Jerry Lee LewisWith a lifetime of triumph and tragedy to draw from, Jerry Lee Lewis performs with the seasoned wisdom of a man who's seen it all and the savvy confidence of a performer who knows that music--and the emotional truths it carries--is what matters most. Born September 29, 1935, into a poor family in Louisiana, Lewis was developing his ferocious approach to the piano by the age of 10, synthesizing the boogie-woogie he heard on the radio with the Southern-fried R&B emanating from a local juke joint owned by his uncle. After a brief enrollment in Southwestern Bible College, the call of music continued to pull Lewis. Bringing together elements of R&B, boogie-woogie, gospel and country into a sound uniquely his own, he became an integral part of the emerging rock 'n' roll that was usurping and supplanting the big band sounds of popular music. By 1956, Lewis had found his way into Sun Studios, where he cut his first charting single, and worked as an in-house session musician. One day, while playing piano for some Carl Perkins sessions, Lewis became part of an impromptu jam session that included Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley. The engineer rolled the tape and created the lone recording of the "Million Dollar Quartet." With the release of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire" in 1957, Lewis crossed over onto the pop, R&B, and country charts and landed some film performance roles. When Elvis saw Jerry Lee Lewis perform, he said that if he could play piano like that, he'd stop singing. Jerry Lee Lewis has earned countless awards, including a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, two Grammy awards (one a Lifetime Achievement), and a National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award. Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay informed about Farm Aid's activities, the annual concert, and current food and farm issues. |
