Robert Fontenot Jr. is an entertainment critic and journalist focusing on classic rock and roll and published nationally for more than 25 years. Today, Myra Williams, 78, reflects on the scandal and her late ex-husband. Your daddy likes me and your mama likes me. I just kept telling him, They will kill you.", "The next day, he said, You wanna go to a movie or something?" Williams shared. ", Myra Lewis Williams was approached by a reporter in London during the middle of her husband's tour. While promoting the book, she took to Instagram to air some of the sordid details. For a man from his time and place, however, marrying at 13 and marrying one's third cousin (twice removed) were both fairly commonplace, although Lewis further complicated matters by again marrying before the divorce from his second wife was final. For her part, Williams said that she wasnt a fan of her first book and its movie adaptation because they were someone elses idea about how that part of her life story should be told, the Post said. It was adapted into the 1989 film Great Balls of Fire!, starring Dennis Quaid as Lewis and Winona Ryder as Brown. '", Myra Lewis Williams described Jerry Lee Lewis as "a country bumpkin who wore blue jeans and had ears that stuck out" when they first met. Williams alsorecalled how she "let the big ol cat out of the bag" about their marriage to the pressin Londonwithout realizing the backlash it would spark. Earlier in London, Myra, who was 13 years old and Lewis's third cousin, revealed their secret marriage. And, Myra said later, she herself felt ready for marriage. The radio stations that didnt play it hated it. She said it is complicated. The Ferriday, LA native moved in with his cousin J.W. And he brought his marriage license home to me for us to get married. The couple wed in 2012. Myra Gale Brown : Why won't they go away? He got the scoop and I let the cat out of the bag. He tied the knot with his seventh wife, Judith Brown, on March 9, 2012. All rights reserved. All Rights Reserved. It was in 1958 when British journalists learned of the tender young age of Myra Gale Brown, and the ensuing uproar caused Lewis to cancel his tour and spoiled his chance to dethrone Elvis as the. Brown allegedly told a reporter she was Lewis' wife, and Lewis claimed Brown was 15 years old and had been his wife for two months. It was crude and rude and ridiculous what it was doing to the teenagers. [20] Now known as Myra Lewis Williams, she resides in Duluth, Georgia with her husband; they own a real estate company. "And Jerry gave it to themwell, I did, I opened my mouth. Join the New Times community and help support Myra Lewis Williams told Fox News Digital her father was furious when he learned of the marriage. Elvis Presley, the biggest rock star in the world, was dating a 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, who would later become his wife. Theyve Had an Inappropriate Relationship For Months, How Black Creators Can Expand Their Network with LinkedIn, Jerry Lee Lewis was a recording artist known for his hit song Great Balls of Fire.. . Myra Gale Brown today known as Myra Lewis William, was an American author. Jerry Lee Lewis marriage to his 13-year-old cousin in 1957 nearly ended his career. Rusty Brown is Myra Gale Brown's brother, O'Connor said. Lewis went on to marry four more times. A family spat over money turned ugly in the courts. (1989). Dad, youre the greatest and I love you!, he captioned the snapshot. (Photo by Tom Baffer/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images). All you could hear was Jerry going, Well?! [4] Lewis asserted that Brown was 15 years old and was his wife of two months. Phoebe Lewis-Loftin later became her father's manager and lived at his ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi until 2012, when he married Judith Brown,[12] the ex-wife of his first cousin once removed, Rusty Brown (Myra Gale's brother). "I was more of the adult than Jerry was. ", "I was the adult in the room and Jerry was the silly child," she said. His bride, for her part, told the gathering that 15 wasn't too young to marry back home: "You can marry at 10 if you can find a husband.". Earthy colored has a more youthful sibling, Rusty Brown (b. Rock n roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis passed away on Friday at age 87. You come out of the fire you make it. Jerry Lee Lewis was a rock n' roll pioneer & died at the age of 87 years old. Lewis shocked Hollywood when news broke that he wed his second cousin Myra Gale