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Steve Wicketts' Jerry Lee Lewis - Biography - Continued However, Jerry Lee Lewis’s personal life was about to compete for the lime light. The cultural behaviour in the Deep South in the 1950’s, was more than a little shocking to say the least. The majority of the people who live in the Deep south of the United States of America were God fearing church goers, who believe that sex before marriage was a Sin. There is a strange twist to this, they allowed their Daughters to Wed whilst still in their early teens. They were petrified that one of their Daughters may become pregnant out of Wedlock. The parents of a single teenage Mother would find themselves being outcast and frowned upon by the rest of the community. The whole family would be shamed and ridiculed. Girls as young as 13 getting married was common place, two of Jerry Lee Lewis’s Sisters were under the age of fifteen and married.Living in this cultural environment where young teenage girls were seen as Young ladies, explains why Elvis thought it ok to have Priscilla Live with him when she was only fourteen years old. Elvis’s management shrewdly dealt with this potential career damaging situation extremely well. Elvis eventually Married Priscilla On December 12th 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis married Myra Brown. Just for the record, Both Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis’s Marriages lasted for quite a few years. Myra was Jerry Lee Lewis’s Third wife although, Jerry Lee Lewis would dispute that fact by stating that He Married his Second Wife Jane Mitcham 23 days before his Divorce from his first Wife Dorothy Barton was final, so therefore, technically he was never Married to Jane Mitcham, and didn’t feel it was necessary to Divorce Jane Mitcham, he just went right ahead and Maried Myra Brown. Just like any Soap Opera, it gets worse. He may not have technically been married to Jane Mitcham but, Jane Mitcham is the Mother of Jerry Lee Lewis’s Son Jerry Lee Lewis Junior, did I mention that Myra is Jerry Lee Lewis’s third Cousin (twice removed)? Marrying your Third Cousin and having such young wives may have been relatively common place in the Deep South however, Jerry Lee Lewis was about to find out that the UK and Urban America would not understand or accept the vast cultural differences. In 1958, just one year into his huge success as a rock ‘N’ roll artist, Sam Philips (The owner of Sun Records) foolishly allowed Jerry Lee Lewis to take Myra on his UK tour. Jerry Lee Lewis and his new Young bride, arrived at the airport to a media frenzy, every body wanted to see the new rock ‘N’ roll star Jerry lee Lewis. A reporter came over to Myra and asked her, “Are you related to Jerry Lee Lewis?” She replied, “I’m Mrs. Lewis, I’m Jerry Lee Lewis’s wife”. The Reporter asked straight away, “How old are you?” Myra feeling a little uneasy replied, “I’m fifteen”. The press couldn’t believe it! It hit the headlines. Then, the news came out that not only was Jerry Lee Lewis Married to Young Myra, he’d been Married two times before, his second Wife, Jane, had a Son called Jerry Lee Lewis Jr! You can understand why the British Media just went Crazy! Due to Jerry Lee Lewis’s unconventional personal life, The lime-light was no longer facing the stage. The Newspapers made sure that the public would be completely informed about his marriages to Myra and anything else they could dig up. Jerry Lee Lewis only wanted to take his wife on tour with him, and because of his Deep South upbringing, couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. This Cultural divide proved to be almost fatal to his music career. Jerry Lee Lewis only performed a few dates before the Tour was cancelled and Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra returned to the USA. Jerry Lee Lewis felt sure that once back home, everything would calm down. This wasn’t to be, as the American public felt embarrassed by the outrage he’d caused in the UK and they too turned their back on him. Sam Phillips wanted Jerry Lee Lewis to make a public apology. Jerry Lee Lewis refused point-blank, Stating that he’d done nothing wrong. Instead Jerry Lee Lewis released a statement to all of his Fans and critics.This is the exact text from the statement:- “Dear Friends, I have in recent Weeks been the apparent centre of a fantastic amount of Publicity, and of which none has been good but, there must be a little good in the worst people, and according to the press release originating in London, I’m the worst and I’m not deserving of one decent press release. I confess that my life has been Stormy. I confess further that Since I’ve become a public figure I sincerely wanted to be Worthy of the decent admiration of all the people young and old. I hope that if I’m washed up as an Entertainer, it won’t be because of this bad publicity. Sincerely Jerry Lee Lewis.” Jerry Lee Lewis’s career took a nose-dive, all TV and Radio appearances were cancelled, as were his American concerts. Jerry Lee Lewis Literally over night went from earning $10,000 per gig to earning $200. For the next few years Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra struggled along, and just when they thought it couldn’t get any worse, their three year old son, Steve Allen Lewis, drowned in the family swimming pool. Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra some how just kept on going ,hoping that things would eventually start to pick back up again. Amazingly in 1964, Jerry Lee Lewis’s career started to resurrect itself in Europe. The Beatles were fans of Jerry Lee Lewis. Tom Jones was also a huge fan, and after hearing Jerry Lee Lewis’s version of “Green green grass of home”, Tom Jones recorded it. On the one Hand, The majority of Jerry Lee Lewis’s music had been rock ‘N’ roll, with the odd Country song thrown in. He is primarily a rock and roll performer. On the other hand, Jerry Lee Lewis knew that by recording country songs, he could win over the country fans, as they love a good down and out story. This career shift worked, as both country music lovers and some of his former fans welcomed Jerry Lee Lewis back with open arms. People started saying to Jerry Lee Lewis, “Welcome back”. He would angrily reply, “I haven’t been anywhere, it was you that abandoned me!” This sudden change in Jerry Lee Lewis’s personality started to affect his relationship with Myra, and in 1970, after being together for 13 years, Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra got divorced. Later that same year, Jerry Lee Lewis married his fourth wife. This marriage only lasted two years, and in 1973 they got Divorced. In the same Year, his son, Jerry Lee Lewis Junior, was killed in a road accident. Jerry Lee Lewis couldn’t take much more, however, there was more to come. In 1975 the IRS took most of Jerry Lee Lewis’s personal property for back taxes. Rumour has it that they even took the old piano that his parents bought. Jerry Lee Lewis had taken to drinking heavily and was using drugs to help ease the emotional strain and pain. In 1976 Jerry Lee Lewis accidentally shot his bass player. That same year he was arrested out side Elvis’s house, allegedly brandishing a gun and shouting, “Come on out and lets see who really is the King of Rock ‘n‘ Roll!” Even though Jerry Lee Lewis’s personal life seem to be getting more and more surreal, some how jerry lee Lewis kept on touring and delivering Blistering performances. In 1983 he Married wife number five, who tragically took an overdose just two months after they were married, and was found dead at their home. In 1984, Jerry Lee Lewis got married for the sixth time. He married Kerrie McCarver, this marriage almost stood the test of time. In 1985 Jerry Lee Lewis was rushed to Hospital. The drinking and the drugs had finally caught up with him. He nearly died from bleeding ulcers. In 1986 Jerry Lee Lewis was inducted in to the Rock ‘N‘ Roll Hall of Fame. The following year Jerry lee Lewis’s wife, Kerrie McCarver, gave birth to Jerry Lee Lewes III. In 1989 A Hollywood film about Jerry Lee Lewis’s early career was released called “Great Balls of Fire!”. In 1993 he opened the Jerry Lee Lewis Spot, a night club, it was located only a few blocks from the original home of Sun Records where it had all begun. In 1995 Jerry Lee Lewis (who by now was sixty) released an album called, “Young blood”, which he claims to be his best rock ‘N’ roll album ever. The music press wrote, “This is a party album—and Lewis remains one hell of a host.” Jerry Lee Lewis kept on performing his concerts, then in 1996 he had a small Heart attack. Nothing stops the Killer Jerry Lee Lewis. I was fortunate enough to see him in concert on the 28th of June 2004. The energy that he creates and the speed of his hands moving up and down the piano had the audience completely spellbound! His concerts really are pure dynamite! On the 29th of September 2005 Jerry Lee Lewis was 70, and you wouldn’t believe it, that same year he got Divorced from wife number six, Kerrie McCarver. In the same year, the Grammies gave Jerry Lee Lewis their highest honour, the Life Time Achievement Award. On the 9th of August 2006, I went to see Jerry Lee Lewis in concert. Once again it was an Amazing Show! Jerry Lee Lewis has recently recorded a CD and DVD called “The Last Man Standing” He performs with some of the biggest stars. These include: Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton and Tom Jones, plus many more. The CD is Jerry Lee Lewis’s best selling Album of his career! Jerry Lee Lewis once said, “Just point me to the piano and give me my money. In fifteen minutes I’ll have ‘em SHAKIN, SHOUTIN, SHIVERIN’, and SHAKIN’.” Biography written by Steve Wicketts Click HERE for Bethanys (Steve Wicketts' Daughters) Jerry Lee Lewis biography
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