Legendary rock n’ roller Jerry Lee Lewis celebrates his 82nd birthday today (September 29th), and tonight will perform in the heart of New York City’s Times Square at B.B. King Blues Club. “The Killer,” as Jerry Lee was nicknamed in high school, came of age as part of the legendary Sun Records roster in the 1950’s, alongside Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins. Although he grew up with similar influences as his labelmates, his music had a much harder edge — his acrobatic piano playing, much like his personality, was rowdy and dangerous. In October 2009, Jerry Lee Lewis opened both the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 25th Anniversary Concerts at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Jerry Lee Lewis live in 1964 performing “A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On” as featured in England’s Don’t Knock The Rock TV special:
In 2013 it was reported that producer T Bone Burnett was working with “The Killer,” on an album that was to be released in conjunction with the HarperCollins publication of Lewis’ recently published memoir — Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story — as told to Pulitzer-Prize winning author Rick Bragg. So far, no release date for the album has been announced.
Jerry Lee Lewis in 1969 performing on This Is Tom Jones:
In 2009 Jerry Lee enlisted some of rock’s greatest icons — and his own biggest fans — to contribute to his most recent album, Mean Old Man. Among the heavyweights appearing on the set are Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, John Fogerty, Mavis Staples, Slash, Tim McGraw, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Solomon Burke, among others — many of whom appeared on Lewis’ 2006 set, Last Man Standing.
