The finale of his triumphant appearance in Granada TV’s Don’t Knock the Rock, March 19, 1964.
ITV/Rex/REX USA
In May 1963, he did a weeklong stint at the Star-Club, a raucous joint on the infamous Reeperbahn where the Beatles had lately cut their teeth.
On April 5 of the following year, he returned to record one of the greatest live albums of all time.
Pierre Pennone; K&K Center of Beat/Retna Ltd
In the studio for Smash, 1965.
Robert Prokop
A Chicago live date captured for the cover of the Smash album
Memphis Beat. Robert Prokop
The wild man reborn as a seasoned country star.
REX/Dezo Hoffman
“No, never shall my soul be satisfied!” As Iago in Catch My Soul, 1968.
Backstage at the London Palladium, 1972.
Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns/Getty Images
At the London Rock and Roll Show, the first concert ever held in Wembley Stadium, 1972.
Chris Foster/REX USA
Bananafish Garden, Brooklyn, New York, 1973.
Bob Gruen
“Where’s Daddy at? Is he still cussin’?” With Elmo in Texas, 1970s.
Raeanne Rubenstein
After pulling into the gates of Graceland, early morning, November 23, 1976.
Memphis Commercial Appeal
In his private plane, 1970s.
Raeanne Rubenstein
Onstage with Linda Gail.
Raeanne Rubenstein
With Mick Fleetwood and Keith Richards for Salute!, a Dick Clark TV special, July 1983.
Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images
The boys of Ferriday, Louisiana: with Mickey Gilley (left) and Jimmy Lee Swaggart.
© Christopher R. Harris
With his fourth wife, Jaren Pate, in 1978.
Memphis Press-Scimitar
At his wedding to Shawn Stephens, June 7, 1983.
Globe-Photos/lmageCollect.com
After Shawn’s death, on April 24, 1984, he married Kerrie McCarver.
Zuma Press
Getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. With him is Dennis Quaid, who played Jerry Lee in the 1989 motion picture Great Balls of Fire.
AP Photo/Doug Pizac
At home in Nesbit, Mississippi, with his Sun gold records.
LFI/Photoshot
With Chuck Berry and Ray Charles at the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, January 23, 1986.
© Lynn Goldsmith / Corbis
At the Great Balls of Fire premiere party, at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, 1989.
AP Photo/Todd Lillard
Back at the Hall of Fame, 1995.
Onstage with Levi Kreis at Million Dollar Quartet, 2010.
© Neal Preston/Corbis; Bruce Glikas/WireImage/Getty Images
Frankie Jean.
Linda Gail.
With Judith, 2014.
Steve Roberts