by Rick Bragg
Hall, Roy. “I Remember Jerry Lee Lewis.” Country Music Inquirer, July 1983, www.kyleesplin.com/Roy%20Hall%20remembers%20Jerry%20Lee.htm.
Hays, Will S. “Captain J. M. White,” in Robert Dabney Calhoun, A History of Concordia Parish, Louisiana. Louisiana Historical Quarterly 15, no. 1 (1932).
Hendrick, Kimmis. “A Rock-and-Blues ‘Othello.’” Christian Science Monitor, Mar. 23, 1968.
“Home of Jerry Lee Lewis Won’t Reopen to Public.” Associated Press State and Local Wire, in Desoto Times Today, Aug. 11, 2005.
Hubbard, Kim, and Mary Shaughnessy. “A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goes on as Rock ’n’ Roll’s Oldies but Goodies Make It to the New Hall of Fame.” People, Feb. 10, 1986.
Humphrey, Mark. “Jerry Lee Lewis.” Esquire 97, no. 6 (June 1982).
“IRS Puts Jerry Lee Lewis’ Property on Auction Block.” Associated Press, Oct. 23, 1980.
Jerome, Jim. “Fame, Tragedy and Fame Again: Jerry Lee Lewis Has Been Through Great Balls of Fire, Otherwise Known as Hell.” People, Apr. 24, 1978.
“Jerry Lee Lewis ‘All Right’ After Stomach Surgery.” United Press International, Nov. 13, 1985.
“Jerry Lee Lewis and the Law.” Washington Post, Nov. 24, 1976.
“Jerry Lee Lewis Files Bankruptcy Petition.” Associated Press, Nov. 9, 1988.
“Jerry Lee Lewis Fined.” Delta Democrat-Times, May 8, 1975.
“Jerry Lee Lewis Has Little Left, Lawyer Says.” Associated Press, Dec. 9, 1988.
“Jerry Lee Lewis Undergoes Second Stomach Operation.” Associated Press, July 11, 1981.
“Jerry Lee Lewis’ Wife Dies.” Washington Post, Aug. 25, 1983.
“Jerry Lee Lewis Wins Achievement Award.” Associated Press Online, Jan. 5, 2005.
“Jerry Lee’s Wife Had ‘10 Times’ Usual Methadone Dose.” Associated Press, Sept. 17, 1983.
“Johnny Cash Visits Ailing Jerry Lee Lewis at Hospital.” Associated Press, July 13, 1981.
Johnson, Robert. “TV News and Views.” Memphis Press-Scimitar, Dec. 5, 1956.
“Jury Finds No Cause for Charges in Death of Singer’s Wife.” Associated Press, Sept. 21, 1983.
Kempley, Rita. “‘Great Balls’: Tall Tale of Hot Wax.” Washington Post, June 30, 1989.
King, Wayne. “Swaggart Says He Has Sinned; Will Step Down.” New York Times, Feb. 22, 1988.
Lewis, Jerry Lee, and Charles White. Killer! London: Century, 1995.
Lewis, Linda Gail, with Les Pendleton. The Devil, Me, and Jerry Lee. Atlanta: Longstreet, 1998.
Lewis, Myra, with Murray Silver. Great Balls of Fire: The Uncensored Story of Jerry Lee Lewis. New York: Morrow, 1982.
Lewis, Randy. Review of Mean Old Man, by Jerry Lee Lewis, Los Angeles Times, Sept. 7, 2010, http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/09/album-review-jerry-lee-lewis-mean-old-man.html.
Loftin, Zeke. “Jerry Lee Lewis.” Twisted South 1, no. 2 (Winter 2011).
Lollar, Michael. “Jerry Lee Lewis Opens His Home for Tours, Cash.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, Aug. 3, 1994.
“Magazine, ABC Question Jerry Lee’s Role in Wife’s Death.” Associated Press, Feb. 3, 1984.
“Methadone Linked to Death of Entertainer’s Wife.” Associated Press, Sept. 14, 1983.
