by Rick Bragg
drug use, 359, 379
music career, 351–52, 361, 379–80
Lewis, Jerry Lee III, 434–35, 437, 446
Lewis, John Savory, 27
Lewis, Judith Ann Coghlan, 14–15, 458–63, 465–66, 467
Lewis, Kerrie McCarver, 425, 434–35, 437, 443, 444, 446, 451
Lewis, Leroy, 27, 37
Lewis, Linda Gail, 84, 304, 327, 329, 340, 371–72
marriages of, 371–72
music career, 327, 347
Lewis, Lori Leigh, 363, 418, 461
Lewis, Mamie, 3, 21, 29–37, 40–76, 84, 88, 103, 105, 107, 114, 177, 209, 227, 265, 267, 291, 312, 329, 339, 340, 355–63
cancer of, 355–63
death of, 362–63, 372, 375, 381
death of son Elmo, 47–50
divorce from Elmo, 301–2
relationship with Jerry Lee, 56–57, 63, 103, 105, 108, 112, 134, 141, 209–10, 284–85, 301–2, 350, 355–63, 374–75, 416, 437
Lewis, Myra Gayle Brown, 13, 163, 168, 194, 212, 236–43, 263, 338, 415, 459
courted by Lewis, 236–40
death of son Steve Allen, 304–6, 328
divorce from Lewis, 352–53, 395
in Great Britain, 264–76, 303–4, 307
marriage to Lewis, 240–47, 266–83, 297, 312–13, 328–29, 352–53, 437, 439
as a mother, 304–6, 312–13, 328
movie depictions of, 437–39
scandal over, 266–83, 298
Lewis, Phoebe Allen, 312–13, 338, 369, 382, 392–93, 415, 451, 459
Lewis, Shawn Stephens, 417, 421–24
death of, 421–24
Lewis, Steve Allen, 297–98, 304
death of, 304–6, 328, 352
Lewis, Thomas C., 27
“Lewis Boogie,” 180
Liberace, 234
“Life’s Little Ups and Downs,” 353
Lightfoot, Papa George, 83
liquor, 31, 33, 35, 40, 50, 82, 102, 104, 109, 110, 111, 140, 191, 204, 215, 235–36, 340
Haney’s, 82
illegal, 32, 33–34, 40–42, 46, 101
Lewis and, 204, 235–36, 286, 293, 322–28, 353, 359–60, 372–74, 387, 388, 395–400, 408–12, 420–22, 426, 434, 441, 447, 452, 458
Littlejohn, Johnny, 146–51, 467
Little Milton, 83, 159
“Little Queenie,” 300, 419, 430
Little Richard, 145, 146, 196, 231, 251, 299, 347, 348, 367, 429, 451, 453, 454
Little Rock, Arkansas, 179, 223
desegregation, 222
Live at the Star Club (album), 316–18
London, 226, 341
Lewis in, 264–76, 298, 303–4, 306–8, 315, 367–74, 410, 418–19, 440
London Daily Mirror, 272
“Lonely Weekends,” 366
Long, Earl, 110
Long, Huey P., 28–29, 34–35
“Long Gone Lonesome Blues,” 94
“Long Tall Sally,” 317
Los Angeles, 15, 137, 194, 208, 219–20, 230–34, 261, 296–97, 330, 335–42, 378, 379, 391–94, 437
Los Angeles Times, 340, 442
Louisiana, history of, 22–27
Louisiana Hayride, 69, 94, 126, 137, 141, 259
Louisiana Purchase, 23
Lovelace, Kenny, 12, 329–31, 347, 352, 354, 361, 371, 373, 412, 419, 424, 444, 454, 470
“Love Made a Fool of Me,” 300–301
“Love Me Tender,” 208
“Lovesick Blues,” 15, 93, 94, 377, 430
“Lovin’ Up a Storm,” 298
Lymon, Frankie, 243, 254
Lynn, Loretta, 418
MacLeod, Iain, 274
Malito, Peter, 353
Mann, Dagwood, 394
Many Sounds of Jerry Lee, The (TV show), 348
Marcus, Greil, 438
“Margie,” 69
Maris, Julienne, 337
Marshall, William, 337
Martin, Janis, 179
“Matchbox,” 169
May, Julio, 122
“Maybellene,” 252, 320
Mayfield, Percy, 83
MCA, 424
Lewis at, 424
McDuff, Coleman, 116
McGhee, Stick, 4, 71, 102
McGlothin, Glen, 45
McVoy, Carl Everett Glasscock, 75–76, 415
“Me and Bobby McGee,” 366, 377, 404
Mean Old Man (album), 457–58
“Mean Woman Blues,” 195–96, 223, 318, 376
“Meat Man,” 377–78, 420
Medlicott, Sir Frank, 274, 276
Memphis, 1, 4, 78, 81, 82, 103, 131, 140, 142, 194, 297, 310–11, 322
nightclubs, 310–12, 443
radio, 156, 164, 167–69, 194, 196, 279–80
