Jerry Lee Lewis to Publish Memoir

Posted on October 14, 2010

Jerry Lee Lewis is writing a memoir that will be published by It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, in 2012. The book was acquired at auction by Cal Morgan, Vice President and Editorial Director of It Books. The agent was Erin Hosier of the Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency.

Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the founding pioneers of rock-and his life story is at least as dramatic as his famously outrageous performances. From his childhood in Louisiana and his evangelical upbringing (Jimmy Lee Swaggart was his double first cousin) to his expulsion from Bible college in Texas, Lewis always knew he was going to be a star. In this memoir, he will share a lifetime of untold stories, from his early years at Sun Records, where he had back-to-back hits "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire"; to his longtime friendships with Sun stablemates Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and others; to the scandal that scuttled his first UK tour and jeopardized his career; to his triumphant comeback in the late 1960s, when he became the #1 country music star in America. The book also covers the cycles of excess and tragedy that dogged him for decades-to his present-day comeback with a pair of hit CDs, Last Man Standing and Mean Old Man.

"I have spent my life listening to those who know so little say so much about me and my life," said Lewis. "I am ready to say a whole lot about why I lived my life the way I did. People can read it, burn it, or never give it another thought. Either way the truth is about to be told, and I'm the only man still standing who can touch it."