Murphy, Leona Sumrall. A Teenager Who Dared to Obey God. South Bend, IN: LeSEA Publishing, 1985.
Nelson, Stanley. “A Century.” Concordia Sentinel, Feb. 25, 2004.
. “Haney’s Big House—a Legendary Place—Down the Street from Morris’ Shop.” Concordia Sentinel, Nov. 26, 2007.
“No More Nightclubs.” Washington Post, Dec. 11, 1970, p. C6.
Palmer, Robert. “Waldorf Rocks ’n’ Rolls with Hall of Fame Stars.” New York Times, Jan. 25, 1986.
. Jerry Lee Lewis Rocks! New York: Delilah Books, 1981.
Pareles, Jon. “Rock Hall of Fame Adds Members.” New York Times, Jan. 22, 1987.
“People in the News.” Associated Press, Sept. 13, 1980.
“People in the News.” Associated Press, Feb. 20, 1981.
“Presley’s Doctor Acquitted on All Prescription Charges.” New York Times, Nov. 5, 1981.
Ryan, James. “Rocker Jerry Lee Lewis Honored with Star on Walk of Fame.” United Press International, June 14, 1989.
Sanderson, Jane. “In the Wake of His Fifth Wife’s Death, Jerry Lee Lewis Takes Bride No. 6, Kerrie McCarver.” People 21, no. 19 (May 14, 1984).
Sandlin, Lee. Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild. New York: Vintage, 2011.
Sayre, Alan. “Evangelist Stepping Down Pending Investigation into Sex Scandal.” Associated Press, Feb. 22, 1988.
“Scandals: No Apologies This Time.” Time, Oct. 28, 1991.
Seago, Les. “Entertainer Released After Pleading, Posting Bond.” Associated Press, Feb. 16, 1984.
. “Entertainer Fights for Life.” Associated Press, July 11, 1981.
“Singer Taken off Critical List, Serious but Stable.” Associated Press, July 20, 1981.
“Singer Undergoes Further Surgery.” Associated Press, July 10, 1981.
Smith, Cecil. “‘Catch My Soul’ Rocks the Ahmanson Theatre.” Los Angeles Times, Mar. 7, 1968.
Sullivan, Jim. “Jerry Lee Lewis: ‘The Killer’ Says the Wild Times Are Behind Him.” Chicago Tribune, July 28, 1985.
Swaggart, Jimmy, with Robert Paul Lamb. To Cross a River. Baton Rouge: Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, 1984.
“Tennessee Singer Is Ordered Arrested After Ignoring Court.” New York Times, Nov. 25, 1976.
“The Sudden Death of Wife No. 5 Confronts Jerry Lee Lewis with Tragedy—and Troubling Questions.” People, Sept. 12, 1983.
Tosches, Nick. Hellfire: The Jerry Lee Lewis Story. New York: Delacorte Press, 1982.
. Country: The Twisted Roots of Rock ’n’ Roll. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 1996.
“When Elvis and Jerry Lee Were Rock’s Naked Bikers.” Miami Herald, June 28, 1989.
Willet, Edward. Janis Joplin: Take Another Little Piece of My Heart. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2008.
Williams, Bayne C. “Jerry Lee Lewis’s Wife Seeks Divorce.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, Apr. 24, 2002.
“Woman Riding in Swaggart Car Says She’s a Prostitute.” Associated Press, in Los Angeles Times, Oct. 12, 1991.
INDEX
The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific entry, please use your e-book reader’s search tools.
