Jerry Lee Lewis and Myra Gale Brown shortly after their wedding in 1957
In 1957, 22-year-old Jerry Lee Lewis married 13-year-old Myra Gale Brown.
Myra Gale Brown was the daughter of J.W. Brown, Lewis’ cousin and the bass player in his band. At the time, she hadn’t realized that there was anything wrong with her relationship with Lewis. Elvis Presley, the biggest rock star in the world, was dating a 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, who would later become his wife.
After the two were married, Lewis planned to take Brown along on on a tour of England. Elvis had been drafted into the military, and Lewis was poised to take his place as rock’s biggest name. The England tour was supposed to establish a British fan base that would, hopefully, lead to a worldwide audience.
However, upon landing in the country with his child-bride, it became clear that the Brits were not on board with Jerry Lee Lewis. His managers had warned him about the British press and their delight in tearing down American superstars, but Lewis hadn’t listened.
“If Myra doesn’t go,” he told them, “I’m not going.”
And so, the story was cooked up. Lewis had told everyone that Brown was his wife but failed to mention her exact age, instead, telling them she was 15. In America, he told them, it was quite all right to marry at age 15, even at 10, provided you could find a husband.
Myra Gale Brown, however, hadn’t been told of the story and failed to follow along with the fib.
“I could so easily have said, ‘I’m J.W. Brown’s daughter,’” she said, looking back on the day. “Because that was the truth! If anybody had told me anything, I could have prevented this thing. But they didn’t, and I didn’t, and the rest is history, I guess.”
Indeed, it was. After just a few shows in England, the tour was canceled. The British public, fueled by the tabloids branding Lewis as a “cradle robber” and a “baby snatcher,” practically drove him out of the country, vehemently abhorring his relationship.
Unfortunately, returning stateside did nothing to stop the flood of vitriol that was spewing about Lewis and Brown. Not only were they criticizing her age, they were also pointing out the fact that Lewis had once again married before his divorce was finalized. Additionally, his latest single was called “High School Confidential,” which, though unrelated to his relationship, did not help his case.
Before he knew it, his ticket prices had dropped astronomically, from $10,000 a night to a mere $250. Despite re-marrying Brown, this time in a legal ceremony during which he was not already married, and moving in with her parents afterward, the public remained firmly anti-Lewis.
Though his rock career was forever marred by his marriage to Myra Gale Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis eventually found success in country music. Before divorcing in 1970, the couple had two children, one of whom died as a child and the other whom manages his career today. Though they were no longer together, they remained amicable throughout the rest of Lewis’ marriages (after all, family is family,) and still keep up with each other.
Myra Gale Brown has no hard feelings over the relationship and still blames the press for turning it into something wicked. In the end, she says, Jerry Lee Lewis’ downfall was a bigger issue than her age. Despite Elvis’ success, Brown felt that the world just wasn’t ready for rock and roll.
Theodore Lee is the editor of Caveman Circus. He strives for self-improvement in all areas of his life, except his candy consumption, where he remains a champion gummy worm enthusiast. When not writing about mindfulness or living in integrity, you can find him hiding giant bags of sour patch kids under the bed.