Brown in 1958. A year later, the late singer found love again and married Myra Gale Brown and they stayed married until 1970. She described the memoir as her story "of how to overcome life's worst tragedies and your own dumbass decisions.". From left: Musicians Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash as "The Million Dollar Quartet" on Dec. 4, 1956, in Memphis, Tennessee. Hes no longer part of my life. "'Great Balls of Fire' is the toonof rock movies, with Jerry Lee Lewis reduced on screen to Roger Rabbit," Times music critic Robert Hilburn wrote at the time. She became a licensed broker in 1984, and is a recipient of the Million Dollar Life Time Award 2003. On December 12, 1957, Jerry married his third cousin, Myra Gale Brown. She joined The Times in 2010 as a MetPro trainee and has reported from homicide scenes, flooded canyons, red carpet premieres and award shows. Myra Lewis Williams has no hard feelings over the relationship and still blames the press for turning it into something wicked. Jerry Lee Lewis, the rock and roll innovator whose career stumbled after his marriage to his 13-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown, is dead at the age of 87.. Lewis' passing was announced on Friday, October 28th by his publicist, Zach Farnum of 117 Group. And when I said what I said, it was like his hair caught on fire. He was still playing with squirt bottles with his friends. Well, I dont know if it made me stronger or not, sir, but it got my attention real good, I know. Over the course of his life, he was married to seven different women, including Myra Gale Brown, 78, who was also Jerrys first cousin once removed. Biography, Net Worth, Gossips, Salary, News & Much More. She was 13 at the time. Lewis was 23 at the time of his wedding to his 13-year-old cousin. Little did they know what it was going to turn into.. In 2004, divorce proceedings began against his sixth wife, Kerrie McCarver, whom he married in 1984. [14] The producers did not want Brown or Lewis involved with the film, but she visited the Memphis set anyway. It was really the first scandal of rock n roll, Williams told Georgia's Gwinnett Daily Post in 2016. Myra and Lewis were married for more than a decade and they had two children, Steve and Phoebe. The exes remained cordial over the years because of the bond they shared with their daughter. They called it the devils music. When Jaren was suing Jerry for divorce she tragically died in a friends swimming pool in 1982. [14] Although Brown found the actors to be talented and friendly, she was not satisfied with the book or the film. I dont think he wouldve done it by any means, but he was really angry. In America, he told them, it was quite all right to marry at age 15, even at 10, provided you could find a husband. My little brother was born because I begged my parents for a baby at ten years old.. Williams briefly remarried to Pete Malito from 1970 to 1972. Vizaca.com participates in many affiliate marketing programs & sponsored content which means we get paid commissions on products purchased through our links to retail websites. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images). He proclaimed himself for ever a rock'n'roller, through his remaining decades of turmoil, lurid tragedy and . I could so easily have said, Im J.W. 1954). Her second book chronicled her experiences becoming a mother at age 14 and then again at 17 and losing their son Steve by accidental drowning in 1962. Legal Statement. Williams has also written two books about her life, including 2016s "The Sparked That Survived. The marriage lasted a year and a half. I dont know. Two of those unions ended in untimely deaths for the brides, and his fourth and final marriage came in 2012. At the time, Jerry was married toJane Mitchum, which was his second marriage after he split from his first wife,Dorothy Barton. Thats what this book basically is, this is what happened, this is how I handled it and here I am today, she said. I pull myself out of it. The former U.S. president was married to his fifth cousin once removed, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. ", Williams again addressed their scandalous relationship in her 2016 memoir, "The Spark That Survived." A little bit down. I think this book will warm your heart, tickle your funny bone, and touch your soul. If anybody had told me anything, I could have prevented this thing. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Lewis and Brown went on to have two children, Steve and Phoebe, but after all of . Jerry Lee Lewis III, 35, was born in 1987, about three years after Jerry and Kerrie tied the knot. Its noon, and the lobby of the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel is swarming with the ladies-who-lunch set. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Since 1980, Brown has enjoyed success as a real estate agent in Atlanta. During his life, he was married 7 times & welcomed 6 children into the world. ", Jerry Lee Lewis plays the piano for his 13-year-old bride at the Cafe de Paree. After the two were married on December 12, 1957, Lewis planned to take Brown along on a tour of England. But it didn't delve deep enough into exploring Lewis' indomitable character. He continued to record music and perform in theater during that time and mounted a comeback about a decade later. They were looking for a place to stick the knife into rock & roll, she said. His fourth marriage was to his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown, which lasted from 1958 to 1970. The Killer was there within seconds. Brown played electric bass, and Lewis played piano and sang. Myra Gale Lewis Williams (ne Brown; born July 11, 1944) is an American author, best known for her controversial marriage at the age of 13 to rock and roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis, who was her first cousin once removed and was 22 at the time. How is this happening? (Photo by Zak Hussein - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images). First, Myra Gale Brown had been just 13 years old when they got married on Dec. 12, 1957. However, upon landing in the country with his child-bride, it became clear that the Brits were not on board with Jerry Lee Lewis. Siblings . All Rights Reserved. At the time, she hadnt realized that there was anything wrong with her relationship with Lewis. She was also his third wife.. Jerry Lee, never one to change his mind, took her anyway. Family Members. Jerry Lee Lewis may be a lot of things, but hes not a simple cartoon., Williams again addressed their scandalous relationship in her 2016 memoir, The Spark That Survived. While promoting the book, she took to Instagram to air some of the sordid details. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. from $6.99 1 New from $6.99 Details the love affair between singer Jerry Lee Lewis and his thirteen-year-old cousin, Myra Brown, and the scandal that resulted from their marriage in 1957 Print length 373 pages Language English Publisher St Martins Pr Publication date January 1, 1989 ISBN-10 0312916418 ISBN-13 978-0312916411 See all details 1:11 Many remember Jerry Lee Lewis for the prolific music career that cemented his status as a rock 'n' roll icon before his death at age 87 Friday. [13], Shortly after her divorce, Brown married Pete Malito,[14] the detective she had hired to trail Lewis and document his infidelities,[15] and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. (Special. [3][2] When Lewis arrived in London for a 37-date tour in May 1958, Brown revealed to a reporter at the airport that she was his wife. Myra Gale Brown American author Myra Lewis Williams ( ne Gale Brown, July 11, 1944) is an American author, best known for her controversial marriage at the age of 13 to rock and roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis, who is her first cousin once removed. Brown, Lewis' cousin and the bass player in his band. Earthy colored wedded Lewis in Hernando, Mississippi on December 12, 1957, at 13 years old. PAT BOONE RECALLS MEETING PAL ELVIS PRESLEY: 'HE WAS JUST A SCARED YOUNG KID', "We were driving from Memphis to Louisiana and Phoebe was about three or four years old," she remembered. Thats what I yearned for more than anything else. Phoenix's independent source of She is a writer, known for Great Balls of Fire! His death had previously been erroneously reported by TMZ and other outlets on October 26th. Did Jerry Lee Lewis marry his niece? "We kept thinking every year, every six months, that it was going to go away, theyre going to stop talking about it, and it just didnt happen. Unfortunately, returning stateside did nothing to stop the flood of vitriol that was spewing about Lewis and Brown. When J.W. I was like a deer caught in headlights. The marriage eventually came to an end in 1970, when Williams divorced Lewis. My daddy will kill you. And he said, Oh no, he wont. Getty Images. "Jay" Brown. Getty Images. American actor Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee Lewis and Winona Ryder as his underage wife Myra Gale Brown in the film 'Great Balls of Fire!', a biopic of. After his divorce in 1983, he went on to marry Shawn Stephens but their relationship ended the same year. At the point when Lewis showed up in London for a 37-date visit, Brown uncovered to inquisitive writers that she was his better half. Brown was injured on the job, he decided to start a band. However, the two the face of it created peace later. The teenager tragically overturned his Jeep and died in the car accident. