Hellfire: The Jerry Lee Lewis Story Paperback – Illustrated, April 22, 1998

This book starts off sometime around 1803, just after the U.S.A. had purchased Louisiana from Napoleon of France. It was around this time, that Jerry Lee's first Louisiana Ancester, Thomas C. Lewis, was one of the earlyist settlers in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. Thomas became one of the wealthiest and powerful men in Ouachita Parish (in Northeast Louisiana). He became a judge around the time Louisiana entered the Union in 1812. He was one of the forefathers of Monroe, Louisiana. From this point, the book covers Jerry Lee's pedigree and family history, up through the American Civil War, and afterwards, and how they migrated from Monroe, to smaller Northeast Louisiana Communities, like Snake Ridge, and evenually down to Ferriday, Louisiana, the birth place of Jerry Lee. I was born and raised in this part of Louisiana, so I can relate to all the places mentioned in this book.Ferriday is in Concordia Parish, Louisiana. Concordia, Parish is right in the heart of the Mississippi River Delta. This book gives a little history of Concordia Parish. The book covers some history, of Jerry Lee's two famous cousins, Jimmy Lee Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley, and how they are related. It covers the pentecostal movement, and the Assembly of God Church in Concordia, Parish, and how the Swaggart's really got involved in this movement. It covers Jerry Lee, Jimmy Lee, and Mickey Gilley growing up in Concordia, Parish. Also, it covers that Jerry Lee's dad Elmo, was a moonshiner, who made moonshine whiskey.It covers how Jerry Lee and Jimmy Lee liked sneeking out at night to Hanney's Big House, a black juke joint, where they got to see many black entertainers, including a young Ray Charles, Bobby Bland, and an 18 year old B.B.King. Jimmy Lee Swaggart decided he didn't like that music, but Jerry Lee loved it. Anyway, it continues up to Jerry Lee in his late teens, playing piano, in honky tonks, in Concordia, Parish, and even in Natchez, Mississippi, across the Mississippi River from Concordia. For a while Jerry Lee, played in this real wild joint, located in a place they call "Natchez Under the Hill". This has been a wild place since before the Civil War. I've been there, there's still a honky tonk there, plus a Gambling, Mississippi River Boat Casino.The book covers the death of Jerry Lee's brother, Elmo Jr. It covers his mon & dad, Mamie & Elmo, his sisters, Frankie Jean & Linda Gail (and Linda Gail's Rock & Roll & Country Music career). The book covers how Jerry Lee along with his dad went to Memphis to audition for Sam Phillips at Sun Records Sudio, and how Jerry Lee became famous. It covers Jerry Lee's marriages, especially to his second cousin, Myra Gail Brown, which was his longest marriage. Jerry Lee had a son from a previous marriage, named Jerry Lee Lewis, Jr. Him and Myra had a son Steve Allen Lewis, and a daughter, Phoebe. Both of Jerry Lee's sons died, and this book covers the details.The book covers the scandal that took place on Jerry Lee's first tour of England, in 1958, when news broke out about him being married to his 13 year old cousin, Myra. It covers Jerry Lee's comebacks, his recording of the classic live album "Live at the Star Club", in Hamburg, Germany during 1964, and how in the early 60's even England welcomed him back. Also, it covers the double album "The Complete Sessions", recorded in London in 1973, with many, many European artists, including Peter Framton, and the late/great, Rory Gallager.It covers Jerry Lee's struggle between good and evil, his struggles, his triumpts, his marriages and divorces and the details. It covers his Country Music hits, along with his Rock & Roll hits, and his Rhythm & Blues hits. It covers the Alan Freed Show, where he had to open for Chuck Berry, and he didn't want to open for anyone. So, when he was ending his part, he poured gasoline on the piano, set it on fire, and played "Great Balls of Fire". The crowd went crazy. After he left the stage, he told Chuck Berry, "Follow That!!!!," "Nobody follows the Killer". Jerry Lee and Chuck Berry eventually became good friends.Basically, Jerry Lee has been through many up and downs. He's been through some very hard times, especially the death of his two sons & his parents, his divorces, his career problems, problems with alcohol and pills, his trouble with the law, and etc. However, he has been tough and has weathered those storms.The book ends around the time of Elvis Presley's death in 1977. It has a sad ending, it ends where the IRS, & others are legally seizing Jerry Lee's assets, motorcyles, luxury cars, etc.So this book only covers part of the Jerry Lee Lewis story. We know the rest, he overcame his problems, got his property back, and is still performing and recording today. His lastest album is "Mean Old Man", and it was released this year. I've been to the Jerry Lee Lewis home in Ferriday, many times, its a museam now, operated by his sister Frankie Jean and her daughter Jerry. They are very good people. I have a lot of respect for the Lewis family. Also, there is the Delta Music Museam in Ferriday, where Jerry Lee, Mickey Gilley & Jimmie Swaggart along with several other Delta Musicians, are honored. There's even a historical marker sign there.Overall, this is a very good, very detailed book about Jerry Lee up till around 1977, and in my opinion, it is well worth the read and the price of purchase. Thanks!!!

