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Historical event

Jerry Lee Lewis · 1957

Jerry Lee Lewis

Historical music event in the Radio Music History database.

October 8, 1957Recording⭐⭐⭐⭐

Description

Jerry Lee Lewis recorded his biggest hit, “Great Balls of Fire,” at Sam Phillips's Sun Studio in Memphis as a follow-up to “Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.” After its release a month later, more than one million copies were sold within the first ten days, followed by another five million eventually. In January 1958, the recording reached No. 2, kept from the top spot by “At the Hop” by Danny and the Juniors.

Related events

  1. Jerry Lee LewisSeptember 4, 1957
    Legal⭐⭐⭐
    Jerry Lee Lewis filed for divorce from his second wife. Three months later, he married his cousin Myra before the divorce had been legally finalized.
  2. Jerry Lee LewisSeptember 1, 1956
    Career⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Nineteen-year-old Jerry Lee Lewis arrived at Sun Records hoping for an audition, but owner Sam Phillips was on vacation in Florida. Producer and sound engineer Jack Clement recorded several demos with Lewis for Phillips to hear upon his return. At the beginning of December, Lewis began recording as a solo artist and session musician.
  3. Jerry Lee LewisAugust 2, 1963
    Business⭐⭐⭐
    Jerry Lee Lewis accepted a $9,500 offer to perform at the opening of the new Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas.
  4. Jerry Lee LewisSeptember 6, 1963
    Contract⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Jerry Lee Lewis's contract with Sun Records expired, and he subsequently signed with the Smash label.
  5. Jerry Lee LewisAugust 22, 1966
    Film⭐⭐⭐
    Jerry Lee Lewis was cast as Iago in the film “Catch My Soul”, a rock version of Shakespeare's “Othello”.
  6. Jerry Lee LewisAugust 9, 1968
    Concert⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Jerry Lee Lewis, Marmalade, Taste, The Herd and Timebox performed on the first day of the three-day National Jazz & Blues Festival at Kempton Park Racecourse in Sunbury-on-Thames, England. Jerry Lee Lewis whipped the crowd into such a frenzy during his performance that organizers cut his set short and asked him to leave the stage.
  7. Jerry Lee LewisAugust 24, 1983
    Death⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Jerry Lee Lewis's fifth wife, Shawn Michelle Stevens, was found dead at their home in Mississippi after a methadone overdose. The couple had been married for only 77 days. A grand jury later cleared Jerry Lee Lewis of criminal responsibility.