Jerry Lee Lewis embodied rock and roll. For better or for worse. He was a hard-living superstar in the 1950s, but marrying his teenage cousin made him persona non grata among generations of listeners. Can’t say we blame them.

Despite being hounded by controversy at a young age, Jerry Lee Lewis lived a long life. He toured well into his 80s, and proved to still know his way around a piano-based tune. The circumstances surrounding Lewis’ death are a bit confusing, however, as TMZ mistakenly reported it two days before it happened.

Let’s set the record straight on when and how Jerry Lee Lewis died, shall we?

Jerry Lee Lewis suffered a minor stroke in 2019

Jerry Lee Lewis was a touring machine well into the 2010s. He was slowed down, however, by a minor stroke that he suffered on February 28, 2019. CNN reported that the rock star was recuperating with his family, and looking forward to getting back on the road. The statement issued by Lewis’ management also teased a gospel album in the musician’s future.

Unfortunately, Jerry Lee Lewis was never able to fully get back into his touring groove. He died on Oct. 28, 2022 in Nesbit, Mississippi. The world learned about the death on Oct. 20, however, due to a bad report from TMZ. A representative for the outlet issued a correction, stating that their information was based on an “anonymous tip.” Sadly, the tip proved to not be too far off. Lewis was 87 years old when he ed.

Did Jerry Lee Lewis die of natural causes?

The rock star’s stroke may have slowed him down, but it did not directly lead to his death. According to the Associated Press, Jerry Lee Lewis died from “end-stage cardiac disease and peripheral vascular disease.” In other words, heart failure. End-stage cardiac disease is the most severe version of heart disease one can suffer from.

Due to Lewis’ advanced age, however, his death is broadly attributed to natural causes. He was laid to rest in his hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana.

Music pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis was confirmed dead on Friday at age 87, just two days after it was preemptively reported that he had died earlier this week.

Lewis is widely credited for helping shape rock and roll and rockabilly music, as well as being one of the most influential pianists of the 20th century. At just 21, he skyrocketed to nationwide attention after releasing his 1958 hit single “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” which he followed with “Great Balls of Fire,” “Breathless,” and “High School Confidential.”

However, the singer’s tumultuous personal life often overshadowed his music career, which nearly went off the rails when it was discovered during a spring tour in 1958 that he married his 13-year-old cousin (once removed, if that matters) Myra Gale Brown, when he was 22. The tour was quickly canceled due to the public outrage (even in 1958 it was apparently not cool to marry your 13-year-old cousin), and although he continued to release records throughout his six-decade-long career, he never managed to fully eclipse his early fame.

After Brown, who was his third wife, Lewis would go on to marry four more times. He married his seventh wife, Judith Lewis, who also happened to be Brown’s brother’s ex-wife, as well as his caretaker, in 2012, and she was by his side when he ed, according to a statement from his representative Zach Farnum.

“Judith, his seventh wife, was by his side when he ed away at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, south of Memphis,” the statement said, according to Variety. “He told her, in his final days, that he welcomed the hereafter, and that he was not afraid.”

Earlier this month, Lewis was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, however, as he shared on Instagram, he was too ill to attend the ceremony.

“It is with heartfelt sadness and disappointment that I write to you today from my sick bed, rather than be able to share my thoughts in person,” he captioned a photo from his sick bed. “I tried everything I could to build up the strength to come today — I’ve looked so forward to it since I found out about it earlier this year. My sincerest apologies to all of you for missing this fine event, but I hope to see you all soon.”

“To be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is the highest honor in Country music. Through over 60 years singing music professionally, country has always been the genre where I felt the most at home — between my fellow artists, the radio and the industry players — some of them anyway,” he continued. “I am honored to be going into that Hall of Fame rotunda with some of my heroes — Hank Williams Sr., Jimmie Rodgers and the like – not to mention so many amazing friends who have been so good to me through the years.”

He concluded by thanking fans for their love and , and added that singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson would be accepting the honor on his behalf.

It’s been quite the day for “Great Balls of Fire” singer Jerry Lee Lewis, following the announcement of his death by TMZ. The only problem is that he’s still very much alive.

TMZ reported Lewis’ ing earlier today, stating that an anonymous source revealed that the 87-year-old had ed. This rumor was later debunked by, you guessed it, TMZ, later revealing that a direct rep for Lewis confirmed that he is still alive and breathing. 

“Earlier today we were told by someone claiming to be Lewis’ rep that he had ed. That turned out not to be the case.”

Page Six also had Lewis’ status of ‘alive’ confirmed by a rep from Lewis, who said, “He’s alive. TMZ reported erroneously off of a bulls*** anonymous tip.”

There were concerns by fans around Lewis’ health when an image of the music icon was shared on his official Facebook page, showing him in bed with the flu.

Earlier this month, he was set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, but was too ill to attend the ceremony so he accepted his award from bed, and had Kris Kristofferson attend the induction ceremony on his behalf.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Lewis expressed his disappointment about not being able to accept the honor in person.

“It is with heartfelt sadness and disappointment that I write to you today from my sick bed, rather than be able to share my thoughts in person. I tried everything I could to build up the strength to come today – I’ve looked so forward to it since I found out about it earlier this year. My sincerest apologies to all of you for missing this fine event, but I hope to see you all soon.”