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.. Williams penned twobooks discussing her relationship: "The Spark That Survived" in 2016 and "Great Balls of Fire: The Uncensored Story of Jerry Lee Lewis" in 1982. When they got back to Memphis, it had been found that Brown was the little girl of Lewis cousin and bass player, J.W. Sadly, Steven tragically died in 1962 when he suffered from a drowning accident. 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. They were divorced in 2004, according to Spinner.com. Hollywood Life, Latest Hollywood Celebrity & Entertainment News. "If you think you know [my] story of being the 13 year old bride of my second cousin, you're in for a surprise," she teased. [19], Since 1980, Brown has enjoyed success as a real estate agent in Atlanta. Earthy colored was brought into the world on July 11, 1944, in Winnsboro, Louisiana, the girl of Lois and Jay J.W. Brown. [1] They went on to make rock and roll history, recording hit singles on Sun Records. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Browns daughter,' she said, looking back on the day it was revealed she was 13 and Jerry Lee Lewis spouse. Brown took a job with Memphis Gas, Light and Water, where he worked as a lineman. "Jerry Lee Lewis may be a lot of things, but hes not a simple cartoon. [14], Brown hired writer Murray Silver to co-write a book that was meant to be her autobiography, but after a publisher's editing it became Great Balls of Fire: The Uncensored Story of Jerry Lee Lewis. What I wanted was a baby in my arms, a home, a husband, a kitchen to cook in, a yard to raise roses. As of Friday afternoon, Williams had not released a public statement about Lewis death. She was crying as she moved down the hall and knocked at the door with the iron bars. Biography, Net Worth, Gossips, Salary, News & Much More. I guess I went through like a trial by fire. Elvis Presley, the biggest rock star in the world, was dating a 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, who would later become his wife. 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). Before Lewis and Myra Gale Browns marriage, Lewis was known as a Rock n Roll star, but his career went south after he married his 13 old year cousin, and Myra Brown introduced herself as Jerrys wife after marriage. With five of his ex-wives, the Great Balls of Fire singer fathered six children. As of Friday afternoon, Williams had not released a public statement about Lewis' death. Rusty Brown is Myra Gale Brown's brother, O'Connor said. The teenager tragically overturned his Jeep and died in the car accident. There was no getting around it. It was really the first scandal of rock n roll, Williams told Georgia's Gwinnett Daily Post in 2016. 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. The preachers hated it. [20] Now known as Myra Lewis Williams, she resides in Duluth, Georgia with her husband; they own a real estate company. I dropped the bomb. 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. If I can survive lifes worst tragedies and my own dumb-ass decisions, you can, too.. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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. 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. She later pursued a career in music and worked on the movie Benji: Off the Leash! When Myra Williams looks back on her life her marriage to her cousin, singer Jerry Lee Lewis, in 1957 when she was just 13 years old, their good and bad times together, the two children they. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . But I pulled through it. I guess he had it all set up. I was like a deer caught in headlights. She became a licensed broker in 1984, and is a recipient of the Million Dollar Life Time Award 2003. They called it the devils music. Sadly, Jerry II died in 1973 when he was only 19 years old, perThe Guardian. I looked at him and I said, Jerry, are you crazy? The marriage eventually came to an end in 1970, when Williams divorced Lewis. Did Jerry Lee Lewis marry his niece? (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images), Lewis and Williams, his second cousin, married in 1957 when he was 22, and she was 13. He sought out his cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis, who was also an unknown musician at the time. The radio stations that didnt play it hated it. "Theyve lost a great entertainer, a very talented man. Pate died in 1982 due. "He told him my parents found [his] marriage license," she said. Myra and Jerry Lewiss marriage was considered the most controversial marriage in history. After just a few shows in England, the tour was canceled. 1954). and I say, 'Wait a second, youre talking to the little girl nowbe careful what you say.' 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. After several tour dates were canceled, Jerry and his new bride left the country. Quick filters: Black & white. Lewis and Brown went on to have two children, Steve and Phoebe, but after all of . In this blog post, we will present to you 9+ cases of famous cousin marriages that shocked everyone, in some cases, even the partners themselves did not know about their family origins. Jerry Lee Lewis marriage to his 13-year-old cousin in 1957 nearly ended his career. Myra Brown was born on July 11, 1944, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and She was 78 years old as of 2022. View all photos from this album. However, as Williams predicted, her parents were not thrilled by the union. Brown. Copyright 2023 by Vizaca. Sun Records' Jud Phillips (brother of producer Sam) had warned him against taking Myra with him to England on his first European tour. Since 1980, Brown has enjoyed success as a real estate agent in Atlanta. [4] By the time they returned to Memphis, it had been discovered that Brown was not only Lewis' wife, she was also his first cousin once removed. Earthy colored has a more youthful sibling, Rusty Brown (b. In America, he told them, it was quite all right to marry at age 15, even at 10, provided you could find a husband. He outlived Elvis, but his career as a rock star was forever crippled by the scandal. Thats exactly what it was.". 