Jerry Lee Lewis, the legendary rocker known for “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” has died at his home south of Memphis. He was 87.
Lewis’s publicist confirmed his death Friday (October 28), two days after erroneous reports of his passing circulated the internet.
“Judith, his seventh wife, was by his side when he passed away at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, south of Memphis. He told her, in his final days, that he welcomed the hereafter and that he was not afraid,” the press release read.
Nicknamed “The Killer,” Lewis was first found success as a rock ‘n’ roll artist, but saw great country music success after his 1968 release of “Another Place, Another Time.” The single kick-started a long string of chart-topping hits. Over the course of the next decade, Lewis earned 17 Top 10 singles on the Billboard country chart, including, “What’s Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out of Me),” “To Make Love Sweeter For You,” “She Still Comes Around (To Love What’s Left of Me),” “Since I Met You Baby,” “Once More With Feeling,” “One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart),” and “Sometimes A Memory Ain’t Enough.”
After news of his death was made public, Jerry Lee Lewis‘s sister shared a heartfelt post to Facebook honoring her memory of their relationship.
“I can’t believe my big brother is gone, my world will never be the same again. From the first moment I opened my eyes he’s been my protector and inspiration. As a child I grew up watching him play piano in our house and developing his distinctive piano and vocal style that would change the world only a few years later,” Linda Gail Lewis wrote before crediting her brother for kickstarting her own music career.
“Jerry is the one that first took me into the studio, made me sing my first notes and record my first record at 15, ‘Seasons of my Heart,’ as a duet with him. I owe him my entire career and my life to him! Every unforgettable experience, every song we sang together, every stage we shared on the road for over two decades will never be forgotten by me, and hopefully not anyone that was there.”
Linda Gail concluded the post with a vow to keep her brother’s memory alive.
“I hope, in my own my humble way, I can keep my brother’s memory alive and as long as I can breathe, every breathe will be a tribute to his legacy, the greatest piano player, singer and brother the world has ever known.”
Linda Gail Lewis is the only sister of Jerry Lee and the last remaining sibling. Their brother Elmo Lewis Jr. died at the age of 8. Their sister Frankie Jean Lewis died suddenly in 2016 at the age of 71. Frankie was well-known to Jerry Lee and Linda Gail’s fans from around the world as she operated the Lewis Family Museum at her home.