Jerry Lee Lewis, the notorious singer behind Great Balls of Fire, has died aged 87, his agent has confirmed.
One of the last survivors of rock ‘n’ roll’s golden age, his life was also marred by scandal and violence.
His career was briefly halted when, aged 22, he married his 13-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown.
Lewis’s agent described him as “perhaps the last true, great icon of the birth of rock’n’roll”.
In a statement, Lewis’s publicist Zach Farnum said: “He was there at the beginning, with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and the rest, and watched them fade away one by one till it was him alone to bear witness, and sing of the birth of rock’n’roll.”
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Lewis passed away at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, with his wife, Judith, by his side, his publicist said.
The news of his death comes days after a hoax announcement of his death was reported by gossip website TMZ.
Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones led the tributes to Lewis, tweeting: “R.I.P. JLL the KILLER – What a man.”
Read more: BBC