ABC, 198, 377, 422
accordion, 128
Acuff, Roy, 4, 58, 70, 142, 143, 375
“Ain’t That a Shame,” 83
Alabama, 92, 138, 158, 179, 198, 318, 322, 329
“Alabama Jubilee,” 68
Alexander, Arthur, 407
Allen, Steve, 197, 201–7, 224, 297–98, 339
“All Shook Up,” 197
All You Need Is Love: Popular Music (TV show), 392
“Amazing Grace,” 360
American Bandstand, 209, 291
American Music Masters series, 455
amphetamines, 235, 323–24
Angola Prison, 96–101, 107, 121–22
Anka, Paul, 243, 247, 248–49
Lewis and, 248–49
Ann-Margret, 284
“Another Place, Another Time,” 333–34, 338, 343, 346, 375–76
record sales, 343
Apollo Theater, New York, 221–24, 291
Apollo 12, 349–50
Arkansas, 75, 88, 179, 180, 222, 223, 292, 293, 297, 326
Arnold, Jack, 258
Assembly of God, 4, 5, 447, 73–75, 85, 115, 116, 119, 357, 435–36, 437
Atkins, Chet, 160, 232
Atlanta, 83, 148, 328
Atlas Bar, 133–34
Atlas Sewing Machine Company, 119–22
Austin, Gene, 68
Austin City Limits (TV show), 424
Australia, 247–49, 353, 354, 440
Autry, Gene, 59, 68, 91, 104, 165, 175, 180, 220, 258
&nb
sp; Avalon, Frankie, 219, 299
“Baby Baby Bye Bye,” 300
Baez, Joan, 346
Bakker, Jim, 433
Ballard, Hank, 320
banjo, 142
Barefoot, Dr. Bebe, 465
Barton, Reverend Jewell, 106
bass, 146, 165, 181, 219, 223, 324, 412, 461
Batey, David, 53, 462
Batey, Paul, 59
Baton Rouge, 26, 120, 412, 433
Beach Boys, 299
Beagle Records, 153
Beatles, 316, 318–19, 327, 354, 378, 428
“Beautiful Dreamer,” 402, 436
“Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” 346
Belushi, John, 393
Berle, Milton, 205
Berry, Chuck, 13, 83, 145, 146, 170, 172, 194–95, 222, 232, 300, 318, 320, 348, 367, 428, 451
Big Beat tour, 251–56
Lewis and, 251–56, 431
performing style of, 253
in prison, 299
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, 428–31
Bible, 38–39, 45, 46, 48, 112–19, 215
bigamy, 272–77, 281
big band music, 69, 126, 157, 222
Big Beat tour, 251–56
“Big Blon’ Baby,” 298
Big Bopper, 299, 364, 365–66
“Big Boss Man,” 322
Big D Jamboree, 179
“Big-Legged Woman,” 188
Big Maybelle, 148
Billboard, 176, 194, 221, 244, 278–80, 282, 303, 365
Bing, Steve, 452–53
Birmingham, Alabama, 15, 318
“Black Bottom Stomp,” 175
Black River, 1–2, 21, 23, 101, 140
blacks, 25–26, 73, 222
music, 64, 69, 81–88, 222, 252, 299, 447, 448
nightclubs, 77–88, 297
racism and, 26, 80, 82, 222, 223, 254, 327
segregation, 26, 80, 82, 222, 223
Blackwell, Otis, 197, 215, 219, 234, 246, 298
Bland, Bobby “Blue,” 83, 348
“Blueberry Hill,” 83
Blue Cat Club, 104, 115, 123
bluegrass, 94, 252
“Blue Moon of Kentucky,” 144–45
Blue Peter (TV show), 410
Blue Room, New Orleans, 126
blues, 4, 16, 64, 69–74, 77–88, 103, 123, 124, 132, 152, 157–59, 161, 180, 235, 252, 259, 292, 322, 327, 393, 429, 448
Haney’s Big House, 77–88, 132, 215, 257, 292, 327
“Blue Suede Shoes,” 160, 183, 186, 416
Bonano, Sharkey, 69
