Mickey Gilley

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Mickey Gilley

| image = Mickey Gilley.png

| caption = Gilley in 1970

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Mickey Leroy Gilley

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1936|03|09|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Natchez, Mississippi, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|05|07|1936|03|09|mf=yes}}

| death_place = Branson, Missouri, U.S.

| genre = {{hlist|Country|countrypolitan|country rock}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|musician}}

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|piano}}

| years_active = 1957–2022

| label = {{Flatlist|

Astro
Dot
Paula
Playboy
Epic
Branson
Varèse Sarabande
TAP Music

}}

| spouse =

{{marriage|Geraldine Garrett|1953|1961|reason=divorced}}
{{marriage|Vivian McDonald|1963|2019|reason=died}}

| website = {{URL|www.gilleys.com}}

}}

Mickey Leroy Gilley (March 9, 1936 – May 7, 2022) was an American country music singer, businessman, actor, and musician.

Among his hits are "Room Full of Roses", "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time", and “Lonely Nights”. Gilley charted 42 singles in the top 40 on the US Country chart. His cover of "Stand by Me" was used in the movie Urban Cowboy and his nightclub in Pasadena, Texas appeared in the movie. He was a cousin of Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl McVoy, and Jimmy Swaggart.

Biography

=Early life and the rise to fame=

Gilley was born March 9, 1936,{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1993|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-726-6|page=160/1}} to Arthur Fillmore Gilley (November 27, 1897 – February 2, 1982) and Irene Gilley ({{nee}} Lewis; September 11, 1900 – August 14, 1985){{Citation | last = Davis | first = J. D. | title = Unconquered: The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley | publisher = Brown Books Publishing Group | place = Dallas, Texas | isbn = 978-1-61254-041-2 | edition = 1st | year = 2012}} in Natchez, Mississippi.From Mickey Gilley show in Branson, Missouri, "His Story, His Life, His Music", June 19, 2013.

For many years, Gilley lived in the shadow of his well-known cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis, a successful singer and musician in the 1950s and early 1960s. Gilley grew up in Louisiana, just across the Mississippi River from where Lewis grew up. Gilley's family moved to the east side of Houston, Texas, in the 1940s, where he attended Galena Park High School. He was primarily a guitarist at the time and took his guitar to school to entertain classmates.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

They sang both boogie-woogie and gospel music, but Gilley did not become a professional singer until Lewis hit the top of the charts in the 1950s. Gilley then cut a few singles and played sessions in New Orleans with producer Huey P. Meaux. His record "Call Me Shorty" on the Dot label sold well in 1958. In the 1960s, he played at many clubs and bars, gaining a following at the Nesadel Club in Pasadena, Texas. Paula Records released Gilley's first album, Down the Line, in 1967. He had a minor hit from the album called "Now I Can Live Again".

In 1970, Gilley joined in a partnership with Sherwood Cryer. Sherwood owned the club under the name Shelly's. His first nightclub in Pasadena, Texas, called Gilley's Club. It later became known as the "world's biggest honky-tonk". Gilley's Club and its mechanical bull were portrayed in the 1980 film, Urban Cowboy. He shared Gilley's Club with Sherwood Cryer, who asked Gilley to re-open his former bar with him. The club portion of Gilley's burned in 1990.{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/07/05/Fire-at-defunct-honky-tonk-of-Urban-Cowboy-fame/2075647150400/|title=Fire at defunct honky-tonk of 'Urban Cowboy' fame|publisher=UPI|date=July 5, 1990|access-date=August 17, 2021}}

=Recording career in the 1970s before ''Urban Cowboy''=

In 1974, just for fun, Gilley recorded a cover of "Room Full of Roses", written by Tim Spencer of the Sons of the Pioneers, which was a hit for George Morgan. Gilley's version was released by Astro Records, but Playboy Records obtained national distribution on it and Gilley was signed to Playboy Records, working with his long-time friend Eddie Kilroy. "Room Full of Roses" made Gilley a star, hitting the very top of the Country charts that year, as well as making it to No. 50 on the pop chart.

