and started singing his song Big fireballsrightly).
He finished, throwing back the bench, walked away and allegedly slammed Chuck Berry with the phrase “Go over it”.
The controversial marriage to a cousin
Jerry Lee Lewis ‘career has had a dizzying rise since the release of singles such as Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On and Great Balls of Fire, which topped the US and UK charts.
However, there was a scandal in his personal life that disrupted his gold streak and cost him a lot to get his career back on track.
The problem began to take shape when in 1956 he met Myra Gale Brown, daughter of his cousin, bassist JW Brown, they had a secret affair and got married on December 12 of the following year, despite Jerry Lee had not yet divorced. his second wife. Myra was 13 and he was 22, that’s why they hid the marriage.
On May 22, 1958, when Jerry Lee Lewis arrived in England with his family, including Myra, at London airport, a reporter asked him how old his wife was, said he was 15, and the press later found out she was. 13, causing a huge scandal.
From there, its popularity dropped dramatically. and gave only three recitals with very few spectators, who boycotted the shows as a sign of repudiation. The tour was canceled and he was expelled from England. The scandal brought Lewis to the United States and as a result he was almost banned from the rock scene.
Entering the category of classics
Jerry Lee tried to take his place again, even using a pseudonym, but without success. Eventually he gave up and he decided to enter the world of country musicwhere nothing has gone wrong.
During the 1970s he had many personal problems and an internship at the famed Betty Ford drug rehabilitation clinic.
At the end of the next decade, the film about his life finally established him in the category of classics, and ever since regained world recognition.
To crown your careerin 2006 he released his first album in many years called The last man standingfeaturing 21 duets with figures such as Little Richard, Mick Jagger, John Fogerty, Jimmy Page, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Neil Young, Keith Richard, BB King, Chris Isaak and Buddy Guy.
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Source: Clarin