After reading "Hellfire", part of me wishes that I hadn't read it. I knew the basic outlines of JLL's story, and am a fan of his early rockabilly music. This story, however, introduced me to Jerry's true personality, and frankly he's not a person whom you may still like when you're through. There are certainly many examples of other artists like he is: singular, amazing talents who are poor excuses for human beings. I'm speaking about his verbal and physical of his wives, and his refusal to take responsibility for his many transgressions (like, say, plugging his bass player with a .357 magnum while drunk?) Jerry seems to have gotten off every time due to his fame and money. I found it interesting that his personal interpretation of his Assemblies of God upbringing led him to habitually question others' (especially his wives') behavior, but never his own. Jerry never appears truly sorry or remorseful in spite of short-lived attempts to "shed the devil." He always seems to emerge defiant and unrepentant- in every sense of the word. This might seem triumphant were it not warped with violence and corruption. After I finished the book, I came across the Rolling Stone article from 1984 about the death of Jerry's 23-year-old wife after 77 days of marriage. I think this is an excellent biography and well worth reading, but I am glad the money I spent on it is going to Nick Tosches and not JLL. I believe Jerry Lee Lewis belongs in prison.

great book on great entertainer

Having recently discovered Tosches through a chance reading of DINO, I am impressed but.... I agree with all the reviewer comments, good and bad. Tosches is a talented writer and has some fascinating insights but he is lazy and doesn't finish what he starts. Don't let his pseudoscholarship fool you. He doesn't do much real research. His SINDONA only scratches the surface of an important subject: Vatican finances. IN THE HAND OF DANTE is a parade of dictionary and encyclopedia info mixed with let's shock 'em porno. In HELLFIRE he picks up the thread that unites Lewis and his cousin Swaggert (the Welsh tendency to revivalism) but drops it unfinished. Nick, forget the silly macho Hemingway stuff and develop your own persona. How about: do a bio of that l8th-l9th century Zeitgeist: Lord Byron. He has it all: genius, sex galore, intrigue, etc. Your friend Johnny Depp could finally win the Oscar for portraying him and you could have a blockbuster. I know the market for real writing is dead. But I wish you luck anyway.

"Hellfire" was over this reviewer's head! He is at a loss to explain this biography of Jerry Lee Lewis to the amazon community. Perhaps he just did not understand author Tosches' style. Out of respect to The Killer and a hardworking and well-intentioned writer, a shorter review is more appropriate: HF is almost allegorical in tracing JLL's dark deep Louisiana roots, a hardscrabble childhood, a meteoric rise in the early days of Rock n' Roll and his startling fall from grace. (The public rejected a marriage to his cousin). The rest is all here: drug addiction, booze problems and rebirth as a Country star. Those mammoth problems with the IRS are laid bare as well. One wonders if a tough PR flack or equally hard-nosed business agent could have taken some of the heat from the Killer's back. One could also debate Tosches' almost mystical approach, but HF does end rather abruptly, circa 1980. That would be 25 years ago and close to the same time as JLLs' last chart hit, "39 and Holding". A closing thought: We may read about the JLL to our heart's content, but the guy has to be listened to. No one does mournful country better. Listen to "Middle Age Crazy", "Another Place, Another Time" or "She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye". Therein will lie the true essence of the Killer.

A wonderful piece of work

Disappointing - hardly edgy.

it makes no effort to make sense but makes sense anyway.

Revealing the story of Jerry Lee, no wonder he's eccentric?

I actually met this guy in 1962 in Hamburg where my band was playing. Wildman - yes, but he was considerate and humorous - he also bought me a drink!He's still rockin' too albeit a little slower now. The book is a must for all his fans.Love him!