LOS ANGELES: American singer, pianist, and songwriter Jerry Lee Lewis passed away just two days after he was falsely reported as dead. He was 87.
According to Page Six, the singer’s representative Zach Farnum confirmed his death to the media outlet via an email. The singer passed away on Friday at his home in DeSoto Country in Mississippi.
Two days ago, TMZ reported his death, but his publicist was furious over the news report and denied it by saying it is false.
According to a Facebook post he made earlier this month and uploaded on his official page, Lewis had recently been suffering from health concerns. The Facebook post that was shared on October 19 read, “On Sunday, Jerry Lee Lewis was finally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The legendary Jerry Lee was too ill with the flu to attend the ceremony.”
According to Page Six, he told his fans at the time, “It is with heartfelt sadness and disappointment that I write to you today from my sick bed, rather than be able to share my thoughts in person. I tried everything I could to build up the strength to come today — I’ve looked so forward to it since I found out about it earlier this year. My sincerest apologies to all of you for missing this fine event, but I hope to see you all soon.”
Lewis, famously dubbed “The Killer” for his legendary piano playing, was a member of the group of rock luminaries that also included Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley. In 1986, he became the first member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s inaugural class.
Lewis received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2005, and he was formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this month.
Lewis was seen as a controversial character for his personal relationships despite his professional success. His seven weddings included bigamous unions and one with his cousin Myra Gale Brown, who was just 13 years old at the time of their nuptials.
According to Page Six, Lewis had six kids overall. Tragically, two of them passed away at a young age — one in a car accident and one in a swimming pool accident. (ANI)