Jerry Lee Lewis reckons he’s lucky to be alive, said Edna Gundersen in USA Today. It’s been more than 50 years since he first jumped up on his piano and put his libidinous stamp on early rock ’n’ roll with tunes like “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,’’ making himself both a star and a pariah. “I’ve done some crazy things,” he says. “I messed up along the way and got what was coming to me.”
One of the crazier things was marrying his 13-year-old first cousin once removed, back in 1958. The scandal nearly ended his career; it didn’t help that his energetic, boogie-woogie style struck many in the South, including his Baptist family, as “devil’s music.” That term still rankles. “I broke loose and spread my wings, but to call it devil’s music was a little harsh,” he says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
