“Jerry Lee will live forever – we all know that.” – Bob Dylan
Tributes have been pouring in for rock ‘n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis who passed away on Friday October 28 (US time) at the age of 87 at his home in DeSoto County, Mississippi.
A statement from his family said: “Judith, his seventh wife, was by his side when he passed away… He told her, in his final days, that he welcomed the hereafter, and that he was not afraid.”
Bob Dylan covered Lewis’s ‘I Can’t Seem to Say Goodbye’ as the encore of his concert in England on Friday night, paying tribute to the recently departed rock ‘n’ roller. Dylan introduced the song by saying, “I don’t know how many of you know, but Jerry Lee’s gone. We’re gonna play this song, one of his. Jerry Lee will live forever – we all know that.”
“Goodbye to the Killer RIP,” posted Keith Richards, who recorded with him as a guest on his final studio album Rock & Roll Time in 2014.
“God bless Jerry lee Lewis peace and love to all his family Ringo,” tweeted Ringo Starr.
Lewis was one of the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll and recorded at Sun Studios, along with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. He had a string of hits, including ‘Great Balls of Fire’ and ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On’. His music was marked by his energetic and flamboyant style.
“Without Jerry Lee Lewis, I wouldn’t have become who I am today. He was groundbreaking and exciting, and he pulverized the piano. A brilliant singer too. Thank you for your trailblazing inspiration and all the rock ‘n’ roll memories,” wrote Elton John, who owed some of his own flamboyance to Lewis.
“Sad to hear of the passing of Jerry Lee Lewis. Love his music and I was hugely influenced by his records and live performances which were always full of fire and inspiration! No one could touch him! God Bless you, Jerry Lee,” posted John Fogerty.
“Kris recently honored Jerry Lee Lewis as a new member to the Country Music Hall of Fame,” read a post on Kris Kristofferson’s Twitter feed. “He and his wife Lisa join the world in sharing their condolences on the passing of this legend. Rock and roll heaven is ablaze today.”
“RIP Jerry Lee Lewis. The Killer has gone,” posted Stephen King. “He could play that piano, boy. Think I gotta play me some Lewis Boogie.”
According to his website, Lewis spent most of his time-off during his later years at The Lewis Ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi, and had been married to his wife Judith, since March 9th, 2012.
Lewis’ life was marred with controversy, including a marriage to his 13-year old cousin in 1958 which marred a British tour. Dubbed The Killer, a title he embraced despite several of his wives dying, he was also arrested in 1976 after a drunken incident in 1976 when he was arrested outside Elvis Presley’s Graceland home in Memphis with a loaded pistol.
“Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On” entered the Billboard singles chart in June 1957 and also topped the country chart in September. ‘Great Balls of Fire,’ became his highest charting hit, reaching No. 2 on the Top 100 in January 1958. ‘Breathless’ also reached the Top 10 in 1958 while his version of ‘What I’d Say’ hit the Top 30 in 1961. All up, Lewis had 14 chart entries on the Top 100 but 23 Top 10 hits on the country chart. Lewis also had 41 albums on the Top 200 chart between 1964 and 2014 with his last Top 40 album being Mean Old Man in 2010.
According to his official biography, “Jerry Lee Lewis was born on September 29th, 1935, in Ferriday, Louisiana. He began playing the piano at age 9, copying the styles of preachers and black musicians that traveled through the area. He signed with Sun Records in 1956 and quickly became a star. He was the first person inducted into the first class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
With his innovative and flamboyant piano playing style, Jerry Lee Lewis emerged as one of rock music’s early showman in the 1950s. His musical talents became apparent early on in life. He taught himself to play piano and sang in church growing up. Lewis listened to such radio shows as the Grand Ole Opry and Louisiana Hayride. Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams and Al Jolson were some of his early influences.”
Lewis was was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s first class in 1986.
In 2006’s he recorded Last Man Standing, with help from such famous admirers as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Buddy Guy. Collaborator Kristofferson described Lewis as “one of the few who can do rock ‘n’ roll, country or soul, and every song is authentic.”
Lewis and Kristofferson worked together again on Lewis’s next effort, 2010’s Mean Old Man. The all-star guests on this release included Eric Clapton, Tim McGraw, Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock and John Fogerty among others
In October of 2014 Lewis released his first ever biography with Pulitzer Prize winning author Rick Bragg, Jerry Lee Lewis – His Own Story. His final studio album, Rock & Roll Time also came out in October of 2014.