The Night Rock Shocked America!
On July 28, 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis rocked The Steve Allen Show and America! Blasting through “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” with wild hair, flying fingers, and beating a piano into submission, the 21-year-old turned a polite TV variety show into a full-blown rock ‘n’ roll riot. Millions of Americans, many seeing Lewis for the first time, were stunned by the raw energy and rebellious spectacle.
He didn’t just play the piano—he beat it, kicked it, and stood on it like a man possessed. The next morning, phones rang off the hook at NBC. Parents were outraged. Teenagers were electrified. And the record? It soared up the charts, hitting #3 on pop, #1 on R&B, and country. That night, Jerry Lee Lewis didn’t just play for America—he shocked it, rocked it, and showed America why he is known as “The Killer”!
Doug O’Brien
