Three cousins, inseparably
bonded through music. Each became a star; their story would become a legend. J.
D. Davis's enthralling new biography of famous cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy
Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley, born within a twelve-month span in small-town
Louisiana during the Great Depression, draws from exhaustive research and
personal connections with friends and family. Davis recreates the irresistible
and life-changing power of music that surrounded the cousins as boys and shaped
their engagingly distinct paths to fame. With three personal journeys set
alongside important landmarks in pop-culture history, Davis presents a unique
tale of American music centered on the trials, tribulations, and achievements
of three men who remain truly Unconquered.
Author Bio
J. D. Davis has been a
fan of the music of Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley much of
his life. He spent several years researching the lives of these men for this
book.
Davis was raised in Quitman, Texas, a quiet community in the piney woods of East Texas. He earned a bachelor's degree (with highest honors) in economics from the University of Texas and later received a master's degree from SMU. A successful businessman and entrepreneur, he achieved the rare distinction of partnership in his twenties at a major actuarial consulting firm, where he continues to manage a large practice. He has three daughters and lives near Dallas.
Davis was raised in Quitman, Texas, a quiet community in the piney woods of East Texas. He earned a bachelor's degree (with highest honors) in economics from the University of Texas and later received a master's degree from SMU. A successful businessman and entrepreneur, he achieved the rare distinction of partnership in his twenties at a major actuarial consulting firm, where he continues to manage a large practice. He has three daughters and lives near Dallas.
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW
I have been a fan of the
music of Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley much of my life. I
spent several years researching the lives of these men for my book. I was
raised in Quitman , Texas ,
a quiet community in the piney woods of East Texas .
I earned a bachelor’s degree with highest honors in economics from the University of Texas Dallas , Texas
What do you do when you are not
writing?
Professionally,
I manage a retirement consulting practice that is based in Dallas ,
Texas and covers much of the Southern
United States . Personally, I raise three daughters whose ages
range from fifteen to eleven years, I generally exercise five days per week,
and in recent years have traveled extensively to conduct research and
interviews for the book.
How did you choose the genre
you write in?
Writing about three men in whom
I am interested – from a particular region of the country in which I am
interested – naturally led me to nonfiction and, more precisely, biography.
Do you ever experience writer’s
block?
I haven’t thus far. The
research I undertook was so extensive I have struggled much more with limiting
scope than writer’s block.
Do you work with an outline, or
just write?
My working style is
quite elaborate, owing to my ability to organize and pay close attention to
detail. For my current book, I was able to create and then index over 8,000
note entries into a very elaborate, dynamic outline.
Is there any particular author
or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
I enjoy a myriad of authors and
books but wouldn’t say any one influenced me in a particularly noticeable way.
Can you tell us about your
challenges in getting your first book published?
Being an unknown writer
– which every author has been at some point – creates certain obvious
challenges, particularly in today’s publishing environment. With so much in
flux in the publishing industry, big-name publishers are understandably going to
gravitate to better-known authors with better-established platforms.
In addition, because the
subjects of the book have experienced some controversy, there was a fair amount
of pressure from publishers who wanted more incriminating information in the story,
which I was unwilling to provide.
What was your favorite chapter
(or part) to write and why?
I particularly enjoyed writing
the chapters that take place in the 1970s and 1980s, when all three men were
experiencing dramatic high and sobering lows. Those chapters create a compelling
story for the reader, whether he or she has been a fan of all or any of these
men or not.
How did you come up with the
title?
Conquered Unconquered
was a game the cousins played as young boys.In Conquered Unconquered, one of
the boys would perform a daring stunt and the others would have to follow suit
or be “conquered.” Whether it was jumping from boxcar to boxcar or the executing
the latest death-defying feat on their bicycles, each of the cousins was always
looking for a chance to come up with a new, amazing feat that would best the
other two.
Through the course of
their lives and careers, these three men have experienced numerous peaks and
valleys. Nevertheless, the same dogged determination to never give up – to
never be “conquered” – has kept each of them moving forward, meeting new
challenges and scaling new heights. Now, all three have passed the
three-quarters-of-a-century mark, and each remains truly unconquered.
What project are you working on
now?
Right now my focus is marketing
and promotingUnconquered: The Saga of
Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilleyin
anticipation of its release, on May 1st.
Are there certain characters
you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work
with?
