Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the early rock ‘n’ roll artists that helped bring the genre to the mainstream, died today (Oct. 28) at the age of 87, and many fellow rockers have since taken to social media to pay their respects.
The performer, nicknamed “The Killer,” rose to fame in the latter half of the 1950s with the hit “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On.” A string of hits such as “Great. Balls of Fire,” “Breathless” and “High School Confidential” followed, helping to make him one of the biggest stars of the early rock ‘n’ roll era.
Lewis was one of the inaugural inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and has been given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy. His story was also told on the big screen in the 1989 film Great Balls of Fire, starring Dennis Quaid, and earlier this year director Joel Coen helmed a documentary on his life titled Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind.
Quaid said in a statement, “Jerry Lee was a Christian, an American icon and the greatest piano player in the world. People will be listening to Great Balls of Fire and Whole Lot of Shakin’‘ 500 years from now. I will miss him. God bless you Jerry Lee.”
Known for his energetic piano playing and live wire performances, Jerry Lee Lewis was a major influence to many in the music industry. Upon his death, many rockers have shared their tributes to the legendary musician. From Slash to Ringo Starr and plenty more, see a sampling below. And stay tuned as we’ll continue to update this post.
Slash
Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones)
Melvins
Ringo Starr
Chuck D
Cait O’Riordan (The Pogues)
Michael Des Barres
Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
Rory Gallagher
Chris Isaak
Marshall Tucker Band
Elton John
Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
Stephen King
The Doors
John Fogerty
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rockers We’ve Lost in 2022
Rock + Metal Musicians Who Died in 2022