| JERRY LEE
LEWIS (ARTIST BIOGRAPHY)
Jerry Lee
Lewis (born September 29, 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana, U.S.) is an
American rock and roll and country music singer, songwriter, and
pianist, as well as an early pioneer of rock and roll music. He was
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and his
pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the
rockabilly Hall of Fame. His nickname is The Killer.
Like Elvis Presley, he was raised singing the Christian gospel music
of integrated southern Pentecostal churches. In 1950 he attended
Southwestern Bible Institute in Texas but was expelled for
misconduct, including playing rock and roll versions of hymns in
church. Pearry Green (then president of the student body) related
how during a talent show Jerry played some worldly music. The next
morning the Dean of the school called both Jerry and Pearry into his
office to expel them both. Jerry then said that Pearry shouldn’t be
expelled because “he didn’t know what I was going to do.” Years
later Pearry asked Jerry: “Are you still playing the devil’s music?”
Jerry replied, “Yes, I am. But you know it’s strange, the same music
that they kicked me out of school for is the same kind of music they
play in their churches today. The difference is, I know I am playing
for the devil and they don’t.”
Leaving religious music behind, he became a part of the burgeoning
new rock and roll sound, cutting his first record in 1954. Two years
later, at Sun Records studio in Memphis, Tennessee, producer and
engineer Jack Clement discovered and recorded Lewis for the Sun
label, while owner Sam Phillips was away on a trip to Florida. As a
result, Lewis joined Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, and
Johnny Cash as stars who began their recording careers at Sun
Studios around this same time.
Lewis’ first recording at Sun studios was his own distinct version
of the country ballad Crazy Arms. In 1957, his piano and the pure
rock and roll sound of Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On propelled him to
international fame. Great Balls Of Fire soon followed, and would
become his biggest hit. Watching and listening to Jerry Lee Lewis,
Elvis said if he could play the piano like that, he’d quit singing.
Lewis’ early billing was Jerry Lee Lewis and his Pumping Piano.
Lewis was a pioneer of piano rock, not only through his sound by
also through his dynamic performance. He would often kick the piano
bench out of the way to play standing, rake his hands up and down
the keyboard for dramatic accent, and even sit down on it. His
frenetic performance style can be seen in films such as High School
Confidential (he sang the title song from the back of a flatbed
truck), and Jamboree. These performance techniques have been adopted
by recent piano rock artists, notably admirer Elton John. Jerry Lee
is still around (2007) and recently recorded an album called ‘Last
Man Standing’ with a host of todays top recording stars. |