He had a string of top 10 hits through the rest of the 1970s, including his signature hit, "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time", in 1976. Some of his hits were covers, including the Bill Anderson song "City Lights", George Jones' "The Window Up Above", and Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home to Me". Other hits from the 1970s were "Chains of Love", "Honky Tonk Memories", "She's Pulling Me Back Again" (all 1977), and "Here Comes the Hurt Again" from 1978. When Playboy Records was bought by Epic Records in 1978, Gilley went with Epic, and "The Power of Positive Drinkin'", "Just Long Enough to Say Goodbye", and "My Silver Lining" all made the Top 10.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/mickey-gilley/chart-history/csi/|title=Mickey Gilley - Chart History (Hot Country Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 12, 2022}}

=Career in the 1980s with the success of ''Urban Cowboy''=

By 1980, Gilley sought the crossover success that many country stars (including Eddie Rabbitt, Juice Newton, Kenny Rogers, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Dolly Parton) were experiencing. His career got new life when his cover of the soul standard "Stand by Me" was used in Urban Cowboy. As the movie became successful, so did "Stand by Me". It topped the country charts, hit the Top 5 on the Adult Contemporary charts, and made the Pop Top 40. He also tried his hand at acting, taking a dramatic role in an episode of The Fall Guy in 1982 ("The Silent Partner"); he later returned to the series in a cameo as himself.

His country hits "Room Full of Roses", "True Love Ways", and "You Don't Know Me" also made the Pop chart, and "Bring It On Home To Me", "That's All That Matters", and "Talk to Me" bubbled under (at 101, 101 and 106, respectively). A string of six country number-ones followed the success of Urban Cowboy, including "True Love Ways", "A Headache Tomorrow (Or a Heartache Tonight)", "You Don't Know Me", and "Lonely Nights". "Fool For Your Love"; "Paradise Tonight", a duet with Charly McClain; and "Talk to Me" (not to be confused with the Stevie Nicks hit of the same name) were all No. 1 country hits for Gilley during 1983. In 1984, he just missed topping the country chart with "You've Really Got a Hold on Me", and another hit followed in the form of another duet with Charly McClain, "Candy Man", and a solo hit, "Too Good To Stop Now", both of which made the Top 5.

The year 1985 brought Top 10 hits with "I'm the One Mama Warned You About" and "You've Got Something on Your Mind", followed by the Top 5 "Your Memory Ain't What It Used To Be", and another Top 10 with "Doo-Wah Days" in 1986, his last Top 10 hit, as a new breed of "Traditionalists" moved into Nashville, including Clint Black, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire, and Randy Travis. Not only was his chart success fading, but Gilley had a series of financial problems that led to the closing of his club.

In 1988, Gilley signed with Airborne and released an album, Chasin' Rainbows, which resulted in his last Top 40 country hit, "She Reminded Me of You", which made No. 23 that year.

In a career that included 15 years of chart success, Gilley had 17 No. 1 country hits.

=Later career=

Gilley turned his attention to Branson, Missouri, where he built a theater, which was a soon-to-be boomtown for the country music industry.{{cite web|title=Country Music Boomtown In The Ozarks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/12/travel/country-music-boom-town-in-the-ozarks.html |work=New York Times |date=July 12, 1992}}

Gilley also appeared on "Urban Cowboys", episode 9 in the third season of American Pickers, which aired originally on September 5, 2011. In 2012, Gilley signed a Branson-based vocal group, Six, to a three-year lease to perform in his theater, with an option to buy it when the contract expired.{{cite web|title=Gilley's recovery continues|url=http://bransontrilakesnews.com/entertainment/article_908cf62a-4eae-11e1-b8c7-0019bb2963f4.html|work=Branson Tri-Lakes News|date=February 3, 2012 |access-date=April 22, 2012}}

Gilley returned to the studio in 2017 and released Kickin' It Down the Road the same year. The CD contains several new recordings and several remakes of classic songs originally recorded by him.

In 2018, Gilley teamed up with longtime friend Troy Payne to record his last studio album Two Old Cats, a CD containing 13 classic country duets.

=Personal life=

Gilley's first wife was Geraldine Garrett, whom he married in 1953 (when he was 17 years old); they divorced in 1961. She was the mother of three of his four children (Keith Ray, Michael, and Kathy). She died on March 6, 2010. Gilley's second wife, whom he married in 1962, was Vivian McDonald. Together they had a son, Gregory (1966–2022). She died in 2019. Gilley was double first cousins with both Jerry Lee Lewis and evangelist Jimmy Swaggart of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/lifestyle/2020/08/22/museum-honors-three-cousins-who-became-world-famous/43807189/|title=Museum honors three cousins who became world famous|last=Finch|first=Jackie|date=August 10, 2020|newspaper=The Herald-Times|access-date=August 10, 2024}}

