Jerry Lee Lewis Albums (40)
'Live from Austin TX'
Release Date 6/26/2007
Tracks 15
Label New West
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What The Critics Say
From the Live from Austin, TX series documenting performances from the syndicated Austin City Limits public television program comes this volume of Jerry Lee Lewis from October of 1973. According to Terry Lickona's liner notes, Lewis' wife had died a few weeks earlier in a very controversial swimming pool accident and he almost didn't make it. Those lucky enough to hear this performance -- and now see it on the DVD version as well -- are lucky he did. Of the many officially released and bootlegged performance of the Killer from his mid-'50s debut on Sun to the present day, this one ranks among the finest. There are 15 cuts here, featuring Lewis fronting a taut sextet that includes guitarists Kenny Lovelace and Joel Shumaker, bassist Bob Moore, organist Bill Strom, and drummer Buddy Harmon. The tunes range from Hank Williams' "You Win Again" to Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little 16," "39 and Holding," "C.C. Rider," "Chantilly Lace" (leaving the Big Bopper's version in the dust), Charlie Rich's "No Headstone on My Grave," Ray Charles' "What'd I Say," and more, all topped off by his best-known tracks: "Great Balls of Fire" (written by Otis Blackwell, the man who made Elvis Presley famous) and, of course, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." The show is beautifully edited and the Killer's control of the gig is total. He understands how to bring it down and tear it up. There are a number of volumes in this series that simply don't get it for one reason or another; Jerry Lee's gig on Austin City Limits does -- and hard. Get it. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'Middle Aged Crazy: Live!'
Release Date 11/25/2003
Tracks 18
Label Fabulous
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'From the Front Row: Live'
Release Date 4/22/2003
Tracks 13
Label Silverline
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What The Critics Say
Live at Gilley's combines selections from two concerts Jerry Lee Lewis gave at Gilley's, one from August 1984 and the other from October 1987. Given that Lewis was a notoriously sporadic live performer in the second half of his career and that the album consists of two separate shows, separated by three years, it's remarkable how enjoyable Live at Gilley's can be. True, it never meets the level of his incendiary Live at the Star Club, but it's a good, straightforward, piano-pounding pleaser that finds Lewis hauling out both his classics ("Great Balls of Fire," "High School Confidential," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On") and his classic covers ("Trouble in Mind," "You Win Again," "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee," "Roll Over Beethoven," "Memphis, Tennessee," "Big Legged Woman"). It's not a remarkable performance in any way, but it is well-performed, surprisingly energetic, and ultimately enjoyable for hardcore Killer fanatics (even if they would likely prefer to hear both concerts in full instead of this compilation). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Jerry Lee Lewis made a comeback effort in 1995 with Young Blood. Although the Killer's performance is impressive -- his voice continues to weather well with age and he hasn't lost much of his instrumental prowess -- the selection of material is fairly uninspired and predictable. This wouldn't have been a problem if Jerry Lee was allowed to work with a top-notch backing band, elevating the pedestrian material to a new level. Instead, Young Blood was made like most albums in the mid-'90s -- each song was constructed track-by-track, with the musicians laying down their parts at different times. Consequently, the record is stripped of most of its potential power, leaving behind a well-produced but thoroughly unengaging album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'My Fingers Do the Talkin''
Release Date 1/1/1983
Tracks 10
Label MCA
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'When Two Worlds Collide'
Release Date 1/1/1980
Tracks 10
Label Elektra
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