erry Lee Lewis was rock & rolls original prodigal son. At one time, it seemed like I was burying somebody every week.. But others would. On June 8, 1982, the marriage to Jaren Pate came to an end. But it didnt delve deep enough into exploring Lewis indomitable character. The book includes lots of details about Jerry's early career that a music historian might appreciate. Jerry Lee would never accept her child as his, and no one would ever launch any legal proceeding to prove his parentage. Brown, Lewis' cousin and the bass player in his band. The "Great Balls of Fire" rocker's career took a hit following his marriage to Myra Gale Brown, his first cousin once removed and the daughter of Lewis' bassist. They would say, Youre fine. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. in 2004.. And still, the world remains fascinated by the marriagewhen the Wall Street Journal asked him about it recently, he said, I probably would have rearranged my life a little bit different, but I never did hide anything from people The newspapers in England came down heavy but they didnt faze me, really. The British tabloids went ballistic, and after a few dates, the tour was cancelled. She married Lewis on December 12, 1957, at the age of 13. Since Myra Lewis Williams, now 70, was never able to go on with, or even to start, her life as usual, it seemed a good time to finally let her tell her own story, in her own words. Lewis later said the pistol had simply slipped from the dashboard to the floorboard. He was an utterly convincing and affecting barroom singer, like Merle Haggard, and like Haggard, he wielded singular tone and timing. And, OK, if you say to me now, Theres a 13-year-old girl over here who wants to get married, I would say God, please do not do that, little girl. He followed her in his car and forced her off the road. Trump White House Pressured Disney to Censor Jimmy Kimmel Post continues below. Its noon, and the lobby of the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel is swarming with the ladies-who-lunch set. That little girl I used to be, she died. At that time, Elvis had gone into the Army, and Jerry was poised to be the king. Jerry Lee & Myra Lewis Interview ( 1958 ) robin haugsnes 5.68K subscribers Subscribe 793 Share 365K views 14 years ago Jerry telling about his tour in London, where everything went pretty bad,. When Myra Williams looks back on her life her marriage to her cousin, singer Jerry Lee Lewis, in 1957 when she was just 13 years old, their good and bad times together, the two children they. Really? Myra Gale Brown (born July 11, 1944) is the cousin and former wife of singer Jerry Lee Lewis. What can you do but accept it? 1, Sings the Country Music Hall of Fame Hits, Vol. He said later, It knocked me to my knees, but you dont see me cryin, dont see me carryin on. That night Jerry Lee went to a club, drank champagne, and admired a brand new .38 derringer the club owner had given him. ", "Myra Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis' 13-year-old bride, speaks out", "Jerry Lee Lewis Married His 13-Year-Old Cousin And Ruined His Career", "Jerry Lee Lewis' teenage bride speaks out: 'I was the adult and Jerry was the child', "Jerry Lee Lewis' Lawsuit Against Daughter Dismissed by Judge", "Cousin's ex becomes Jerry Lee Lewis' 7th wife", "The Tiny Spark That Survived: The Rock 'n' Roll Life of Star's Child Bride", "Jerry Lee Lewis' former teenage wife releases new book", "Cannes Review: Ethan Coen's 'Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble In Mind', Sings the Country Music Hall of Fame Hits, Vol. Find Myra Brown stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Elvis never talked about the incident. Lewis was shunned . We kept thinking every year, every six months, that it was going to go away, theyre going to stop talking about it, and it just didnt happen. And they just werent ready for that. In 1958, when Elvis Presley was drafted into the military . "[4][10] Their divorce was finalized on December 9, 1970. Some artists can only be the person they dreamed of being in those moments when they are onstage or before a camera or singing a song or writing a page. He had drunk and fought and sinned across the land, chasing and chasing, and it would be noble to say that his desire for it all was reduced to insignificance by the death of his son, but it would be a lie, wrote Rick Bragg in his 2014 authorized biography, Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story. When all of this hit in London in 1958, it just took the world by storm. Myra Gale Brown : I don't even know what hydrogen is. At the time, she hadn't realized that there was anything wrong with her relationship with Lewis. Lewis had been struggling with his health, and Judith had agreed to care for him at the request of Rusty. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. She has a career in real estate in Georgia since 1980 (under the name Myra Williams or Myra Lewis Williams). It also ruined Lewis' career. She is the co-author of the book Great Balls of Fire: The Uncensored Story of Jerry Lee Lewis. @rush it does seem incredible, but half of the states in the US still have no minimum age for marriage in 2022. The British public, fueled by the tabloids branding Lewis as a cradle robber and a baby snatcher, practically drove him out of the country, vehemently abhorring his relationship. [16][14] The book was originally released in October 1982 by William Morrow and Company. What happened that night could never really be separated from the myths of the two men. In blistering heat, with nine dogs scurrying underfoot, I found that Myra was a bright, funny woman, with a very clear perspective on her notorious past, and she gave new insight into this pivotal moment in rock & roll history. Jerry Lee Lewis knew the person he was when he wasnt making music but it didnt save him, or those around him, from his worst impulses. He could be unmerciful and abusive. The label hoped, in 1964, it had a surefire hit that would put him back on top, Im on Fire. Instead, the song was like a parody of Jerry Lees early style, a parody that wasnt funny. It was as if now being onstage wasnt saving him like it had; it was simply a means to stay on the road with musicians he could party with. 8 Myra Gale Brown Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE