Mickey Gilley was born in Natchez, Louisiana on March 9, 1936, into a family destined for success. His cousins would be Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart. Mickey was raised with Jerry Lee, in Ferriday, Louisiana, and was influenced to become a piano player by the latter, although he didn’t begin his musical career until he was 20 years old.

Mickey began making records for small labels after moving to Houston, Texas. People said he sounded like a copy of Jerry Lee. Lacking good material, the hits didn’t come for Mickey. He became frustrated, reigned in his singing career, and decided to open a night club, Gilley’s Bar. The night club flourished like you wouldn’t believe, and eight years later it inspired the making of a movie, “Urban Cowboy,” starring John Travolta and Debra Winger.

Even today, Gilley’s is remembered for the weekly national radio shows, “Live From Gilley’s,” which ran from 1977 to 1989.  The performers who graced the stage of the famous night club, read like a “Who’s Who” of the entertainment world, and included Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Jr., Merle Haggard, Roy Orbison, The Judds, Ricky Skaggs, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, the Oak Ridge Boys, and that’s not even a tenth of the list! If you were to be recognized as “anybody” in country music, you had to have played at Gilley’s!

Mickey began recording again and hit with “Room Full Of Roses,” an old George Morgan hit of 1949. It was the “B” side of the record featuring a song written by a local Dee Jay, “She Calls Me Baby.” The record was picked up by Playboy Records and the “B” side went all the way to number one!  Mickey’s hits began to roll, “I Overlooked An Orchid,” “Roll You Like A Wheel,” “Don’t The Girls All Get Prettier At Closing Time,” and “Honky Tonk Memories.” His hits continued into the 1980’s with the help of “Stand By Me” which was featured in the “Urban Cowboy” film. Several number-one hits followed, like “True Love Ways,” and “That’s All That Matters.” All and all, Mickey registered an incredible 17 number-one hits in his career.

Happy Birthday Mickey Gilley!

Dusty Owens

TCM Radio News