Tragedy Struck
When Lewis was young, he dealt with tragedy quite often. When he was just a three-year-old toddler, his big brother Elmo Lewis Jr. was hit and killed by a drunk driver. At the time, Elmo was starting to show off his own talents. He had many struggles throughout his life, but music helped him cope.
Jerry Lee Lewis. Photo by Peter Elinskas / Daily Mail / Shutterstock
When Lewis was barely a teenager, he would sneak into a bar in his town called Haney’s Big House. It’s not what you think, though; he didn’t go in to drink alcohol. It was a juke joint, popular among black field workers, and Lewis went there for the music. Blues musicians would play there frequently, and Lewis watched with amazement.