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Jerry Lee Lewis teenage bride speaks out: I was the adult and Jerry was the child, Jerry Lee Lewis, original wild man of rock n roll, dies at 87, The Tiny Spark That Survived : The Rock n Roll Life of Stars Child Bride, Review: Jerry Lee Lewis remains a musical firebrand at 83 during dynamic performance in Cerritos, A Knock on Rock Movies : How Great Balls of Fire, the latest failed rock bio, reduces Jerry Lee Lewis to Roger Rabbit, Daisy Jones & the Six becomes the first fictional band to hit No. What I wanted was a baby in my arms, a home, a husband, a kitchen to cook in, a yard to raise roses. The preachers hated it. Remember, gossip is not gospel, Williams wrote on Instagram in 2015. They were divorced in 2004, according to Spinner.com. She co-wrote many books, such as Great Book Of Fire and The Spark That Survived, and earned peoples love and popularity through her book. Their fans were heartbroken when they knew they parted ways after an extended period, and it was Lewis, not their first marriage; he had already been married 2,3 times previously. A lot of ink has been spilled about his close blood relationship with Myra, and the fact that she was only 13 and still believed in Santa Claus when the pair were married. It was a marriage license. The backlash was swift. . I guess I went through like a trial by fire. 1954). It was here where Lewis met Brown's daughter, Myra Gale Brown, while on . . Jerry later marriedShawn Stephensin 1983, but as she died due to an overdose, they did not have kids together. Infatuation with a child simply seemed to come with rock and roll territory. I find living is nice and calm this way.. Copyright 2023 by Vizaca. Many remember Jerry Lee Lewis for the prolific music career that cemented his status as a rock 'n' roll icon before his death at age 87 Friday. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. [1] The Browns later had a son, Rusty Brown (b. Lewis was on his way to international rock and roll stardom when he married Brown . On December 12, 1957, Lewis wed a woman named Myra Gale Brown (pictured above), who was also his cousin. Jerry died on Oct. 28, 2022, at the age of 87 years old. The name may be derived from Miranda as it can be the shortened version the name Mira. 9 interesting facts (that don't blame the farmers). In 2014, Brown, then 70 and known as Myra Williams,gave an interview to music journalist Alan Light published inCuepoint, in which she reflected onher shocking relationship with Lewis. He sought out his cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis, who was also an unknown musician at the time. Franklin D. Roosevelt. She posed as me and signed the marriage license application. Inside The Short And Tumultuous Life Of Gia Carangi, "The World's First Supermodel", 44 Grim Photos That Show The Brutal Reality Of Mid-Century America's Polio Epidemics, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. [2], On December 12, 1957, at the age of 13, Myra Brown married Jerry Lee Lewis, then 22, in Hernando, Mississippi. When Jerry marriedJaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate in 1971, the two later welcomed his second daughter, Lori Lee Lewis, in 1972. Myra Gale Brown was the daughter of J.W. Myra Lewis was born on July 11, 1944 in the USA as Myra Gale Brown. From left: Musicians Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash as "The Million Dollar Quartet" on Dec. 4, 1956, in Memphis, Tennessee. Myra and Jerry's daughter, Phoebe Lewis, 59, was born in 1963, about four years after Steven was born. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images), Fox News Flash Top Entertainment Headlines 10/31, Emma Stones 'And' co-star Willem Dafoe had her slap him 20 times to get scene right, Prince Harry's 'attacks' on 'villain' Camilla led to Frogmore Cottage eviction: expert, Film industry reacts to death of 'Saving Private Ryan' star Tom Sizemore: 'You're a legend', Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck', Kelsey Grammer wont apologize for the 'difference' that Jesus has made in his life. Whether the innocence of the 13 year old girl who married Jerry Lee Lewis, the heartbreak of the young woman struggling with life's events, or the tenacity and spark of the woman speaking now, Myra's voice is alive, humorous, heartfelt, and totally without pretense. "[4][10] Their divorce was finalized on December 9, 1970. Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra Lewis Williams with their newborn son Steve Allen Lewis on Feb. 28, 1959, in Ferriday, Louisiana. Myra Gale Brown was born on July 11, 1944, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, the daughter of Lois (ne Neal) and J.W. [17] Brown was paid $100,000 for her story, but was resentful that she was not consulted for the script or casting of the film despite being promised. Myra Lewis Williams, seen here with Jerry Lee Lewis during their marriage, has led a quiet life in Atlanta Georgia where she worked as a real estate agent. Steven Allen Lewiswas born in 1959, when his then-wife was 14 years old. ", a 1989 biopic of the famous rock 'n' roll musician. The revelation resulted in the abrupt cancellation of Lewis' tour; he was blacklisted by radio and his earnings dropped overnight. Options, mindsetsthis world has gone so fast the last fifty years that you cant keep up with it. JOHNNY CASHS SON, JOHN CARTER CASH, RECALLS LATE SINGERS DEEP DEVOTION TO FAITH: HIS GREATEST LEGACY, Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra Lewis Williams with their newborn son Steve Allen Lewis on Feb. 28, 1959, in Ferriday, Louisiana. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. She was married to her cousin, rock star Jerry Lee Lewis. 1963). Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Myra Lewis Williams, also known as Myra Gale Brown, was the third wife of late rock n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis and more infamously his 13-year-old cousin at the time they got married. Copyright 2023 by Vizaca. After they divorced, Brown worked as a receptionist to support her daughter as a single parent. He continued to record music and perform in theater during that time and mounted a comeback about a decade later. Instead director Jim McBride, who co-wrote the script with Jack Baran, ends up simply satirizing the argyle innocence and daffy exuberance of the 50s, according to The Times review. Phoebe worked for him and when I visited her I would still see him, too. Myra Gale Brown : All I ever wanted was a little pink house with a blue door. John Doe as J. W. Brown Actor/musician John Doe took on the role of J. W. Brown, the father of Myra Gale Brown and the first cousin (and later father-in-law) of Jerry Lee Lewis. Myra Gale was 13 years old when she married to 22 years old Jerry Lee Lewis in 1958. Lewis had previously married twice. Lets check, How Rich is C, All You Need To Know About Tamara Hurwitz. I buried my own. When they got back to Memphis, it had been found that Brown was the little girl of Lewis cousin and bass player, J.W. Her second book chronicled her experiences becoming a mother at age 14 and then again at 17 and losing their son Steve by accidental drowning in 1962. " The tour in London was booked. As of Friday afternoon, Williams had not released a public statement about Lewis death. I just dont know which ones theyd be.". Though they were no longer together, they remained amicable throughout the rest of Lewis marriages and still keep up with each other. But I pulled through it. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Thats exactly what it was.". The last survivor of a generation that included fellow performers Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard, died Friday morning at age 87. On December 12, 1958, Myra, 13, married Lewis, 22, in Hernando, Mississippi. In 2016 she published her memoir, The Spark That Survived. Dawn Staley thinks so, Why do we have daylight saving time? That is when the world learned of their shocking marriage. The British public, fueled by the tabloids branding Lewis as a cradle robber and a baby snatcher, practically drove him out of the country, vehemently abhorring his relationship. Jerry Lee Lewis, 23, married Myra Gale Brown in 1957. Earthy colored was brought into the world on July 11, 1944, in Winnsboro, Louisiana, the girl of Lois and Jay J.W. Brown. You come out of the fire you make it. and The Frank Skinner Show. Thats exactly what it was.. He later played electric bass and piano in a band with his cousin Jerry Lee Lewis.