Jerry Lee Lewis, ‘Great Balls of Fire’ singer, dead at 87
Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Great Balls of Fire” was one of the most famous songs of the 1950s. Photo: AP
Jerry Lee Lewis never had a record like “Great Balls of Fire,” but that didn’t stop him from playing it. Photo: AP
Jerry Lee Lewis died Wednesday after a brief hospitalization due to complications from heart surgery. He was 87.
Lewis’ publicist, David Ritz, told The Associated Press that the singer died of congestive heart failure. He said Lewis was hospitalized earlier this month at his home in Birmingham, Ala., after suffering cardiac issues.
Lewis’ publicist said he had a pacemaker.
A statement from the singer’s family said he died during “a brief respite” on Wednesday as a result of complications from heart surgery done in April. The family said his death was “peaceful and surrounded by his family.
Lewis had a long career in music. His “Great Balls of Fire” was at the very top of the charts in the mid-1950s, and he released other hits, including “Great Balls of Fire,” “She’s in Love Again” and “I Got Stripes.”
In 2015, his family released a live recording of Lewis singing “I Want a Piece of You” on his 94th birthday.
His children, grandchildren and grandchildren’s children are among mourners at a ceremony Wednesday that focused on his career and the life he led.
“I thought his music was timeless. It was beautiful and real,” said his son, Lewis Jr. “I thought it was pure gold.”
Lewis was born the youngest of 12 boys in June 1929. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and moved to Texas after the war. He was discovered by the legendary Johnny Otis.
Lewis recorded two versions of “Great Balls of Fire” with Otis and other singers in the 1950s before he recorded his own.
The original version of “Great Balls of Fire” released in 1961 was recorded with Otis, The Everly Brothers and Tommy Allsup. It has been issued on nine different CDs and
