Jerry Lee Lewis died this week at the age of 87. His music is being celebrated this week and the musician is being mourned by those who loved both him and his songs. But the star's life was not without controversy.
Jerry Lee got married seven times in his life. But in a cringe-worthy union, his third bride was actually his cousin once removed, Myra Gale Brown.
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She was just 13-years-old when the two tied the knot. Jerry Lee was 22.
The year was 1957, and, of course, it was a different time. But people still did not look at the marriage fondly. Jerry Lee's bride was only a child, after all. She still believed in Santa Claus. The backlash was swift and intense.
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After the two married, they moved in with his wife's parents. Then, they went on the star's first European tour together, where the Jerry Lee routinely lied about his wife's age to British reporters. He claimed she was 15. It wasn't long before the truth came out.
Jerry Lee apparently did not understand what people were so upset about. But fans began boycotting his shows and music. He was also blacklisted from music venues. His appearance fees dropped from about $10K to a dismal $250. Many said he had destroyed his career.
The two were married for 13 years and had two children, Steve and Phoebe. They parted ways in 1970, and it was not an amicable split. Myra filed on the grounds of adultery and abuse, claiming she'd suffered "every type of physical and mental abuse imaginable" from her husband.
The marriage had been Jerry Lee's third and it would not be his last. He married four more times in his life.
But he continued to keep it all in the family. His final marriage was to Judith Lewis, the ex-wife of Myra's brother.
However you feel about Jerry Lee Lewis' personal or professional life, it's hard to look at his legacy and not cringe at the absurdity of his third marriage. Still, while many never listened to his songs again and called him a "cradle robber" and worse, he maintained his status as a rock 'n' roll god. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and, just days before his death, the Country Music Hall of Fame.
It just goes to show how powerful men can pretty much get away with anything … even marrying a child as young as 13.
