(Photo Credit: Mickey Gilley – Twitter)
Mickey Leroy Gilley was born March 9, 1936 in Natchez, Mississippi. He did not live far from his famous cousin Jerry Lee Lewis, a famous rock and roll star in the 1950s and 1960s. In fact Mickey Gilley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart are all first cousins. They grew up playing together. In fact, Jerry Lee Lewis would play the piano together as kids. Both Lewis and Gilley would sing gospel music. Lewis was first to really make it in the music industry as a professional. He traveled and his showed up on the music charts. After this Gilley decided to try and become a professional musician as well. Mickey Gilley worked with New Orleans producer Huey Meaux and managed to produced a few minor hits. Gilley developed a strong following in Pasadena, Texas. In 1970, Gilley decided open a night club. This club would eventually be called Gilley’s Club, “the world’s biggest honky tonk.” The club and it’s famous mechanical bull is featured in the 1980 film Urban Cowboy.
(Photo Credit: Gossip Rocks – Mickey Gilley)