News
Music World Bid Adieu to “Rock and Roll” Legend Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis’ family, friends, and admirers gathered Saturday in his north Louisiana hometown to say farewell to the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer.
Lewis, best known for singles including “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On,” died on October 28 at his home south of Memphis, Tennessee. He was 87.
Lewis’ cousin, TV evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, told the crowd of more than 100 people inside Young’s Funeral Home in Ferriday, where Lewis was born, that when Lewis died, he “lost the brother I never had.”
Swaggart recalled, “We learned to play the piano together.” “I had to force myself to accept that he was no longer present.”
Swaggart and Lewis released “The Boys From Ferriday,” a gospel CD, earlier this year, and Swaggart expressed concern that Lewis might be unable to complete the recording session.
Swaggart described him as “extremely feeble.” “I recall saying to the Lord, ‘Lord, I’m not sure if he can do it or not.'” But when Jerry Lee sat at the piano, you know he was limited to what he could play due to the stroke, but when the engineer said the red light was on and he opened his mouth, he exclaimed.
The session resulted in the CD and two of its tracks, “In the Garden” and “The Old Rugged Cross,” performed throughout the ceremony. As the tapes aired, audience members were spotted wiping away tears and singing along with Lewis.
Swaggart described him as “one of the finest entertainers ever lived.”
Jerry Lee Lewis, dubbed “The Killer,” was the last surviving musician of a generation of musicians who rewrote music history, including Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard.
Lewis’s body was in the funeral home’s main room, inside a closed crimson casket with a spray of red roses. Several funeral wreaths, including one in the shape of a musical note, adorned the walls behind and surrounding the casket, as did images of the singer, one of which depicted him stooping over and singing into a microphone while dressed in a red suit.
Donnie Swaggart, Lewis’ son, recounted a meeting between Lewis and members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, a country rock band, in Memphis that showcased Lewis’ comedic side.
Jerry Lee Lewis was laid to rest by his family and fans.
Family, friends, and fans are gearing up to bid farewell to rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis at memorial services in his hometown of North Louisiana (November 5)
He stated that his father and Lewis were headed toward the exit of an arena when the band members entered.
“As they got closer to Lewis, one of them questioned, ‘Is that who I believe it is?’ ‘Does that look like Jerry Lee Lewis?’ One of the men said, ‘Are you Jerry Lee Lewis?’ as Jerry Lee passed.
Jerry Lee came to a halt, looked each of them in the eyes, and said, ‘Boys, Killer’s my name, and music’s my thing.’ Then he walked away.”
According to Donnie Swaggart, the lads stood there with their jaws dropped in awe. “What a sense of humour he had,” he exclaimed as the audience laughed.
After news of his marriage to his cousin, 13-year-old — possibly even 12-year-old — Myra Gale Brown, while still married to his former wife, blew up in the late 1950s, the piano pianist and rock rebel was blacklisted from radio, and his earnings sank to nearly nothing.
Lewis struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, legal issues, and physical disease during the next several decades.
“Even in his darkest hours, he had a heart for God,” Jimmy Swaggart stated. “I will miss him greatly.”
Lewis’s story inspires Xavier Ellis, 28, a Ferriday native now teaching in Opelousas, Louisiana.
“He was a poor lad from Ferriday who rose to great heights.” His life tale has left an impression on me. “I’m sorry to see him go, but his legacy will go on,” Ellis added.
Lewis rebuilt himself as a country musician in the 60s, and the music industry eventually forgave him.
From 1967 to 1970, he had a string of top-ten country successes.
Jerry Lee Lewis was inaugurated into the Rock “N” Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, along with Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and others, and he was inducted into the Country Hall of Fame this year.
Younger admirers were introduced to his life and music through the movie “Great Balls of Fire” and the documentary “Trouble in Mind.”
“Million Dollar Quartet,” a 2010 Broadway musical, was inspired by a recording session including Lewis, Elvis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash.
Lewis earned a Grammy for best-spoken word recording in 1987 as part of an interview CD and a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2005.
“Whole Lotta Shakin'” was picked for the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry the following year, with the board praising the “propulsive boogie piano that was wonderfully balanced by the thrust of J.M. Van Eaton’s aggressive drumming.
” Listeners to the recording, like Jerry Lee Lewis, struggled to stay seated during the performance.”
Tom Tomschin and Sandra Tomschin of Cicero, Illinois, flew to Ferriday to honour Lewis for his contributions to the music industry.
“We were compelled to pay our respects to the pioneer of rock ‘n’ roll who played a significant role in the birth and shaping of the music,” Tomschin explained. “I’ve been a fan all my life.”
Tomschin, 45, a government administrator, said “Crazy Arms” and “You Win Again” are two of Lewis’ favourite songs.
Lewis, according to Tomschin, “never lived a life behind a curtain.” “In his ups and downs, good and terrible, Lewis did what he said he would do.” Jerry Lee Lewis laid everything on the table. Nobody will ever be able to replace Jerry Lee Lewis.”
Sandra Tomschin, 44, a library director, said Lewis’ music influenced her growing up and has left an unforgettable mark on her life.
“We enjoy it,” she stated of his music. “We attended several of his concerts, and even though Jerry Lee is no longer with us, he will live on in our hearts.”
Death of Jerry Lee Lewis, Reported by TMZ
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
-
World2 weeks agoFormer President Trump Survives Being Shot at Pennsylvania Rally
-
Tech4 weeks ago
Huawei Launches 5G-A Pioneers Program at MWC Shanghai 2024: Paving the Way for a Connected Future
-
Sports4 weeks ago
NBA Draft: Kyle Filipowski Withdraws Unexpectedly From The First Round
-
Tech4 weeks ago
ChatGPT Answers Undiscovered Questions and Outperforms Students.
-
News4 weeks ago
US Supreme Court Rejects Drug Deal that Protects the Sackler Family
-
Health4 weeks ago
US Health Agency Issues Dengue Virus Infection Warning
