jerry lee lewis

English - English

Definition of jerry lee lewis in English English dictionary

born Sept. 29, 1935, Ferriday, La., U.S. U.S. rock-and-roll musician. He began playing piano in his childhood, influenced by blues and gospel musicians. He attended Bible school in Texas but was expelled. Returning to Louisiana, he played in several bands, perfecting his signature "pumping" piano technique (the left hand maintaining a driving boogie pattern while the right played flashy ornamentation). His first hits came in 1957 with "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire." In 1958 it was discovered that he had married a 13-year-old relative, and his record sales dropped. Though he had a few more hits, he concentrated on his famously energetic and uninhibited live performances. His career continued to be plagued by controversy

Related Terms

Jerry Lewis

orig. Joseph Levitch born March 16, 1926, Newark, N.J., U.S. U.S. actor, director, and producer. In 1946 he developed a nightclub comedy routine with Dean Martin (1917-95), who played the suave crooner to Lewis's zany clown, and they appeared together in 16 movies, including My Friend Irma (1949) and Pardners (1956), before ending their partnership in 1956. Lewis then directed, produced, and acted in movies such as The Bellboy (1960) and The Nutty Professor (1963). These films, along with his collaborations with director Frank Tashlin, led many critics (especially in Europe) to regard Lewis as the comic heir to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Since 1966 Lewis has hosted the U.S. annual Muscular Dystrophy Telethon

Hyphenation

jer·ry lee lew·is

Turkish pronunciation

ceri li luîs

Pronunciation

/ˈʤerē ˈlē ˈlo͞oəs/ /ˈʤɛriː ˈliː ˈluːɪs/