Jerry Lee Lewis’ marriage to his second cousin, Myra Williams, in 1957 at the tender age of 13 caused significant controversy and backlash, especially considering their age difference, as Lewis was 22 at the time. The public backlash their union faced affected Lewis’ career, and things took a turn for the worse as their relationship ended in a series of legal battles.
During a recent discussion while appearing on a TV show, the former teen bride reminisced about her tumultuous union with the late singer and songwriter.
Myra Williams says her marriage to Jerry Lee Lewis was unplanned
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During a guest appearance on an episode of Investigation Discovery’s Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry?, a series that delves into stories of individuals discovering surprising secrets about their spouses, the 79-year-old shared details about her unexpected marriage to Lewis.
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Williams confessed that her marriage was unplanned as she was invited to a movie date, and Lewis surprised her with a wedding instead. “I think I was in a coma. I had the red dress that I wore to school that day, and we walked into this little chapel,” she stated. “I don’t remember getting married, but I know it happened. And then, these two little old ladies started throwing rice at us. And I’m still like a deer caught in headlights. We were probably gone for less than an hour.”
She says her father threw a fit when he learned of the marriage
Although, the 79-year-old initially had no feelings for the upcoming musician until she heard him play the piano. Williams also shared that when her father caught wind of the marriage, he was angry with Lewis.
“The next morning, I got up and pulled my marriage license out, and I left it on the nightstand. My mother’s maid found it. She handed my daddy the marriage license,” she confessed. “Of course, he took one look at it, and my daddy went and got his gun. He said, ‘I’m going to kill that son of a b—-.’”
The marriage was hell
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Williams had an enduring marriage with Lewis, which lasted until 1970 when he caught Lewis in bed with another woman. During their almost two-decades-long marriage, the couple welcomes two children, Steve Allen Lewis, and Phoebe Allen Lewis.
Williams filed for divorce, citing adultery and abuse. She shared that she suffered emotional and physical abuse while he was with Lewis and even considered suicide at a point. “I was married at 13 and divorced at 26,” Williams said. “Half of my life was spent with Jerry.”