I have a wide variety of
interests and can imagine heading in a number of different directions. However,
I would say there are several recurring themes of human interest, fascinating
characters, rural life, and the American South which I find interesting and
compelling.
What has been the toughest
criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The primary criticism I
encountered came from my lack of prior experience, which is to be expected and
didn’t bother me. Many compliments from those close to the project touched on my
instinctive feel for the subject matter, organizational skills, vast knowledge of
the three subjects, and, most satisfyingly, the tenacity shown in pushing
through every phase of this sizable undertaking. I’ve also been complimented on
my writing, which is nice to hear.
Do you have any advice to give
to aspiring writers?
I would tell them to
make sure that they really care about the subject they are writing about,
because they are going to be spending a lot of time with it. Secondly,
depending on the complexity and depth of their undertaking, they need to
recognize that they may be setting out on a marathon, not a sprint.
Is there anything that you
would like to say to your readers and fans?
I want to thank them for
their interest in the book and for all the encouraging and warm remarks and
comments I have received. It is satisfying to produce a credible work on a
topic that interests so many people and, beyond that, means a lot to them.
Have you ever gone out in public
with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just
said to heck with it?
I
have had at least one business meeting where the suit jacket and pants did not
match – they weren’t even close – and another meeting where I had one black
shoe and one brown shoe. In the case of the mismatched suit, I attended the
meeting without the jacket. With the shoes, there was no turning back. I blame
the events on getting dressed in the dark (or near dark) rather than an extreme
case of fashion unawareness.
Are you a person who makes their bed
in the morning, or do you not see much point?
I
make my bed every morning, without exception.
Do you get road rage? What upsets
you the most about other drivers?
My
children constantly remind me to be more patient on the road and with other
drivers. Drivers who are not aware of the world going on around them and who
seem to be “starring in their own movie” are a particular source of annoyance.
Where are you from?
I was born in Dallas,
Texas. However, I spent my childhood from the age of three through eighteen in
the small, northeast Texas community of Quitman, with a population of
approximately 1,800 people.
What inspired you to write your
first book?
After reading
extensively about these men, visiting their hometown, and getting to know their
family members, I realized there was a fascinating story to be told. While much
had been written about them – particularly about Jerry Lee Lewis – I found, to
my surprise, no one had ever integrated their three lives together. The way
their stories interlock really is the
compelling story, in my opinion, and I feel privileged to have been able to
tell it.
Is there a message in
your book that you want readers to grasp?
This is a not a story of
good and bad, or right and wrong. It is a deeply human story of aspirations and
success and failure. It is a tale about family, music, and perseverance. The
reader will be moved and inspired by the journeys of these three men, who came
from nothing, rose to the top of their respective fields, and faced a variety
of profound challenges along the way. My hope is that the reader will come away
with a deeper appreciation of these three men and a fuller understanding of the
many factors that shaped those unique individuals who came from the Depression
and post-Depression era South.
What book are you reading now?
Steve
Jobs, by Walter
Isaacson.
Are there any new authors that have
grasped your interest?
Not right now. While
managing several hundred sources for my current book, my reading on other
topics slowed in the last few years. Mostly what I read in the time I have are
works by established authors.
Name one entity that you feel
supported you outside of family members.
In my thirties, I
decided to expand my knowledge on topics outside of my profession and immediate
set of interests. So I pursued a Master’s degree at Southern Methodist
University where I found a great deal of support from professors in areas such as
theology, history, philosophy, and the like. It helped me challenge myself to
explore new pursuits, which ultimately led to writing my current book.
Do you see writing as a career?
Writing for me is still
an avocation, rather than a vocation. With continued development and the possible
success of my first book, it is feasible that writing could become more of a
career pursuit.
If you had to do it all over again,
would you change anything in your latest book?
At this point, I am
quite satisfied with the outcome of my current book. If starting over from
scratch, there are many things I would change about the process of writing the
book, but I don’t think I would change much in the book itself. But even now,
having completed the book, I feel it does a good job of accomplishing several
complicated – even competing – objectives.
Do you recall how your interest in
writing originated?
My interest in
undertaking the daunting task of writing a biography that would require weaving
together the lives of three men developed from my interest in the men
themselves. Also, the story of these famous cousins had never been told in this
way before and I felt that it would be compelling to many readers.
Do you have to travel much
concerning your book(s)?
The research phase of
writing the book required a significant amount of travel, based on the large
number of people to whom I needed to speak and the wide dispersion geographically
of the book’s key subjects.
