American Songwriter

On This Day in 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis Released a Controversial Song That Became His First No. 1

On this day (April 15) in 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis released “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On” as his second single for Sun Records. It went to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, giving Lewis ...
American Songwriter

Remember When: Jerry Lee Lewis’ Electrifying TV Debut

When Jerry Lee Lewis first appeared on TV, it sent shock waves through rock music. Lewis made his TV debut on The Steve Allen Show on July 28, 1957, where he performed what would be one of his ...
American Songwriter

Watch Keith Richards, Merle Haggard, and Jerry Lee Lewis Join Willie Nelson to Perform a Blues Standard

Willie Nelson has been in the music business for nearly 70 years. As a result, he has had plenty of time to make friends across various genres. The 2004 TV special and live album Willie Nelson & ...
American Songwriter

On This Day in 1972, Jerry Lee Lewis Turns a Flirty Telephone Call Into a No. 1 Hit With “Chantilly Lace”

The landscape of rock music shifted forever in July 1957, when Jerry Lee Lewis made his TV debut on The Steve Allen Show. For more than seven decades, the Louisiana-born rockabilly pioneer churned out ...
American Songwriter

Remember When Jerry Lee Lewis Broke All the ‘Grand Ole’ Rules During His 1973 Performance Banning Him From the Opry

Years after establishing himself in the genre with country hits “She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye,” “To Make Love Sweeter for You,” “What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me),” “End of ...
American Songwriter

On This Day in 2022, the World Lost a Rock and Roll Legend Who Was as Controversial as He Was Influential

It’s not often that a musician earns the distinction of living in infamy without a touch of hyperbole, but Jerry Lee Lewis is a notable and disconcerting exception. He was, for all intents and ...