Sun Records, 154–84, 197–201, 207–19, 224–26, 260–63, 277–83, 312, 447–48
Memphis Cotton Carnival, 419–20
Memphis, Helena & Louisiana Railroad, 27
Memphis Holiday Inn concerts, 348
Memphis Press–Scimitar, 172
Memphis Recording Service, 157
Mercury, 314, 318, 321, 327, 340
Lewis at, 327, 332–34, 343–49, 364–66, 387, 390–91, 401–2, 406
Merriweather, Big Maceo, 83
“Mexicali Rose,” 68, 298, 302
Mexican War, 25
MGM, 230
“Middle Age Crazy,” 401, 403
Midnight Special, The (TV show), 378, 379, 400
Milburn, Amos, 69
Miller, Glenn, 68, 104, 301
Million Dollar Quartet (musical), 456–57
Million Dollar Quartet session, 171–76
Mills, Irving, 93
Milton, Roy, 83
Mississippi, 123, 240, 259, 297, 379, 380
Mississippi Queen, 418
Mississippi River, 1–2, 4, 9–12, 23–24
bridge incident, 52–54
floods, 19–20, 80
history of, 23–27
steamboats, 23, 24
Mobile, Alabama, 43, 198
“Money,” 304
Monkees, 347
Monroe, Bill, 142
Montgomery, Gray, 126, 153
Monument Studios, 321
Moore, Bob, 412
Morris, Frank, 327
Morton, Jelly Roll, 109
“Mother, the Queen of My Heart,” 362
motorcycles, 195, 211
Motown, 299
movies, 58–59, 194, 230
Elvis in, 194, 208, 261
Lewis’s career in, 219–20, 258–59, 300
Lewis depicted in, 437–40
Westerns, 59
See also Hollywood; specific movies
Mullican, Moon, 72, 75, 89, 193, 280, 292
Muscle Shoals, 158, 329
music, 3, 8, 64–76
censorship of, 197–201, 203, 206, 207
Haney’s Big House, 77–88, 132, 215, 257, 292, 327
Lewis’s early interest in, 50–52, 56, 64–76, 77–88, 91–95, 101–5, 123–53
Memphis, 154–84, 310–12
Nashville, 141–45
New Orleans, 109–12, 126
postwar, 69–74
softening of rock and roll, 247, 298–300, 319, 391, 404
Sun Records, 154–84, 197–201, 207–19, 224–26, 260–63, 277–83, 312, 447–48
See also specific musicians, styles, songs, albums, recording studios, and venues
Mutrux, Floyd, 456
“My Blue Heaven,” 68
“My God Is Real,” 116–17
“My Old Pal of Yesterday,” 180
Nashville, 8, 13, 69, 93, 95, 103, 141–45, 155, 208, 302, 312, 314, 321, 416
country music, 141–44, 332–34, 347
nightclubs, 143–45
Nashville Remembers Elvis (TV show), 404
Nashville Teens, 317
Natchez, Louisiana, 1, 4, 9, 15, 23, 24, 25, 69, 103–5, 297
nightclubs, 103–5, 119, 122, 123–53
Natchez Under the Hill, 23, 104
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National Enquirer, 421, 443
NBC, 202, 416
Nelson, Ricky, 299
Nelson, Willie, 322, 391, 453
Nesbit ranch, 379, 395, 406, 413, 417, 421, 443–44, 450, 454, 458, 463, 468
guided tours, 444, 446
New France, 22
New Orleans, 1, 25, 28, 34, 41, 61–63, 69, 70, 78, 80, 81, 109–12, 132, 432
nightclubs, 109–12, 126
New Orleans & Northwestern Railroad, 27
New York, 78, 126, 198, 200–207, 219, 265, 427
Big Beat tour, 251–56
Lewis in, 201–7, 221–24, 243–45, 251–56, 266–67, 276–77, 291, 296, 303
New York Times, 442, 457
Nichopoulos, George (Dr. Nick), 372, 409–10, 447
nightclubs, 77–78, 103–5
Haney’s Big House, 77–88, 132, 215, 257, 292, 327, 432
Lewis’s early career in, 103–5, 119, 122, 123–53
Memphis, 310–12, 443
Nashville, 143–45
Natchez, 103–5, 119, 122, 123–53
New Orleans, 109–12, 126
“No Headstone on My Grave,” 368
North Carolina, 445
Oak Ridge Boys, 416
Odessa, Texas, 193–94
Ohio, 198, 290, 412
Old Grey Whistle Test (TV show), 410
“Old Rugged Cross,” 65, 113, 360
Oliver, King, 109
“Once More with Feeling,” 349, 376
“One Rose That’s Left in My Heart,” 373–74, 419
“Only the Lonely, 299
Orbison, Roy, 160, 193–94, 207, 213, 299, 426
