16. Nicknamed The Killer, this bad-boy had an image as a hell-raiser, kicked the piano bench away from him, and played his boogie woogie standing up more than he did sitting down.
From Quiz Mississippi's Famous Musicians
Answer:
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis was born on September 29, 1935 on a plantation in Ferriday, Louisiana. At seven years old, he taught himself to play the guitar. One year later, he discovered the ivories on the piano. His family was poor, but they mortgaged their house to purchase a piano for their son after realizing he had developed an early talent. He was raised on gospel in the Assembly of God Church where he also played. He got his first job when he was only 13 years old where he played in a nightclub in Mississippi, earning $10 a night. By the end of 1957, he would be making $10,000 a night. In 1956, his father took him to Memphis, Tennessee to Sun Records Studio, where he met Sam Phillips. In 1956, he first toured with Johnny Cash. In 1957, Jerry Lee recorded, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", followed by, "Great Balls of Fire", which became his biggest hit. Elvis Presley once told Jerry Lee, "If I could play the piano like that, I'd quit singing". Elvis, as well as Johnny, would become true friends to Lewis through the years. In 1958, at the height of his national success, his sky-rocketing career came crashing down to earth when in Britain, the public was appalled at the news that Lewis, then only 23 years old, had married his 13 year old cousin, Myra Gale Brown. The tour was cancelled after only three concerts, and Lewis soon vanished from the music scene. Jerry Lee loved the country landscape so much that he purchased a 32 acre ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi, just 25 miles south of Memphis. He secluded himself and his family there for many years before making a comeback in music. In 1962, his first son, Steve Allen Lewis, drowned in the family swimming pool when he was only three years old. Afterwards, Lewis poured his heart and soul into country and western music to deal with his grief. Six of his singles hit number one on the country charts. Later, his erratic behavior was induced with alcohol and drugs, and worsened due to another family tragedy. In 1973, his son, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jr. was killed in an automobile crash at the young age of 19. So overtaken by the poisons of alcohol and drugs, Lewis knew he couldn't overcome his addictions by himself. He checked into the Betty Ford Clinic for help. In 1989, a book written by his ex-wife Myra, "Great Balls of Fire", was made into a movie, that starred Dennis Quaid as the famous piano wild man. "The Killer" was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Lewis developed his own style of playing because there wasn't a role model when he was growing up. He combined his blues and gospel together and created a one-of-a-kind stage production which was exciting, yet unpredictable. His cousins, who lived near him, television evangelist, Jimmy Swaggart and country music artist, Mickey Gilley, also grew up with the similar piano style, because they too, were raised in the same religious musical background. However, they couldn't quite take their piano playing over the top as their famous hell-raising cousin did. Some people thought his wild stage antics were silly. Others would say they were down-right stupid, while others who really knew the real Jerry Lee, would agree that he was a living legend and all around, the greatest boogie woogie, country, soul, and rock and roll piano player that's ever hit the big stage!
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