1595 Malone Rd. She had wanted to tell the story of a woman surviving difficult circumstances and inspire women to understand their own strengths,[18] so she published her memoir, The Spark That Survived, in 2016. Trent Reznor Explains Scalping Controversy, Chow Down on Your Thanksgiving Dinner Playlist, Best Phoenix Concerts This Week: Blu DeTiger, The 1975, Phunk Junkeez, Phoenixs Best Weekend Concerts: Smashing Pumpkins, Janes Addiction, Descendents, The Undefinable Sound of Holy Fawn Blasts Off From Phoenix to a New Dimension, Voters Retain Controversial Maricopa County Judge Who Ruled Against Tempes Shady Park. But Lewis had a storied private life, and his career took a nosedive in the late 1950s, when he married Myra Gale Brown. Their son passed away in 1962 at age 3 from drowning in a swimming pool. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), "We got married in December and we went to England in May," said Williams. But that career hit a sharp nosedive in 1958, when. On December 12, 1957, Jerry married his third cousin, Myra Gale Brown. I not only survived it, Im better for it, having gone through it. How is this happening? I dealt with [the controversy] a lot better than anybody else did I had not thought like a child in a long time. 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. If you think you know [my] story of being the 13 year old bride of my second cousin, youre in for a surprise, she teased. Because we have a daughter, Jerry and I remained in contact for many years, she wrote. On October 22, 2022, Friday, famous singer Jerry Lee Lewis died at age eighty-seven, and beside the outpouring of tributes to his abilities came reminders of his infamous wedding to his 13-year-old cousin-german in 1957. The couple owns a real estate company in Atlanta. The duo tied the knot on December 12, 1957, and the musician. It was really the first scandal of rock n roll, Williams told Georgias Gwinnett Daily Post in 2016. 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. After Lewis concluded his separation from Mitcham, he remarried Brown on June 4, 1958. "Phoebe worked for him and when I visited her I would still see him, too. ", Williams also described howthe revelation of their marriage hurt Lewis' career, recalling how the musician's "fame and money went down to almost nothing." . Myra Gale Brown was born on July 11, 1944, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, the daughter of Lois (ne Neal) and J.W. How long was Jerry Lee Lewis married to his cousin, in this case? Williams and Lewis divorced in 1970. Rusty Brown is Myra Gale Brown's brother, O'Connor said. She is incredibly refreshing to read.. The radio stations that didnt play it hated it. Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter, Allison Holker Snuggles Up To Kids Maddox, 7, & Zaia, 3, Nearly 3 Months After Twitchs Tragic Death, Ariana Madix Hangs With Pal Kristen Doute Amid Tom Sandoval & Raquel Leviss Cheating Drama, Tom Sizemore Dead: Acclaimed Actor Dies At 61 After Brain Aneurysm, Is Sex/Life Season 3 Happening? Brown, who celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on Monday, with their daughter, Myra, in the late 1940s or early 1950s. I find living is nice and calm this way.". His managers had warned him about the British press and their delight in tearing down American superstars, but Lewis hadnt listened. All Rights Reserved. Brown, who is known today as an author, is Lewis' first cousin once removed. This was a one-night jam session at Sun Studios. All rights reserved. Remember, gossip is not gospel," Williams wrote on Instagram in 2015. or redistributed. The American press proved just as harsh as their English counterparts, and Jerry Lee's fee for personal appearances soon dropped from $10,000 a night to $250. The last survivor of a generation that included fellow performers Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard, died Friday morning at age 87. Go to college, get an education, then figure it out.' Lewis shocked Hollywood when news broke that he wed his second cousin Myra Gale Brown in 1958. She is most popular for her union with rock n move performer Jerry Lee Lewis who is her subsequent cousin. Brown, Lewis' cousin and the bass player in his band. Alamy Stock Photo One of the most shocking scandals involving cradle-snatching rock stars was the marriage of the. This book was initially delivered in October 1982 by William Morrow and Company. Longtime Gwinnett resident Myra Lewis Williams has penned a new memoir sharing her life story, including her teenage marriage with her second cousin rock n' roll star Jerry Lee Lewis. ", "Myra Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis' 13-year-old bride, speaks out", "Jerry Lee Lewis Married His 13-Year-Old Cousin And Ruined His Career", "Jerry Lee Lewis' teenage bride speaks out: 'I was the adult and Jerry was the child', "Jerry Lee Lewis' Lawsuit Against Daughter Dismissed by Judge", "Cousin's ex becomes Jerry Lee Lewis' 7th wife", "The Tiny Spark That Survived: The Rock 'n' Roll Life of Star's Child Bride", "Jerry Lee Lewis' former teenage wife releases new book", "Cannes Review: Ethan Coen's 'Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble In Mind', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Myra_Lewis_Williams&oldid=1138714619, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 05:24. And Jerry gave it to themwell, I did, I opened my mouth. Myra Gale Browns Ex-Husband was best known for his most significant work and was one of the Rock n Roll artists in Hollywood history. She is a writer, known for Great Balls of Fire! Life and career Earthy colored was brought into the world on July 11, 1944, in Winnsboro, Louisiana, the girl of Lois and Jay "J.W." Brown. He won three Grammys and recorded with some of the industrys greatest stars.