JERRY LEE LEWIS, 85 YEARS OLD

There’s a very good reason why Jerry Lee Lewis is considered one of the most influential pianists of the twentieth century. He took the instrument to great heights and pioneered rock and roll, as well as rockabilly music. Lewis made his debut in 1956 under Sun Records in Memphis. The song Crazy Arms managed to sell 300,000 copies upon release, which was quite a feat during that period. However, it wasn’t until his track Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On did he gain widespread recognition. The former eventually got followed by several other hits, including High School Confidential, Great Balls of Fire, and Breathless. All of which remain as representations of great American rock and roll music.

He may have experienced a career decline following controversy in his marriage, but this didn’t stop the rocker from achieving a great degree of success in the industry. He has won four Grammys, has multiple gold records for both rock and country music, as well as recognition from the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.