"Jerry Lee Lewis" by Rick Bragg (2014)

The first time I ever saw Jerry Lee Lewis was in Virginia Beach. It was about 1980; just after the “Killer” had been stricken with bleeding ulcers. It was at a small venue; a place with tables. I had one only a few feet from the small stage. He did a short set with the band and then dismissed them from the stage and offered to take requests.

I was quick to call out for some Webb Pierce. Just as quickly he looked at me and said, “You’re too young to know Webb Pierce!” It was like an accusation on his part, but then he grew thoughtful; fingers roaming the keys of the piano; and said, “I can’t drink anymore, but I sure do love to sing about it!” Then he launched into a wonderful barrel house piano version of “There Stands the Glass.” When he was through playing it he looked at me and asked, “How’d I do, son?” I do not recall my reply; probably because I was speechless.

Now, author Rick Bragg has written a biography of Mr. Lewis which most likely will serve as his oral autobiography; much in the same way that Merle Miller’s “Plain Speaking” serves as Harry Truman’s. Mr. Bragg spent 2 years with Mr. Lewis while writing this book; sometimes in the entertainer’s bedroom; which is equipped with a locking metal gate. The author doesn’t tell us whether or not the gate is there to keep the imaginary demons out; or the real ones inside. At any rate, this is where Mr. Lewis spends some of his time when not touring. (He was still performing on a limited basis until a year or so ago.)

Along with Jerry Lee’s own story; and the demons which haunt him; Mr. Bragg has given a good history of Ferriday and Louisiana in general. He describes it as a hard place; and as a southern boy himself he recognizes the dichotomy between religion and reality. He understands why Jerry Lee worries that playing rock and roll may exclude him from Heaven. It is only through his strong belief in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ that he manages to hold on these days.  He is; after all is said and done; the cousin of Jimmy Swaggart; an evangelist of note, if not an entertainer in his own right.

The book has a surprising humanity to it, given all that one associates with Jerry Lee Lewis and the Devil’s music. And Rick Bragg is just the right person to put it all done on paper. The conflict he feels with the talent God gave him to play rock and roll; or what just may be “the devils music” after all; worries him. It is plainly apparent that he comes from a place of ghosts, some of which haunt him. But at the same time he makes no apologies for who he has been and what he has done. He would; he believes; have done it differently now, but acknowledges freely that he probably wouldn’t. He’s a walking contradiction.

Rick Bragg does an excellent job in conveying the true essence of Jerry Lee Lewis; the original “bad boy” of rock and roll. He was there at the beginning and is still around today; at a time when most of his colleagues, and rivals, are gone. He is; as they say; the last man standing. He’s had health troubles; women troubles; financial troubles; you name it. He’s buried wives and children; been to the top of the pops and then down to playing cheap bars and clubs; then back up again, several times.

He’s been counted out as many times as Keith Richards; yet he’s always bounced back.  At 79 years of age; his body is ravaged by pain and he can only sit or stand in any one position for a few minutes at a time. But, recently married in 2012 to his longtime friend and recent caregiver; Judith Ann Coghlan; 14 years his junior, he is still rocking his life away.

"Me and a Guy Named Elvis" by Jerry Schilling (2006)

Jerry Schilling was a member of Elvis Presley’s inner circle; known as the Memphis Mafia. He’s also the guy who accompanied Elvis on his trip to meet President Nixon in the White House, arriving unannounced in the early hours of the morning. That episode alone is reason enough to read this book.

Elvis has most often been portrayed as the drug addicted and aging singer who made a stupid deal with Colonel Tom Parker. Many people considered him to have “sold out” by making all those banal movies through the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. But he proved them all wrong when he did the 1968 Christmas special, which became known as the “Comeback Special.” And in many ways it was.

Mr. Schilling’s story of his time with Elvis begins with a game of touch football when Elvis was barely 19 and his first record had just been played on the air in Memphis. Elvis was older than Mr. Schilling and hung out with what was considered a “rough” crowd, including his friend Jerry West who would be at Elvis’ side for his entire career. They were one man short for a 6 man game of touch football and Jerry was selected by Elvis to fill the vacancy. A lifelong friendship was born that day.

Elvis books are a dime a dozen, but Mr. Schilling has a unique story; and perspective; which no other writer can possibly lay claim to. He lived with and worked alongside Elvis from 1954 until his death 23 years later. During that time he was there for all the main events of Elvis’ career. He was a member of the famed “Memphis Mafia” and lived at Graceland with Elvis and Priscilla for years.

The drugs, the excessive spending sprees, creative rages, and all the rest of the things which made Elvis who he was are explored here. And the other, more spiritual side of the man is also chronicled. Elvis was a big reader interested in all philosophies and religions. His grandmother was Jewish and he had Stars of David placed on the memorials for her, as well as in the meditation garden at Graceland. When he was asked why he used to reply, “To make you think man, to make you think.”

His relationship with Colonel Parker is a puzzle to most people, and Mr. Schilling is no exception. He does give him credit for helping to create the Elvis empire, but acknowledges that he was way short on having any respect for Elvis as an artist. He also writes about how good recording material was kept from him by the Colonel unless the songwriters were willing to forgo a portion; if not all of; their royalties.

In the early days it was an honor to have Elvis record something written by someone else, but as the industry changed most artists wrote their own material and songwriters became more reluctant to forgo their own royalties. This same manipulation was happening in relation to his film work, and was also a reason why Elvis was not performing in Europe or the Far East, much to his chagrin.

The book is a not only a very factual account of the remarkable career of Elvis Presley, but also a moving portrait of friendship between two boys from North Memphis. If you are an Elvis fan, or just a student of the music industry, this book will leave you the richer for having read it.

The First Elvis Impersonator

The best thing about this little clip is that Elvis and Johnny Cash were still very much in contact with one another at the time it was made. This video is from the mid-late 1950's when both were still growing in popularity as members of the so-called "Million Dollar Quartet", the group of musicians from Sun Records on which the show of the same name is based. It's a great clip of a fun time in musical history. Also, this may be the first professional "Elvis" impersonator on record!