Jerry Lee Lewis
Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow
Five stars
Reviewed by Tom Rafferty
Jerry Lee Lewis is the last king of rock and roll still standing, and Thursday’s show was a celebration of his life and career. The concert opened with a young Swiss pianist, Ladyva, who played some sparkling boogie-woogie piano to a warm response. Next, Peter Asher and Albert Lee paid tribute to the Everly Brothers.
Then guitarist James Burton (who led Elvis Presley’s band from 1969 to the end), joined Albert Lee to play a selection of rock 'n' roll standards including Hello Mary Lou and Suzie Q. Jerry Lee's sister, Linda Gail Lewis, and niece, Annie Marie Lewis, are carrying on the family tradition, rocking 'n' rolling through a set including a great Let's Talk About Us and a barn-storming Old Black Joe.
The Killer himself was introduced by a short video where many of his friends paid tribute to him, amongst them Chuck Berry and Carl Perkins. It is nearly 60 years since Jerry Lee Lewis recorded Crazy Arms at Sun Studios in Memphis, and he is still blurring the line between rock 'n' roll and country music. He looks frail now, and he sang more than he played. The Memphis Beats, led by the great guitarist Kenny Lovelace, hung on his every move.
From the opening Down The Line to the final I Got A Woman, he gave it his all. His voice was fragile at times, bringing to mind Jeffrey Lee Pierce, especially on the tender She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye, and Somewhere Over The Rainbow, which he played as a honky-tonk song. He left to a standing ovation – he has reached 80 the hard way, and we shall not see his like again.
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