“A hero of mine”: Bob Dylan on the rising star killed off by Jerry Lee Lewis
Bob Dylan owes everything to his words. It was his ability as a songwriter and poet that saw him reach the level of fame that he did, completely changing the musical landscape in the process. As such, when Dylan was asked to give a speech when he was honoured as “Person of the Year” by MusiCares, it’s no surprise that he went on for 30 minutes talking in depth about his life in music.
While it would be easy to focus on a lot of the negatives that were brought up in these 30 minutes, it’s a lot better to draw attention to a musician who is often overlooked and whom Dylan paid massive respect to. The truth is, music is a bit of a barrage of sliding doors moments. Whenever you read a book about a classic rock band or artist, the amount of other icons they come across throughout their lives is truly astonishing.
What usually happens is that when great minds cross like this, they inspire one another. It means we get some different musicians working together on a project, a band form or inspiration for a track. That being said, the sliding doors moments must align for them to be worthwhile. If Jimmy Page hadn’t initially turned down The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck wouldn’t have played with them, developed his iconic playing style, and gone on to inspire the likes of Jimi Hendrix. This is an excellent example of when circumstances work out for the better. However, sometimes, the way they work cuts a career short.
One artist who fell victim to this is the same that Bob Dylan brought up in his speech. When talking about Sun Records and the people he respects from there, Dylan spoke about Sam Philips, Johnny Cash, and someone who was a victim of the Jerry Lee Lewis hype, Billy Lee Riley.
“He was a hero of mine,” said Dylan when talking about Riley. “I’d heard ‘Red Hot,’ I must have been only 15 or 16 when I did, and it’s impressed me to this day. I never grow tired of listening to it.” Riley was in a band called Little Green Men and was predicted to be a big name in rockabilly music; however, his rise to the top coincided with Jerry Lee Lewis’s release of ‘Great Balls of Fire’. After seeing how much potential Lewis had, Sun Records decided to prioritise him as a prodigy, leaving Riley by the wayside.
“He would have been a bigger star, but Jerry Lee came along,” said Dylan, “And you know what happens when someone like that comes along. You just don’t stand a chance.” However, despite the fact that Riley’s career didn’t reach the heights it could have, he was still a massive influence to many people, as Dylan points out.
“Billy became what is known in the industry – a condescending term, by the way – as a one-hit wonder. But sometimes, just sometimes, once in a while, a one-hit wonder can make a more powerful impact than a recording star who’s got 20 or 30 hits behind him,” he said, “And Billy’s hit song was called ‘Red Hot’, and it was red hot. It could blast you out of your skull and make you feel happy about it.”
Although Riley’s career had a glass ceiling placed over it, there is no doubt he has still made a significant mark on music, especially when someone of the magnitude of Bob Dylan felt like their presence was necessary.
Never Miss A Tale
The Far Out Bob Dylan Newsletter
All the latest stories about Bob Dylan from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.