Apparently it was circulated that rock ‘n’ roll icon Jerry Lee Lewis had passed away, but his rep confirms this is false news.
“Lewis is very much alive and well right now, despite reports claiming otherwise,” confirmed Lewis’s rep. “He’s alive. TMZ reported erroneously off of a bulls–t anonymous tip.”
It seems TMZ incorrectly broke the news that Lewis passed away at his home in Memphis this past Wednesday. The beloved musician had been dealing with health issues recently, which likely lead to the speculation.
A Facebook post from his official page showed Lewis looking frail while dealing with the flu.
“On Sunday, Jerry Lee Lewis was finally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The legendary Jerry Lee was too ill with the flu to attend the ceremony,” read an October 19 post. “His longtime dear friend Kris Kristofferson accepted in his honor from Hank Williams Jr. and Kris and his wife Lisa were nice enough to drive down to Memphis and present it to Jerry Lee in person.”
Lewis then posted a message to his fans, “It is with heartfelt sadness and disappointment that I write to you today from my sick bed, rather than be able to share my thoughts in person. I tried everything I could to build up the strength to come today. I’ve looked so forward to it since I found out about it earlier this year. My sincerest apologies to all of you for missing this fine event, but I hope to see you all soon.”
Lewis first broke out into the music scene with his hit “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” in 1957. He became well-known for his piano-playing skills and often performed alongside fellow rock stars like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