boogie woogie, 9, 69, 71, 72, 75, 76, 78, 103, 104, 111, 117, 137, 150, 407
Boone, Pat, 196, 247
bootlegs, 411
Boston, 256–57, 291
Bowie, Jim, 25
Bradford, Gay, 44, 74, 75, 437
Branham, Billy Paul, 113
“Break Up,” 280
“Breathless,” 234, 246–47, 250–51, 254, 263, 266, 298, 317, 321
record sales, 250
Brenston, Jackie, and His Delta Cats, 159
Brion, Jon, 457
Brown, Charles, 83
Brown, Henry, 162
Brown, J. W., 162–63, 168, 181, 204, 212, 222, 223, 236–43, 245, 267
Brown, James, 8, 14, 299, 428
Brown, Jane, 162
Brown, Lois, 163, 168, 237–38, 241, 243, 245, 267, 270
“Brown Eyed Handsome Man,” 172, 252
B-sides, 225–26
Buffalo, New York, 193
Burke, Solomon, 299, 457
burlesque, 109
Burton, James, 412
“Bye, Bye, Blackbird,” 463
Calhoun, Lee, 30–34, 37, 40–42, 45–49, 51, 57–58, 73, 74, 87, 90, 106, 107, 114, 121, 135, 312, 380
death of, 312, 356
Calhoun, Stella, 30–31, 50–52, 74, 87, 106, 114, 131, 415
Calloway, Cab, 72, 222
Camp Meeting Hour, The (radio show), 357
Canada, 185, 296, 348
1957 tour, 184–94
Caribou Ranch recordings, 411
Carmichael, Hoagy, 70, 128, 313
“Carry Me Back to Ol’ Virginia,” 313
cars, 58, 63–64, 73, 77, 101–2, 106, 112, 124, 136, 141, 154, 159, 184–85, 195, 210, 417, 437
Buick, 184, 185, 297, 344
Cadillac, 138, 139, 141, 166, 171, 184, 194, 196, 210, 211, 226, 242, 245, 265, 270, 285, 290, 293, 314, 326, 346, 372, 437
Chevrolet, 112
Corvette, 383, 437
Ford, 101–2, 106, 146
Graceland accident, 398–400, 403
Lewis learns to drive, 63–64
Lincoln, 210, 211, 396–99, 441
Oldsmobile, 159, 265, 434
Plymouth, 136, 227
Pontiac, 120
Rolls-Royce, 372, 373, 396, 468
Cash, Johnny, 160, 169, 179, 200, 207, 253, 300, 319, 391, 448, 456
death of, 448
drug use, 191
Lewis and, 171–76, 185–91, 213, 350, 415, 416, 426
on the road, 185–91
Cash, June Carter, 415
Cason, Buzz, 193
Casone, Frank, 310, 311
Catch My Soul (play), 335–42, 367
CBS, 179, 198, 202
“C. C. Rider,” 366
censorship, 197–201, 203, 206, 207
Chaney, Lon, 59
“Chantilly Lace,” 364–66, 377, 419, 446
Charles, Ray, 83, 231, 302, 320, 376, 429
Checker, Chubby, 299
Chess Records, 252
Chicago, 66, 69, 82, 159, 198, 252
Chitlin’ Circuit, 82
Christian Science Monitor, 340
church music, 67, 73–75, 103, 112–19, 131, 174, 360–62, 363, 402
“City Lights,” 402
Civil War, 2, 25–26, 60, 72, 402
Clapton, Eric, 453
Clark, Dick, 209, 250–51, 277
classical music, 130, 176
Class of ’55 (album), 426, 434
Clayton, Louisiana, 49
Clement, Jack, 160–62, 166, 172, 174, 181–83, 212, 214, 279
Cline, Patsy, 141, 231, 391
death of, 319
Clinton, Bill, 326
clothing, 146, 191–92, 205, 208, 272, 367
Cochran, Hank, 436–37
“Cold, Cold Heart,” 94, 180, 304
Cold War, 245, 260
Columbia Records, 198
Columbia Studio, 332–34
“Come What May,” 228
comics, 201
Concordia Parish, Louisiana, 1, 19–37, 38–76, 80, 96, 101, 196, 239, 247
Concordia Sentinel, 82, 88, 107
Conquer, 53–54
Conrad, Charles, Jr., 349
