Lewis was born in 1932 in Louisiana. In 1955, he traveled to Nashville to pursue music, but was rejected by the Grand Ole Opry.
In 1957, Lewis made his way to Memphis where he recorded "Great Balls of Fire". The song was a smash hit and made Lewis an international star.
From 1968 to 1977, Lewis had 17 Top 10 singles on the Billboard country charts.
In 1973, Lewis finally played at the Grand Ole Opry, but otherwise always kept his distance from the Nashville crowd he felt rejected him.
In 1989, Dennis Quaid played the part of Lewis in the movie "Great Balls of Fire!", which was based on the book of the same name, written by Lewis's ex wife, Myra.
In the late 1990s, Lewis joined Chuck Berry and Little Richard on a tour through Europe.
In 2005, Lewis was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Recording Academy, in recognition of his success and originality.
Lewis will always be remembered for how his performances personified the rebeliousness and physicality of rock music.