Search - Jerry Lee Lewis :: Legends Collection

Killer At His Best

John M. Henderson | Trenton, NJ USA | 03/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On track to derail Elvis in his early years as the king of rock n' roll, Jerry Lee suffered from two fatal flaws that kept that from happening: a marriage to a twelve year old cousin that inflamed the public, particularly parents already troubled by rock music they believed was driving their children from them... ie. all of it and; a hard edged trailer-park honesty about himself and his work that some believed crude and no handler (unlike Colonel Parker for Elvis) could handle.None of this diminishes a talent for musicality, innovation and range that should have left Elvis in his dust and made Jerry revered to this day. Few people today know that the man Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash have both and independently called the greatest rock piano player EVER still performs several times a month, unfortunately almost only in the south and in Europe...where he indeed has always and continues to be bigger than Elvis. Sad, many otherwise knowledgeable music people, think Killer (his official nickname) died years ago.These CDs are the most comprehensive collection ever taking the listener from Lewis's black roots in Faraday Louisiana with 'Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On' (if you want to hear what that sounded like before Jerry reworked it, get Valerie Wellington's version of the same name)to his chart toppers High School Confidential, Great Balls of Fire et al.The depths to which Lee's career plunged after the teen marriage, two suspicious drowning deaths of a (different)wife and child --separately years apart, Jerry's own often irresponsible and violent behavior can be seen by the nation's honoring Chuck Berry as its greatest living rock star at a white house ceremony just last year (2000). Chuck Berry --neither the voice nor the musical talent-- could never compare with Jerry Lee Lewis. Only Elvis did and only he did with a better personality and consequently better public relations.Jerry Lee may be a crazed genius but genius he is and you need this album. Then get on a plane and fly down south to one of his concerts before he really does leave us. Sadly, Jerry still needs the money but, more importantly, you need a musical experience that will become the standard against which you will compare all future concerts you ever see. He is that good."