Jerry Lee Lewis Rock & Roll Time 2014

Jerry Lee Lewis was the wild man in the early days of rock and roll and rockabilly, crashed his career early when he scandalously married his 13 year-old cousin, reinvented himself as a country star in the seventies (his greatest success), was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in the inaugural class, toured regularly throughout his life, had his best selling album in 2006 (Last Man Standing, a duets record), and died in 2023. Nine years before his passing, at age 79, he made this record.

What makes it so good? 

1. Jerry Lee Lewis is a great singer. His phrasing, his depth of feeling, has swagger, he really is a fine singer. He's different at 79, but not enough to matter.

2. Great songs. Two by Kris Kristofferson, two by Chuck Berry, others by Jimmie Rodgers, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Reed, Al Kooper and Ronnie Van Zant, Chris Kenner and Dave Bartholomew, Mack Vickery, and an obscure one by Bob Dylan.

3. Fine sympathetic and supportive production from Steve Bing and Jim Keltner, who also plays drums. 

4. Killer band. Jerry Lee plays piano in his idiosyncratic style while Keltner and Rick Rosas hold down the rhythm, and then there's an army of talented guitarists: Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Neil Young, Kenny Lovelace, Waddy Wachtel, Doyle Brammel III, Nils Lofgren, James Walbourne, Greg Leisz, Robbie Robertson, Jon Brion, and Derek Trucks. 

5. Unlike the two successful records before this, it's not a duets record, so Jerry Lee gets to shine without sharing the spotlight.

It was, for all intents and purposes, his last record. Talk about your late career masterpiece.