Jerry lee lewis is quite simply one of the best books about rock and roll ever. His own story by mr rick bragg, 9780062078223, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. See more ideas about author, jerry lee lewis and how to memorize things. Published on sep 30, 2014 writer rick bragg, while spending some time at his home in fairhope, ala. It is that way for jerry lee lewis, a famous and infamous son of ferriday who has lived in mississippi for many years. Picking up where the eightcd set classic left off, the eightcd box the locust years. Rich with lewis own words, framed by bragg s richly atmospheric narrative, this is the last great untold rockandroll story, come to life on the page. Worth reading stephen king rick bragg s biography of jerry lee lewis really is the business. The wildest of the early rock and rollers, he electrified the world with hit records. Jerry lewis has 23 books on goodreads with 6565 ratings.
No one in rock and roll has ever made music and lived life with the ferocity of jerry lee lewis, and no writer is better suited than rick bragg to tell lewis s story. His own story is the killers life as he lived it, and as he shared it over two years with our greatest bard of southern life. Nov 01, 2014 that leaves the field wide open for a more fleshedout portrait, and pulitzer prizewinning southern writer rick bragg grabs it and takes off running in the fascinating jerry lee lewis. Dec 03, 2014 on the cover of rick bragg s jerry lee lewis. In jerry lee lewis, bragg takes us back to the beginning, with lewis right there with us, present tense and on the page, recalling the bottomland of ferriday, louisiana, and his upbringing. His own story at miami book fair international 2014. Bragg successfully grasps the meaning of jerry lee lewis and the music he begat all about jazz there are reams of books out there about the killer, but this is the one you want. Jerry lee lewis, the enduring rebel of rock n roll wsj. Yesterday the killer, jerry lee lewis was honored with the 34th marker on mississippis country music trail at his home the lewis ranch in nesbit, ms. Ron rash gripping an entertaining, sympathetic story of a life flaring with fire. Nov 11, 2014 jerry lee lewis in london during his 1958 tour pulitzer prizewinning journalist rick bragg traces the incredible story of jerry lee lewis, one of the founding fathers of rock and roll, a musical.
Bragg conducted multiple long interviews with the musician, providing the framework for the book, which uses novelistic style and detail while richly describing lewiss early life in louisiana and mississippi, his youthful. His own story, biographer rick bragg notes that the songs lewis was recording were of the kind they were starting to call hard country, not because it had a rock beat or crossed over into rock in a real way, but because it was more substantial than the cloying, overproduced mess out there on country radio. His own story by rick bragg 20141028 hardcover 1780 by rick bragg author. In it, rick bragg tells the wartsandall story of a troubled man, part saint, part sinner, who helped change the world loud and quiet magazine. Rick bragg talks about his jerry lee lewis biography youtube. Oct 28, 2014 jerry lee lewis finally tells his story. His own story by rick bragg is a 2014 harper publication. Jerry lee lewis his own story by rick bragg i have just finished reading this 500 page book by professor rick bragg. Rick bragg on jerry lee lewis at 2014 miami book fair. He began playing the piano at age 9, copying the styles of preachers and black musicians that traveled through the area. Jerry lee lewis told him a story about one of his sons dying and the words he said to his son at the funeral while rick bragg mentions the funeral, he keeps the words that jerry said out of the book he says that a moment that just belongs to jerry lee lewis. Rick bragg gives jerry lee lewis his say usa today. His writing, as well as his knowledge and understanding of the south and its people, greatly enhances the book.
Rich fahle interviews author rick bragg about his biography, jerry lee lewis. Rick bragg has turned it into literature, fitting in somewhere between william. His own story, the titular pianist and early rock n roll icon holds a cigar and peers into the distance, as if planning his next move. His own story is the best book on rock and roll i have ever read. A pulitzer prizewinning reporter formerly with the new york times, rick bragg hit the bestseller charts with his first book, all over but the shoutin, his account of breaking free from the poverty of his youth and finding success at the pinnacle of american journalism. Rick braggs conversations with jerry lee lewis form the backbone of the authors new book, jerry lee lewis. Oct 27, 2014 when you interview jerry lee lewis, you go into it assuming some questions could get you shot. I met him several times during his comeback years in the late 1960s and rick bragg s account is true to the man.
His own story, paperback by bragg, rick, isbn 0062078240, isbn 9780062078247, brand new, free shipping in the us draws on more than two years of interviews between the pulitzer prizewinning writer and the rock and roll hall of fame inductee to document lewis rebellious youth, marriages, party lifestyle, irs setbacks and brushes with death. Bragg, writing closely with lewis, offers this rollicking, incendiary tale of the man who kickstarted rock and roll and blazed a fiery trail strewn. Rich with lewiss own words, framed by braggs richly atmospheric narrative, this is the last great untold rockandroll story, come to life on the page. Rick bragg talks about jerry lee lewis at the louisiana book festival in baton rouge saturday. His own story by bragg, rick abebooks passion for books. His own story, by rick bragg despite the title of jerry lee lewis s 2006 album last man standing, a few other survivors from rocks early days still remain. Bragg s thick and entertaining book indicates that jerry lee, like many of us, has cause to hope the good lord grades on a generous curve. Thank you to marty stuart, governor phil bryant, visit mississippi, and every person who helped to make this happen. His own story and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Rick bragg books list of books by author rick bragg. Rick bragg s writing is about the only thing i really liked in this book. New york times bestseller the greatest southern storyteller of our time, new york times bestselling author rick bragg, tracks down the greatest rock and roller of all time, jerry lee lewisand gets his own story, from the source, for the very first time.
