From the Live from Austin, TX series documenting performances from the syndicated Austin City Limits public television program comes this volume of
Jerry Lee Lewis from October of 1983. Of the many officially released and bootlegged performance of
the Killer from his mid-'50s debut on Sun to the present day, this one ranks among the finest. There are 15 cuts here, featuring
Lewis fronting a taut sextet that includes guitarists
Kenny Lovelace and Joel Shumaker, bassist
Bob Moore, organist Bill Strom, and drummer Buddy Harmon. The tunes range from
Hank Williams' "You Win Again" to
Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little 16," "39 and Holding," "C.C. Rider," "Chantilly Lace" (leaving
the Big Bopper's version in the dust),
Charlie Rich's "No Headstone on My Grave,"
Ray Charles' "What'd I Say," and more, all topped off by his best-known tracks: "Great Balls of Fire" (written by
Otis Blackwell, the man who made
Elvis Presley famous) and, of course, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." The show is beautifully edited and
the Killer's control of the gig is total. He understands how to bring it down and tear it up. There are a number of volumes in this series that simply don't get it for one reason or another;
Jerry Lee's gig on Austin City Limits does -- and hard. Get it. ~ Thom Jurek