By Chris King • Updated: 28 Oct 2022 • 19:40
Death toll reaches 91 after pedestrian suspension bridge collapses in Gujarat, India
Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the last true legends of 1950s rock and roll has passed away today, Friday, October 28, at the age of 87. The rocker’s death was confirmed by his representative Zach Farnum, who said he passed away at his home in Memphis, Tennessee.
Along with the likes of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard, he was responsible for introducing a whole new genre of music to the world. Dubbed ‘The Killer’, his crazy stage antics combined with incredible piano skills quickly earned him a massive reputation as one of the all-time great entertainers.
While performing his classic hit song ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On’ for a TV show in 1957, chairs were thrown at him. After the show, Lewis said: “There was rockabilly. There was Elvis. But there was no pure rock ‘n ‘roll before Jerry Lee Lewis kicked in the door”.
His private life though was shrouded in scandal. When Presley was drafted into the US Army in 1958 it left the door wide open for Jerry Lee to replace him as the ‘king of rock and roll’.
Things turned sour during his British tour though when it came to light that he had married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown. While that was deemed terrible, it turned out he was still married to his previous wife at the time. As a result, his tour was cancelled, radio stations stopped playing his songs, and virtually overnight he lost all his income.
Speaking in 2014 with the Wall Street Journal, Jerry Lee said: “I probably would have rearranged my life a little bit different, but I never did hide anything from people. I just went on with my life as usual”.
___________________________________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Share this story
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don't already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Download our media pack in either English or Spanish.