His first day on earth was indicative of what was to. His own story is the killers life as he lived it and as he shared it over two years with our greatest bard of southern life, rick bragg. Number one with a bullet as a boy jerry lee lewis would sneak into a segregated blues joint called will haneys big house and hide under tables. Jan 14, 2015 jerry lee lewis born september 29, 1935 is an american rock and roll and country music singer and pianist.
Jerry lee lewis quotes showing 15 of 5 he crashed a dozen cadillacs in one year and played the apollo. One is jerry lees lovehate relationship with elvis. Mr paul played his piano through an amplifier and knew just about every song in the world. With racial hatred burning in the headlines, the audience danced in the seats to a white boy from the bottomland, backed by pickers who talked like ernest tubb. It is a misconception, jerry lee lewis tells the author of this authorised biography, that he earned the sobriquet the killer because of his. His own story harper, which follows the singer from an upbringing steeped in religion to wild nights on the road with the first heroes of rock and roll to. What did rick bragg keep out of the jerry lee lewis book. Rick braggs writing is about the only thing i really liked in this book. There are two great themes running through this book. Jerry lee lewis was a louisianaborn supernova who helped create rock n roll and raced toward stardom in the 1950s until his marriage to his yearold cousin myra helped turn a 1958. An iconic rocker receives a warm, admiring biography from a pulitzer prizewinning journalist and author. You used to laugh at me and holler woo woo woo i used to walk you home i used to hold. Jerry lee lewis by rick bragg overdrive rakuten overdrive.
Rick bragg born july 26, 1959 is an american journalist and writer known for nonfiction books, especially those about his family in alabama. Jerry lee lewis green green grass of home many sounds of jerry lee 1969 by tkurittu. Dec 07, 2014 braggs assessment of lewis as a tar baby for temptation pretty well sums the man up, and if that doesnt, theres his observation that the only person who could stop jerry lee. Rich with lewis s own words, framed by bragg s richly atmospheric narrative, this is the last great untold rockandroll story, come to life on the page. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, lewis was inducted into the rock and roll hall. Theres plenty of richness in rick bragg s retelling of the killers life. Rick bragg braved the gun and lewis intimidating reputation to write jerry lee lewis. No ones life is more southern gothic than jerry lee, says. Get free jerry lee lewis his own story rick bragg jerry lee lewis his own story rick bragg jerry lee lewis whole lotta shakin goin on steve allen show 1957 jerry lee lewis born september 29, 1935 is an american rock and roll. Jerry lee lewis hello josephine lyrics genius lyrics.
Bullets play an important role in jerry lee lewis, starting at the very beginning. The greatest southern storyteller of our time, new york times bestselling author rick bragg, tracks down the greatest rock and roller of all time, jerry lee. Jerry lee lewis, the enduring rebel of rock n roll jerry lee lewis, whose smoldering cool and raucous playing style came to epitomize rock musics rebellious spirit, has a new album and a. Lewis, born in 1935 delivered by his father and among the few remaining stars from the early days of rock n roll, cooperated eagerlyif not always accuratelywith bragg the most they ever had, 2011, etc. Jerry lee lewis rick bragg haftad 9780857861597 bokus. Jerry lee lewis great balls of fire saturday night. Author rick bragg talks about his new jerry lee lewis. His own story by rick bragg 512pp, canongate, telegraph offer price.
The story of jerry lee lewis has inspired songs and articles, books and films, but in these pages rick bragg restores a human complexity missing from other. The greatest southern storyteller of our time, new york times bestselling author rick bragg, tracks down the greatest rock and roller of all time, jerry lee lewisand gets his own story, from the source, for the very first time. From this book by rick bragg in chapter four i learnt that jerry lee lewis also had a musical mentor named mr paul whitehead, a blind piano player and multi instrumentalist who the killer saw in the early fifties in the local clubs. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. Jerry lee lewis she even woke me up to say goodbye 1983 by andreu rock. Author rick bragg tells jerry lee lewis story in a way no one else can. Jerry lee lewis i forgot to remember to forget her 1957 outtake. The result is a story of fire and faith and resilience, informed by rick bragg s deep understanding of the american spirit, and rich with jerry lee s own unforgettable voice. In it, rick bragg tells the wartsandall story of a troubled man, part saint, part sinner, who helped change t. He signed with sun records in 1956 and quickly became a star. Overview jerry lee lewis was born on september 29th, 1935, in ferriday, louisiana. His own story, an astoldto autobiography written by rick bragg.
During the session for the seminal great balls of fire, jerry lee lewis and sun records boss sam phillips engaged in an impassioned. Jerry lee lewis finally tells his story the newsstar. Jerry lee lewis pioneered rock n roll music and might be the most interesting american rock icon in the history of the medium. Selfcentered, arrogant, incredibly talented and driven, bragg captures it all in this book, as well as. Bragg, a former reporter for the new york times, hits all the legendary moments, both high and low. Jerry lee lewis middle age crazy 1983 by andreu rock. Thanks to amazons excellent service the book arrived yesterday morning at 11am and it now 3pm on the following day and it has taken me almost every hour since to read it. Jerry lee lewis is one of the most colorful characters is musical history and perhaps also one of the most misunderstood as well. The story of jerry lee lewis has inspired songs and articles, books and films, but in these pages rick bragg restores a human complexity missing from other accounts. Jerry lee lewis born september 29, 1935 in ferriday, louisiana, u.
1023 1336 93 727 1446 336 536 620 199 755 378 853 539 1435 760 378 1486 225 125 1449 1252 1280 841 329 797 402 115 915 366 639 1008 509