<back - JERRY LEE LEWIS aka THE KILLER - Born September 29, 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana, Jerry Lee grew up to the sounds of his parents, Jimmie Rodgers and Al Jolson records. At the age of five, while playing the piano at his aunt's home, his parents declared that Jerry Lee was born to be a great pianist and later mortgaged their farm to buy him a real piano of his own, a Stark upright. Soon afterwards, Jerry Lee was playing to large crowds at grand openings, civic centers, etc. At the age of fifteen, he was playing professionally for a traveling revival show. He became a master of all Country styles, plus the Jazz of Louis Armstrong. He soon discovered the Delta Blues of his region and became a master of this style as well. Moon Mullican, an excellent Country-Blues pianist, was a big inspiration as was Hank Williams and Boogie-woogie Bluesman Piano Red. Merrill E. Moore is another excellent singer/pianist, who is said to have been a big inspiration (Jerry Lee did House of Blue Lights and others associated with Merrill Moore). Soon, he was a master of all styles, from Country to Swing to Blues to R&B to Jazz. Jerry Lee Lewis cut his first 2 records in 1954 and signed to Sun Records in 1956. His first release was Crazy Arms, which cemented the Killer's style for his career.

His next releases, Great Balls of Fire, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, Breathless and High School Confidential entered the top positions of Country, Blues and Pop charts between 1957/58.There is a lot more to Jerry Lee Lewis than that. He went on to become an excellent R&B singer in the late '50's, then progressed to be a Soul singer and Country singer in the '60's, finding enormous success as a Country artist. Jerry Lee Lewis turned to Gospel music in 1970, and returned to his southern Blues/ Rockabilly roots in 1973 thru 1979. Jerry Lee's later albums were as good as ever, including his Young Blood. In 1986, Jerry Lee Lewis was unanimously voted the first artist to be inducted into the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame. His life was profiled in 1989 in the motion picture, Great Balls of Fire starring Dennis Quaid. In 1993 Jerry Lee wrote and published his autobiography, 'Killer' with author Charles White. There are few originals in '50s Rock n' Roll, most taking their cue from Elvis or Little Richard, but Lewis is one of the major stylists in the history of American popular music. He'll be first to tell you, "there is simply no one quite like the Killer".   MP3- WILD ONE | UBANGI STOMP |   surf to www.jerryleelewis.com