In July 2009, Gilley was helping a neighbor move some furniture when he fell with the love seat falling on top of him, crushing four vertebrae. The incident left him temporarily paralyzed from the neck down, but after intense physical therapy he was able to walk again and return to the stage a year later. However, he still lacked the hand-eye coordination necessary to play the piano.{{cite web|last=Smith|first=William Michael|title=The Comeback Cowboy|url=http://www.houstonpress.com/2012-02-02/music/mickey-gilley-returns-to-stage/|work=Houston Press|access-date=September 19, 2012}}

Gilley died on May 7, 2022, of complications from bone cancer.{{cite web | url=https://www.ky3.com/2022/05/09/branson-mourns-passing-country-legend-mickey-gilley-more-details-what-led-his-death/ | title=Branson mourns passing of country legend Mickey Gilley; more details on what led to his death | date=May 9, 2022 }}

Honors

For his contribution to the recording industry, Mickey Gilley has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6930 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.{{cite news|title=Mickey Gilley|url=https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/mickey-gilley/index.html|work=Los Angeles Times}}

On March 2, 2002, Gilley, along with his two famous cousins Lewis and Swaggart, was inducted into the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Ferriday, Louisiana.{{Cite news |last=Mirkin |first=Gabe |title=Mickey Gilley and the world's biggest honky-tonk |newspaper=Villages-News |url=https://www.villages-news.com/2022/05/16/mickey-gilley-and-the-worlds-biggest-honky-tonk/ |date=May 16, 2022 |access-date=August 10, 2024 }}

In 2020, a road in Pasadena, Texas, was renamed in his honor as Mickey Gilley Boulevard.{{cite web|url=https://abc13.com/pasadena-honors-mickey-gilley-country-star-urban-cowboy-gilleys-club-in/7815521/|title=City of Pasadena honors country singer Mickey Gilley|date=November 10, 2020 }}

Gilley's Dallas, an entertainment complex in Dallas, Texas, is named for Gilley.{{cite web|url=https://www.irvingtexas.com/listings/gilleys-dallas/795/|title=Gilley's Dallas|website=www.irvingtexas.com}}

Other

Gilley was a licensed pilot, holding an instrument rating with commercial pilot privileges for multi-engine airplanes, as well as private pilot privileges for single engine aircraft.{{cite web|url=https://amsrvs.registry.faa.gov/airmeninquiry/Main.aspx|title=FAA Registry – Airmen|publisher=Amsrvs.registry.faa.gov|date=March 21, 2012|access-date=March 31, 2012}}

Discography

Awards and nominations

= Music City News Country Awards =

|1976

|Mickey Gilley

|Most Promising Male Artist

|{{won}}

|1984

|Mickey Gilley and Charly McClain

|Vocal Duo of the Year

|{{nom}}

= Academy of Country Music Awards =

|1975

|rowspan=3| Mickey Gilley

|Most Promising Male Vocalist

|{{won}}

|rowspan=3| 1976

|Top Male Vocalist of the Year

|{{nom}}

|Entertainer of the Year

|{{nom}}

|"Overnight Sensation"

|rowspan=2| Single Record of the Year

|{{nom}}

|rowspan=6| 1977

|rowspan=2| "Bring It On Home to Me"

|{{won}}

|rowspan=2| Song of the Year

|{{nom}}

|"Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time"

|{{won}}

|Gilley's Smoking

|Album of the Year

|{{won}}

|rowspan=3| Mickey Gilley

|Top Male Vocalist of the Year

|{{won}}

|Entertainer of the Year

|{{won}}

|1978

|Top Male Vocalist of the Year

|{{nom}}

|1984

|Mickey Gilley and Charly McClain

|Top Vocal Duo of the Year

|{{nom}}

|2006

|Mickey Gilley

|Triple Crown Award

|{{included|Awarded}}

References

Rhodes, Don (1998). "Mickey Gilley". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Ed. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 202.

External links

[http://www.gilleys.com Official Website]
[https://thirdcoasttalent.com/artists Mickey Gilley] at Third Coast Talent
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060621073618/http://www.sec.state.la.us/museums/delta/delta-mickey.htm at the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame]
[https://archive.today/20130201201710/http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/g/gill6200.htm Gilley's Early Rock and Roll Recordings]
{{discogs artist|Mickey Gilley}}
{{IMDb name|0319076}}