Cooke, Sam, 222, 231, 299, 428, 468
Corbett, Perry, 44
Coro Lake house, 298, 304–5, 313
“Corrine, Corrina,” 320
cotton, 29, 40, 63, 132
Couch, John, 15
country music, 69, 70, 72, 76, 92–95, 103, 126, 137–40, 161, 179–80, 186, 207, 221, 235, 300, 314, 316, 319, 322, 332, 343
Lewis’s career in, 332–34, 343–66, 374–77, 387–91, 410–11, 445
Nashville, 141–44, 332–34, 347
radio, 344, 346, 366, 390
Country Music: A Family Affair (TV show), 410–11
Country Music Awards, 408
Country Songs for City Folks (album), 322
Cramer, Floyd, 137
Cramer, Richard Ben, 422
“Crazy Arms,” 161–62, 171, 175, 176, 181, 188, 223
on radio, 168
Creation, 83
Creedence Clearwater, 372
crime, 96, 121–22
Crosby, Bing, 392
Crow, Sheryl, 457
Cunningham, B. B., 461
Dallas, 114, 179, 291
“Damn Good Country Song, A,” 387, 442
dancing, 85–86, 150
Daniels,
Danny, 324
Danny and the Juniors, 243
d’Ardillières, Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville et, 22
Davis, Jimmie, 97
Davis, Oscar, 221, 230, 262, 267, 269, 270–71, 275, 277–78, 300, 415
Davis, Sammy, Jr., 339
De Bruhl, Edward, 361
Decca, 148
Depression, 2, 26–27, 28, 29, 32, 40–43, 58, 140, 158, 259, 301, 312
Des Moines, Iowa, 286–90
de Soto, Hernando, 22
Detroit, 58, 101
“Diana,” 247
Dianne Lane house, 245–46
Dick Clark Show, The (TV show), 250–51
Dickinson, Angie, 339, 340
Dick Tracy (movie), 440
Diddley, Bo, 231, 348, 392
disco, 152
Dixieland, 69
Domino, Fats, 83, 111, 145, 146, 198, 219, 220, 232, 243, 244, 253, 299, 347, 366, 428, 430, 451
“Don’t Be Cruel,” 173, 197, 366
Don’t Knock the Rock (TV show), 315–16
“Don’t Let Go,” 233, 320
“Don’t Stay Away (Till Love Grows Cold),” 111
“Down the Line,” 307, 317
“Down the Road a Piece,” 68
“Down Yonder,” 143, 376
Drifters, 198
“Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee,” 71, 102, 368
drugs, 11, 110, 133, 191, 235–36, 286
Lewis and, 11, 133, 191, 235–36, 286, 322–28, 353, 359–60, 372–74, 387, 388, 395–400, 408–12, 420–22, 426, 434, 441, 447, 452, 458
drums, 128, 163–65, 181, 219, 223, 324, 329, 351, 352, 372, 412
early rock-and-roll, 163–65
dubbing, 165, 391
duels, 25
Dunbar, William, 23
Dundy, Elaine, 26
Dupree, Jack, 69
Dylan, Bob, 391, 407
Ealey, YZ, 81
Early, Hezekiah, 80, 82, 83
Ed Sullivan Show, The (TV show), 194, 202
Edward, John Frank, 106
Elektra, 406–7, 445
Lewis at, 406–7, 410–11
Emerson, Billy, “The Kid,” 164
“End of the Road,” 165, 175, 176
Escott, Colin, 298, 456
Estes, John, 157
Evans, Marilyn, 171, 174
Everly Brothers, 243, 428
“Every Day I Have to Cry,” 407
Fabian, 299
Fair, Juanita, 15
“Feelin’ Good,” 304
Feron, Charles, 397
Ferriday, J. C., 26
Ferriday, Louisiana, 21, 26–27, 32–37, 43–76, 77–122, 130, 192, 210, 220, 226, 264–65, 277, 309, 327, 362, 432, 467–69
Ferriday Elementary School, 60, 67
Ferriday High School, 110, 144
Fink, Mike, 22
Fitzgerald, Ella, 222
