Music in Our Schools Month: Jerry Lee Lewis (1935–2022) Tribute List

Singer/songwriter Jerry Lee Lewis — nicknamed "The Killer" for the energy that "knocked out" audiences — died October 28, 2022 at the age of 87. Lewis' wild stage persona and innovative piano playing raised him to the pinnacle of early rock 'n' roll alongside Little Richard and Elvis Presley. In 1957, Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire" became hits on pop, country, and R&B charts. His fame never looked back and his hall-of-fame, six-decade career influenced music greats such as Billy Idol, Mick Jagger, and Elton John. This legendary rocker’s tribute includes words from Lewis' lyrics, quotes, and articles.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. rattle
    cause to lose one's composure
    You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
    – Great Balls of Fire
  2. weep
    shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain
    Your cheating heart will make you weep
    – Your Cheatin' Heart
  3. disclose
    make known to the public information previously kept secret
    I hate to disclose that ma ramblin' rose
    Is gonna meet her Waterloo!
    – Ramblin' Rose
  4. nestle
    lie in a sheltered position
    A little nest
    That's nestled where the roses bloom.
    – My Blue Heaven
  5. slander
    attack the good name and reputation of someone
    Slander my name
    All over the place.
    – Blue Suede Shoes
  6. linger
    be about
    The moon stood still on Blueberry Hill
    And lingered till my dreams came true
    – Blueberry Hill
  7. jukebox
    a cabinet containing an automatic record player
    You know, my temperature's risin'
    And the jukebox blowin' a fuse
    – Roll Over Beethoven
  8. gumbo
    a soup or stew thickened with okra pods
    Jambalaya, a-crawfish pie and-a file gumbo
    – Jambalaya
  9. totem
    emblem consisting of an object such as an animal or plant
    Well, if you see a new face on a totem pole
    If you find a lump in your sugar bowl
    Baby, it'll be me and I'll be looking for you
    – It'll Be Me
  10. ghetto
    a poor densely populated city district
    Now there are people on reservations
    And out in the ghetto
    And brother there, but, for the grace of God
    Go you and I,
    – Walk a Mile in My Shoes
  11. grief
    intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one
    He all my grief has taken and all my sorrows borne
    – The Lily of the Valley
  12. wither
    shrink, as with a loss of moisture
    Your leaving will bring autumn sorrow and my tears like withered leaves shall fall
    – Seasons of My Heart
  13. yearn
    have a desire for something or someone who is not present
    Crazy arms that reach to hold somebody new
    While my yearning heart keeps saying you're not mine
    – Crazy Arms
  14. flashy
    tastelessly showy
    That honky-tonky world
    is not so flashy
    – It All Depends
  15. spew
    expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth
    "Either be hot or cold. If you are lukewarm, the Lord will spew you forth from His mouth."
    – Jerry Lee Lewis, The Journal of Southern Religion
  16. half-hearted
    feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm
    "I heard Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis and that was it. I didn’t ever want to be anything else. I just started banging away and semi-studied classical music at the Royal Academy of Music but sort of half-heartedly. I was never really interested in it."
    – Elton John, Ultimate Classic Rock
  17. flamboyant
    tending to attract attention; marked by ostentatious display
    "With his innovative and flamboyant piano playing style, Jerry Lee Lewis emerged as one of rock music’s early showman in the 1950s."
    – Biography, Jerry Lee Lewis
  18. aura
    distinctive but intangible quality around a person or thing
    "I saw him in New York in January. I was shocked. I think his piano playing has gotten better as he's gotten older. He was unbelievable, just phenomenal," Mr. Morton said. "He has an aura around him because of who he is."
    – Greg Morton, The Standard Times
  19. raucous
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
    Jerry Lee Lewis has always had an attitude. Dating back to 1956, at the dawn of rock ’n’ roll, the pianist carved out a niche as a boogie-woogie shouter—a performer whose narrow inky eyes, smoldering cool and raucous playing style came to epitomize the music’s rebellious spirit.
    – Marc Myers, The Wall Street Journal
Created on Sat Nov 26 21:52:35 EST 2022 (updated Tue Dec 06 09:53:10 EST 2022)

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