Collections Project #ShowUs Creative Insights Custom Content EDITORIAL VIDEO BBC Motion Gallery NBC News Archives MUSIC BLOG BROWSE PRICING VisualGPS INSIGHTS BOARDS CART SIGN IN Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO Myra Lewis (Myra Gale Brown) was born on 11 July, 1944 in United States, is an American author. "Jay" Brown. As well as a roster of unforgettable songs, Jerry Lee Lewis is known . I plumb married the girl, didnt I? he told one reporter. It was a perfect stormit couldnt have happened at a worse time, at a worse place. Discover Myra Lewis's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Myra was only 13 when she married Jerry Lewis. She co-wrote many books, such as Great Book Of Fire and The Spark That Survived, and earned people's love and popularity through her book. And Jerry gave it to themwell, I did, I opened my mouth. He died on Nov. 13, 1973. Thats my little brother, thats my mother. Because that was the truth! She had wanted to tell the story of a woman surviving difficult circumstances and inspire women to understand their own strengths,[18] so she published her memoir, The Spark That Survived, in 2016. Shes hittin herself in the face., Another night, when shed flushed his pills down the toilet for fear hed kill himself, he went into a rage and bashed her to the floor. Jerry Lee Lewis' seven wives - from his 13-year-old cousin to tragic drowning. @rush Poor working class, Louisiana. The daughter of J.W. Neither was badly hurt in the accident, but Lewis got charged with drunk and reckless driving. It was to Judith Brown, who was the ex-wife of his cousin Rusty Brown, Myras younger brother. When the woman who owned the house could no longer see her, she sent her son to look for her. His estate has generated millions over the years. The couple were due in court that same month to end the union. Second, she was his cousin, and the daughter of his bassist J.W. He hit the gate, he went on, Cause Is drunk.. V roce 1949 se rodina pesthovala do Memphisu v Tennessee, kdy J.W. Longtime Gwinnett resident Myra Lewis Williams has penned a new memoir sharing her life story, including her teenage marriage with her second cousin rock n' roll star . Unfortunately, returning stateside did nothing to stop the flood of vitriol that was spewing about Lewis and Brown. The Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On and Great Balls of Fire hitmaker had eloped with Myra Gale Brown in December 1957, the result of a romance that developed when he moved into the Memphis home of Myras father, JW Brown, who was Lewis cousin and bass player, according to Lewis obituary in The Times. However Buddy Holly's legacy has been marred due to legal disputes among his heirs. Myra Gale Brown (born on July 11, 1944) is an American creator. Jerry Lee Lewis would remain a mix of good news and bad until he was too old to trouble anybody much, but that was a long time and a lot of trouble later. But Lewis had a storied private life, and his career took a nosedive in the late 1950s, when he married Myra Gale Brown. On that day in June, Jaren was sunbathing at a friends house. The day before that drive down Elvis Presley Boulevard, Lewis had rolled his Rolls-Royce with his fourth wife, Jaren Pate, in the car. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Light wrote that the duo were "joking and giggling, poking and swatting each other, Jerry Lee even sneaking a kiss at one point". [3][2] When Lewis arrived in London for a 37-date tour in May 1958, Brown revealed to a reporter at the airport that she was his wife. Lewis's daughter Phoebe had hired Brown to take care of her aging father when he was ill around ten years ago. After the two were married on December 12, 1957, Lewis planned to take Brown along on a tour of England. When towing a car with his Jeep, the hitch came loose, causing the Jeep to flip, breaking Jr.s neck. In September 1976, Lewis was celebrating his 41st birthday at his home when Butch Owens, his bass player, showed up with a friend. 58 Followers. Myra Gale Lewis Williams (ne Brown; born July 11, 1944) is an American author, best known for her controversial marriage at the age of 13 to rock and roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis, who was her first cousin once removed and was 22 at the time. Lewis upended pop music with Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On and Great Balls of Fire, but his personal life was a chronicle of scandal and controversy. They would sit up late at Graceland talking. In 1970, Brown filed for divorce on the grounds of adultery and abuse after hiring a private investigator to tail her husband. Hed wait to see what came of it. Jerrys wife. The reporter was startled. By the time he was 21, he had begun recording with the likes of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Rock & roll is mean and corrupting music, said Jerry Lee, who was raised deeply religious in Louisiana (his cousin was the televangelist Jimmy Swaggart). Jack Good had plans to take it Broadway, but Lewis wouldnt go with it. Select from premium Myra Brown of the highest quality. 1 of 5. I was the one who let the big ol' cat out of the bag. Her second book chronicled her experiences becoming a mother at age 14 and then again at 17 and losing their son Steve by accidental drowning in 1962. Steve tragically drowned at age 3, and Phoebe grew up to become her father's manager. And . Myras voice was relegated to a quote or two. Options, mindsetsthis world has gone so fast the last fifty years that you cant keep up with it. Due to her marriage with Jerry Lewis, she was controversial in the media. Hulton Arcive/Getty ImagesJerry Lee Lewis and Myra Gale Brown shortly after their wedding in December 1957. On December 12, 1958, Myra Brown, 13, married Jerry Lee Lewis, 22, in Hernando, Mississippi (Hulton Archive/Getty Images) What allegedly fueled the fire was the press's discovery, after Lewis returned to Memphis, that Brown was the daughter of Lewis' cousin and bass player, JW Brown. Myra Lewis harbors little bitterness today, even though Lewis has attacked her character in recent interviews. Highest quality on June 8, 1982, the song was like a parody of Jerry Lees early style a. Born July 11, 1944 ) is the co-author of the two were married on December 12, 1957 Lewis... 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