The Killer, The Preacher And The Cowboy Arrives At The Grammy Museum Mississippi
(117) GRAMMY Museum Mississippi celebrated the opening of their newest exhibit, The Killer, The Preacher and The Cowboy: The Family Legacy of Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley, this past week with an exclusive first look for family, industry professionals, sponsors, donors, and museum members. These famous cousins who grew up together in Ferriday, Louisiana and Natchez, Mississippi reached individual pinnacles of success in music, each with wildly different journeys.
The families of each of the men were well represented with remarks made by Lewis's widow, Judith Lewis, Gilley's widow, Cindy Gilley, and Swaggart's widow, Frances Swaggart -- who was married to Swaggart for 72-years and largely credited as the force behind Swaggart's massive Christian ministry. Additionally, exhibit co-curator Zach Farnum hosted a panel discussion on legacy with Lewis's youngest son, Jerry Lee Lewis III and Swaggart's grandson, Matthew Swaggart.
Seasoned musicians Jacob Tolliver, James Dupre and Danica Hart took the stage to mark the momentous occasion, each singing songs made famous by one of the three men. Dupre is a Louisiana-born singer who is currently the lead vocalist on the Randy Travis' More Life Tour. Tolliver is a Ohio-native singer/songwriter and pianist who opened on tour for Jerry Lee Lewis from 2017 to 2019 and portrayed the icon in Million Dollar Quartet in Las Vegas early in his career. Hart is a Mississippi-native who grew up on the sounds of Gospel music and was heavily influenced by the church.
"This exhibit has been 90 years in the making. We wanted to highlight these awe-inspiring three cousins, all from the same region, all growing up playing the same piano, attending the same church, learning the same schooling, yet forging wildly different paths to the top. Each has a unique story, and what better place to recount those stories than in the heartland of American music, right up the road from where they were born, at the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi," said exhibit co-curator and board member Zach Farnum.
"It is a privilege to be part of such an important event, honoring these three giants of American music and their everlasting impact in the industry. I had the pleasure of knowing Jerry Lee, Jimmy, and Mickey personally, and will continue sharing their legacy with today's generation of musicians and audiences across the globe," said Jacob Tolliver.
The exhibit is open now to the public. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Museum is closed on Mondays. Tickets are available for purchase at grammymuseumms.org.
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