Guide Note

Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the original pioneers of Rock N' Roll. Roy Orbison called him "the best raw performer in the history of rock and roll music." His hit singles include "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Great Balls of Fire," "Breathless" and "Down The Line."

Fast Facts

1. Full Name: Jerry Lee Lewis
2. Nickname: The Killer
3. Born: September 25, 1935
4. Origin: Ferriday, Louisiana
5. Current Residence: Nesbit, Mississippi
6. Years Active: 1954-present
7. Genres: Country, Rock N Roll
8. Labels: Sun Records, Mercury Records, Warner Bros. Records, MCA Records

He made the news while on tour in 1958 in the United Kingdom when it was found that he married his second cousin twice removed, Myra Gale Brown, who was thirteen years old at the time. His tour was canceled, and upon his return home, radio station refused to play his music, successfully stopping his career. While his divorce from Brown was still pending, he married his second wife Jane Mitcham.

1. "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."
2. "I'm a rompin', stompin', piano playing son of a bitch. A mean son of a bitch."
3. "When they look back on me I want 'em to remember me not for all my wives, although I've had a few, and certainly not for any mansions or high livin' money I made and spent. I want 'em to remember me simply for my music."