death of, 448
organ, 324
Oriental, Memphis, 310–12
“Over the Rainbow,” 410, 411, 455
Owens, Buck, 391
Owens, Butch, 394
P. A. Starck Piano Co., 66
Page, Jimmy, 453
Paley, Andy, 440
Palomino Club, 391–94
Paramount Theater, New York, 243–44, 251–56, 291, 303
Paris, 468, 440
Parker, Colonel Tom, 194, 221, 228, 260, 278, 284, 398
Parker, Junior, 83, 157, 304
Pavy, Benjamin, 34
Payne, Leon, 179
“Peace in the Valley,” 105, 360
Pearl, Minnie, 142, 375, 385
Pearl Harbor, attack on, 57
Pentecostals, 43–44, 73, 113, 132, 441
Perkins, Carl, 160, 169–76, 179, 200, 207, 213, 219, 299, 416
death of, 448
Lewis and, 169–76, 185–88, 191–92, 426, 427
Peterson, Gwen, 44
Phillips, Dewey, 156–57, 158, 164, 167, 168, 177, 196
Phillips, Jud, 199–203, 221, 234, 241, 247, 250, 259, 262, 266, 282, 308, 314, 326, 364
Myra scandal and, 266–83
Phillips, Knox, 402
Phillips, Sam, 9, 155–70, 186, 247, 262, 312, 365, 391, 402, 415, 429, 441, 442, 447–48, 456
background of, 157–60
censorship of, 197–201, 207
death of, 447–48
decline of Lewis’s career and, 280–85, 298–301, 313–15, 320
first impression of Lewis, 166–67
Lewis and, 155–84, 201, 207–20, 224–26, 234, 241, 277–83, 298–304, 313–15, 319, 340, 447–48
Myra scandal and, 266–83, 298
piano, 3, 50–52, 75–76, 91, 142
boogie-woogie, 75–76
burning of, 254
early rock-and-roll, 146–52, 163–70, 186
inferior-quality, 257–58
Lewis’s early interest in, 50–52, 56, 64–76, 91–95, 101–5, 123–53
Lewis’s first, 65–66
Lewis’s technique on, 129–30, 193, 218, 244, 321, 349
Paul Whitehead and, 123–30, 152–53
Piano Red, 156
Pierce, Webb, 142, 143, 179, 200
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 75
Pittsburgh, 296
plantations, 24–25, 26
Platters, 146
Pleasant Valley Boys, 102
“Please Send Me Someone to Love,” 83
Police Story (TV show), 379
Poole, Doris, 79, 133
“Poontang,” 271
Porter, Cole, 198
Presley, Elvis, 4, 6, 8, 15, 109, 137, 142, 145, 146, 156, 159–60, 167–69, 179, 181, 183, 191, 194–97, 207, 215, 221, 233, 249, 252, 259, 299, 314, 321, 340, 346, 366, 374, 426, 427, 428, 456
army service of, 245, 260–63, 283
childhood of, 36, 259
comeback of, 347–48, 407
death of, 403–4, 410, 422
decline of, 245, 260–63, 300, 350–51, 395–400, 403
drug use, 372, 396, 403, 409–10, 447
legacy of, 396, 404
leg shaking of, 184
Lewis and, 169, 170, 171–76, 194–96, 208–9, 227–30, 234–35, 245, 259–63, 281, 284, 347–48, 350–51, 388–89, 395–404, 408, 441, 466, 468
loneliness of, 228, 229
Million Dollar Quartet session, 171–76
movie career, 194, 208, 261
Priscilla and, 283–84
Presley, Priscilla Beaulieu, 283–84
press, 172, 173, 175
British, 267–76, 281, 306–9
on Lewis, 176, 224, 234, 267–80, 306–9, 340, 421–23, 438–39, 445, 448
Price, Ray, 161, 168
Prohibition, 33
prostitution, 23, 26, 105, 109, 198, 432, 435, 442
“Proud Mary,” 430
Quaid, Dennis, 437–40
Quebec, 185, 192
Rabbit’s Foot Minstrels, 83
racism, 26, 80, 82, 222, 223, 254, 327
radio, 34, 64, 69–70, 84, 94, 95, 103, 126, 135, 137, 141, 144, 152, 156, 179, 268
censorship, 197–201, 207
country, 344, 346, 366, 390
gospel, 357
Lewis’s songs on, 168, 194, 280, 300–301, 325–26, 366
Louisiana Hayride, 69, 94, 126, 137, 141, 259
Memphis, 156, 164, 167–69, 194, 196, 279–80
postwar, 69–70
See also specific programs
railroads, 26–27, 41, 54, 55
Rainwater, Marvin, 185, 187–88
R&B, 78, 83, 88, 145, 180, 198, 207, 302, 327
RCA, 143, 159, 300, 321, 456
