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About 100 guests attended Tuesday night to help rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, 85, celebrate his ninth wedding anniversary to his wife, Judith, at the Lewis ranch in Nesbit, Miss. Judith is Jerry Lee’s seventh wife. The couple was married on March 9th, 2012.
Rev. Donnie Swaggart, son of Jerry Lee’s famous preacher cousin Jimmy Swaggart, conducted the ceremony for Jerry Lee and Judith to renew their marriage vows in the living room area of the house. As the two held hands Swaggart declared “based on the authority that is vested in me by the state, the federal government and the IRS (everybody chuckles) I now pronounce you once again husband and wife. The killer you may kiss your bride” The crowd clapped. Swaggart said Jerry Lee said he wanted an Assembly of God wedding.
Judith says “Every day is a honeymoon” when she speaks about her love affair with Jerry Lee.
Many fans and long-time friends congratulated the couple. Jerry Lee, who recently got his Covid vaccination, was all smiles and in good spirits. Guests were asked to get COVID tests before being allowed in. Some of the guests included Jerry Phillips, son of record producer Sam Phillips of Sun Studio, and several entertainers including rockabilly artist Jason D. Williams, singer-songwriter Dale Watson, who is the new owner of Hernando’s Hideaway, where Lewis used to play often.
Lewis suffered a stroke in 2019 has been playing piano since the age of nine. He told Rolling Stone he thought he would never play again. But he has had a good recovery and he recorded a new album at age 84.
Jerry Lee is the last living member of the Million Dollar Quartet that recorded many hits at Sun Records in the '50s in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Lewis Ranch, Jerry Lee’s home, recently was opened for guided tours by appointment. https://thelewisranch.com/visit/
By Karen Pulfer Focht ©
Hear Jerry Lee play and see many photos of him on my prior blog post; Jerry Lee Lewis through the years. http://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/jerryleelewis