Shocking Details of Jerry Lee Lewis's Troubled Marriage Revealed

Rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis has been a household name for over five decades, known for his energetic stage performances and hits like "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." However, despite his iconic status, Lewis's personal life has been marred by controversy and tragedy, particularly regarding his marriages. In this article, we delve into the shocking details of Lewis's tumultuous relationship with his second wife, Myra Gale Brown.

Myra Gale Brown, the third cousin of Lewis's first wife, Myra Williams, met Jerry Lee in 1961 when she was just 13 years old. Lewis, 22 at the time, was already a rising star in the music industry, having released his debut single in 1957. The relationship between Brown and Lewis would become increasingly intense, with the teenager becoming Lewis's backup singer and eventually his second wife in 1971.

The Scandal Surrounding Jerry Lee Lewis's Marriage

The marriage between Lewis and Brown sparked significant controversy due to their close familial relationship and the significant age gap between them. Brown's parents, Latimore and Claudine Brown, had a complex relationship with Lewis, as they had allowed him to take their daughter on tour with him in 1958, when she was just 12 years old. This arrangement, though seemingly innocent, would eventually lead to widespread criticism and even a stint in jail for Lewis.

"To tell you the truth, I didn't know she was only 13 years old, I thought she was 18, but people were saying she was 13 and it created a big problem, a big fiasco," Lewis told the New York Times in 2004.

However, by the time Lewis and Brown were married in 1971, the age difference had grown, with Brown now being 21 and Lewis being 40. Despite this, the couple's relationship continued to be troubled, with allegations of infidelity and physical abuse surfacing.

Infidelity and Abuse Allegations

In the early 1970s, rumors of Lewis's infidelity began to spread, with multiple women claiming to have had affairs with the musician. One of these women, Kathy Westmoreland, a backup singer on one of Lewis's albums, became embroiled in a highly publicized divorce case in 1977. Westmoreland claimed that Lewis had promised to leave his wife for her, but instead had continued to cheat on her.

The tension between Lewis and his second wife, Myra, came to a head in 1997 when Lewis and his bodyguard, Kevin Owen Scott, got into a physical altercation in Las Vegas. Brown alleged that Lewis had been abusing her physically and emotionally, prompting the intervention of the authorities.

Public Backlash and Professional Fallout

The scandal surrounding Lewis's marriage led to significant backlash from the public and the media. His music career began to slow down, and he eventually found himself blacklisted by many music executives and labels. The controversy surrounding his marriage and subsequent abuse allegations also led to the cancellation of several high-profile tours and performances.

"In 1963, Jerry Lee was already married and had kids, but the Stones were part of a safer rock group image - Long Live the 1960s," a former music executive who worked closely with Lewis explained in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2020.

The Legacy of Jerry Lee Lewis's Troubled Marriage

The tumultuous relationship between Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra Gale Brown serves as a cautionary tale about the blurred lines between age and adolescence in the context of Hollywood celebrity culture. Lewis's career never fully recovered from the scandal, and he eventually passed away in 2022 at the age of 86.

In conclusion, the marriage between Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra Gale Brown was a complex and problematic relationship that sparked significant controversy and outrage. Though Lewis's personal life and music career were never the same, his legacy as a rock and roll icon continues to inspire a new generation of musicians and fans around the world.