Reconstruction, 2, 26, 313
Record Mirror, 309
Red, Hot & Blue (radio show), 167, 168, 196
“Red Hot,” 164
“Reelin’ and Rockin’,” 431
Reeves, Del, 333
Reeves, Gentleman Jim, 232
“Release Me,” 104
religion, 4, 5, 38–39, 43–47, 73–75, 78, 105, 112–19, 131, 198, 215–17, 226–27, 229, 305, 354, 356–58, 360–61, 433–34, 435–37, 441, 452, 455
church music, 67, 73–75, 112–19, 131, 174, 360–62, 363, 402
Jimmy Swaggart and, 226–27, 356–58, 402, 433–36
Return of Rock (album), 320, 366
Reynolds, Debbie, 207
rhinestones, 142, 144, 345
Rich, Charlie, 280, 300, 301, 318, 353, 366, 368, 391, 416
death of, 448
Richards, Keith, 393, 427, 428, 430, 453, 454, 457
Righteous Brothers, 299
“Right Now,” 153
Riley, Billy Lee, 164–65, 207, 213, 215–18
“Ring of Fire,” 319
Ripley Cotton Choppers, 159
Ripp, Jimmy, 453
Rivera, Geraldo, 422
Robertson, Robbie, 453
Robinson, L. C. “Good Rockin’,” 81
rockabilly, 8, 64, 153, 186, 187
rock and roll, 8, 14, 69, 80, 88, 186–87
censorship of, 197–201, 203, 206, 207
drugs and drinking, 235–36
early, 123–30, 144–46, 158–84, 186
Lewis as face of, 221, 225, 263
of 1970s, 367
softening of, 247, 298–300, 319, 391, 404
Sun Records and, 154–84, 197–201, 207–19, 224–26, 260–63, 277–83, 312, 447–48
violence in, 253–58
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 427–31, 437, 455, 460
Lewis inducted into, 427–31
twenty-fifth anniversary, 455
“Rockin’ My Life Away,” 407, 408, 411
Rodgers, Jimmie, 9, 28, 47, 68, 70–71, 75, 92, 93, 97, 144, 252, 292, 347, 362, 373, 419, 429, 430, 445, 470
Rogers, Kenny “Red,” 386, 425
Rolling Stone, 11, 422, 430, 448
“The Strange and Mysterious Death of Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis,” 422–23
Rolling Stones, 393, 453, 454, 457
“Roll Over Beethoven,” 252, 320, 430
Ronstadt, Linda, 391
Ronettes, 299
“Room Full of Roses,” 402
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 57
“Runaway,” 299
Russell, Jane, 206
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, 141–43, 375–77
St. Louis, 78, 252
“San Antonio Rose,” 124
saxophone, 82, 153, 159
Scandinavia, 440
“Seasons of the Heart,” 161, 304
segregation, 26, 80, 82, 222, 223
Session . . . Recorded in London with Great Guest Artists, The (album), 368
“Sexy Ways,” 320
Shaffer, Paul, 428, 430
Shakespeare, William, 334, 335–42
Othello, 334, 335, 337
“Shame on You,” 180
Shannon, Del, 299
“She Even Woke me Up to Say Goodbye,” 345
“She Still Comes Around (To Love What’s Left of Me),” 344–45
Shindig! (TV show), 319, 327–28, 334
Shreveport, Louisiana, 69, 94, 137, 155
Silver, Murray, 437
“Silver Threads Among the Gold,” 68, 179, 379
Simmons, Jumpin’ Gene, 384
Sinatra, Frank, 232, 300
Sinatra, Nancy, 284
“Since I Met You, Baby,” 349
“Skid Row,” 322
slavery, 24–25, 27, 32
Slim, Memphis, 83
Slim, Sunnyland, 83
Smith, Huey “Piano,” 328
Smash Records, 314, 319, 327
end of, 327, 332
Lewis at, 314, 315, 319–22, 332
Smith, Huey, 445
Smith, Pine Top, 150
Smith, Russ, 181, 193, 204, 222, 223, 267
Snow, Hank, 137, 156, 172, 179, 375
Solid Senders, 83
soul music, 299, 322
Soul Stirrers, 156
South, Joe, 366
Southern Roots (album), 377, 379
Southwestern Bible Institute, 112–19
Spector, Phil, 299
Springsteen, Bruce, 453
Standard Oil, 28
Star-Club, Hamburg, 316–18
“Stardust,” 125
Starr, Ringo, 454
steamboats, 23, 24
Steven Allen Show, The (TV show), 197, 201–7
Lewis on, 201–7, 224, 291