The Million Dollar Quartet

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

The hit jukebox musical Million Dollar Quartet is currently bringing the legendary 1956 rock 'n' roll jam session to life on stage at Theatre Memphis (performing on the Lohrey Stage). Set inside Sun Studio, the production captures the historic, spontaneous meeting of music icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins, featuring live performances of classic hits like "Blue Suede Shoes," "Great Balls of Fire," and "Walk the Line."

We went to see this recently and it was a very entertaining evening.

The Killer Comes to Huntsville -

Jerry Lee Lewis Rocks the Madison County Coliseum,

April 11, 1964

Willard Finkbinder

On the evening of April 11, 1964, North Alabama music fans had an opportunity to see one of rock and roll's most explosive pioneers when Jerry Lee Lewis brought his "Show & Dance" to the Madison County Coliseum in Huntsville.

Sponsored by VFW Post 2702, the event ran from 8 p.m. until midnight, with advance tickets selling for just $1.50 and admission at the door costing $2.00. In an era before massive arena tours and computerized ticketing, local fans purchased their tickets at neighborhood record stores such as Hornbuckle's Record Shop and Slim's Record Ranch.

Although Lewis remained one of the most electrifying performers in America, the 1964 appearance came at a challenging period in his career. Just six years earlier, his rise to superstardom had been interrupted by controversy surrounding his marriage to thirteen-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown. When the marriage became public during a 1958 British tour, public reaction was swift and severe, causing concert cancellations and damaging his standing with many mainstream audiences. 

Yet Jerry Lee Lewis never stopped performing. If anything, he became even more intense on stage. By 1964, audiences who came to see him were treated to a hard-driving show from a performer determined to prove he still possessed the fire that had made him famous. Fans heard crowd favorites such as "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Great Balls of Fire," and "Breathless," delivered with the piano-thumping energy that earned him the nickname "The Killer."

For Huntsville residents, the concert offered a chance to witness a living piece of rock-and-roll history. The city was growing rapidly during the space age boom, and national entertainers increasingly found their way to North Alabama. Lewis's appearance connected Huntsville to the exciting and often turbulent world of early rock music.

More than sixty years later, the surviving newspaper advertisement serves as a reminder of a remarkable night when one of music's most controversial and talented performers took the stage at the Madison County Coliseum. For the fortunate fans who spent their Saturday evening there, the memory was undoubtedly worth more than the $2 admission price.

I well remember going to see Jerry Lee Lewis perform. It was a very intimate setting, with most of the crowd standing and dancing right up front of him. I especially remember him kicking his stool back and jumping on the piano. I didn't buy an early ticket and had to pay the $2.00 at the door, but it was worthi it. Does anyone else remember going to this show?

In my book, "A Million Tomorrows...Memories of the Class of '64" I wrote:

I was too busy thinking about fun to worry about college.  A rock and roll cultural event was taking place in Huntsville on that night.  Once again a big-name entertainer was putting on a show.  "The Killer" was coming.  Almost too late, my friends and I decided to buy tickets for the show and go to see the legend for ourselves.  The box office was already closed, preventing us from getting the discount $1.50 for the ones purchased in advance.  Instead, we had to pay a ridiculous two dollars at the door.  That was twice the normal cost of dances and required some extra thought as to whether or not it was worth it.  To me, it was a high price to pay, but Jerry Lee Lewis didn't come to town every day and nationally-known entertainment was still a rarity.

Once again, I took the opportunity to see a true legend of rock and roll.  Jerry Lee Lewis was still riding high with his music in 1964.  For the present, he was still known for his past hits and his showmanship.  If there were one thing that you could say about him, it was that he was a showman.  The Coliseum would rock that night with Jerry Lee pounding on the keys of his piano, ripping off his jacket and swinging it over his head, and finally taking off his shirt so that he could stay cool while he beat on the keys.  The sweat would pour from his brow as he kicked the piano stool away and stood erect as he slammed the white and black keys.  The place roared as he grabbed the big silver mike and stood on top of the piano singing at the top of his voice.  The man could gain control of an audience.  

On that night in 1964, my friends and I stood in the crowd on the dance floor and lived a part of that legend.  Stood was a poor choice of words, for no one could stand still while he was performing, and the dance floor was rocking.  Even at two dollars a ticket, it was worth it.  We were not sitting in seats in an auditorium watching a small figure on a distant stage highlighted by a colored spotlight.  Instead, we were within 25 feet of the performer, in the middle of a dance floor, and we were able not only to listen but to dance madly to the show and music.  Most concerts today are put on for people to listen to, not to participate in.  It made quite a difference to be able to dance when the music moved you and to not be confined to a numbered and rowed seat, with security guards making sure that you didn't leave it.  "Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire!"

The Wayback Machine

"Great Balls of Fire"

Jerry Lee Lewis

"Great Balls of Fire" is a 1957 popular song recorded by American rock and roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis on Sun Records and featured in the 1957 movie Jamboree. The Jerry Lee Lewis 1957 recording was ranked as the 96th-greatest song ever by Rolling Stone. It sold one million copies in its first 10 days of release in the United States, making it one of the best-selling singles at that time.

It was released as a 45 rpm single on Sun records in November 1957. It reached number two on the Billboard pop charts, number three on the R&B charts, and number one on the country charts. It also reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935 – October 28, 2022) was an American country music and rock and roll pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made his first recordings in 1952. is rock and roll career faltered in the wake of his marriage to Myra Gale Brown, his 13-year-old cousin. His popularity quickly eroded following the scandal.

Last Week's Questions, Answers, And Comments

Delores McBride Kilgore, LHS '66, "Very nice!"

Don Blaise, LHS ‘64, "The Navy boot haircut was no better. I could not even grab it between my fingernails."