Who designed the cover?
The design team of my
publisher, Brown Books, designed the cover of Unconquered: The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and
Mickey Gilley.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The biggest challenge in
writing Unconquered was creating a
book that would be appealing, yet credible, to vastly different audiences. In
writing about Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley, I wanted to
write a book that appealed to the rock ‘n’ roll, country, and gospel music
audiences; to secular and religious audiences; and to academic and non-academic
audiences. It required striking a careful and unusual balance.
Did you learn anything
from writing
your book and
if so what?
As a first-time author,
I learned an enormous amount writing this book. Perhaps most importantly, I
learned about the rigorous process of writing a book from start to finish. It
is an extensive process, to say the least, and being thorough and organized
during each step of the process is crucial.
Is there an Author that you would
really like to meet?
At some point, I hope to
meet Nick Tosches and Anne Seaman, the authors who have written the
most-recognized biographies of, respectively, Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy
Swaggart two of the three main subjects of my book Unconquered: The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and
Mickey Gilley.
Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks or
hardcover?
I prefer hardcover
books. I don’t remember the last paperback I read and I have never read an
e-book (although I will get around to it sooner or later).
Where do you prefer to buy your
books?
I purchase books online
and in brick-and-mortar bookstores. There are two large bookstores near my
place of business in Dallas, Texas – one sells new books and the other sells
used books. I enjoy perusing the shelves of both.
What book would you like to read
again?
Crime
and Punishment, by
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Is there a particular movie that you
preferred over the book version?
While not as good as the
book, the movie version of Lonesome Dove
was VERY good, in my opinion.
Do you buy a book by the cover?
A cover can catch my
attention, but rarely do I buy a book purely because of the cover.
Do you have a book trailer?
Yes, we recently
completed a trailer for Unconquered.
What are your thoughts on book
trailers?
I believe they can be valuable
if they are effective in capturing the attention of potential readers and are
able to convey the message of a book in an efficient fashion.
What are your pet peeves?
(Laughs) Good question.
The first thing that comes to mind would be laziness. I believe in persistent,
dedicated effort and have seen it overcome a variety of shortcomings and
drawbacks.
White wine or red?
White wine over red,
although I rarely consume alcohol.
Coffee or tea?
I never consume coffee,
but drink tea occasionally.
Do you like to cook? Do you
have a favorite food?
I do like to cook
although I do it infrequently. Favorite food? Each time I eat chicken and
dumplings, it reminds me of dining at the table of my grandparents as a child.
They were very special to me, so that dish is definitely one of my favorites.
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream?
Chocolate ice cream
What do you normally eat for
breakfast, or do you skip it and get straight to work?
I maintain a diligent
morning exercise regimen. Breakfast is a must.
What are four things you never leave
home without (apart from keys, money and phone)?
Those four items include
sunglasses, wallet, notebook computer, and a small file with current documents
and to-do lists.
Laptop or desktop for writing?
Laptop (notebook)
computer
Where and when do you prefer to do
your writing?
I typically write at
home, in small increments of thirty to forty minutes each.
One of your favorite quotes –
Concentration and mental
toughness are the margins of victory.
– Bill Russell,
legendary Boston Celtics basketball player
List three books you just recently
read and would recommend?
Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand
Empire
of the Sun Moon, by
S.C. Gwynne
Shadow
Divers, by Robert
Kurson
List three of your favorite movies.
Schindler’s
List
Shawshank
Redemption
The
Godfather
An actor or a book character you
have a crush on –
(Laughs) I was
fascinated with the character Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Where can your readers stalk you?
(Laughs) Readers can
follow me and the progress of the book on www.UnconqueredTheBook.com and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/UnconqueredTheBook.
What books have influenced your life
most?
The
Bible has clearly
had the most influence on my life out of any book I have read.
What was your favorite chapter to
write and why?
I enjoyed writing every
chapter in Unconquered. One of the
most enjoyable was Chapter 10 – Music, which talks about the early musical development
of Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley.
Why do you feel you had to tell this
story?
After reading extensively about
these men, visiting their hometown, and getting to know their family members, I
realized there was a fascinating story to be told. While much had been written
about them – particularly about Jerry Lee Lewis – I found, to my surprise, no
one had ever integrated their three lives together. The way their stories
interlock really is the compelling
story, in my opinion, and I feel privileged to have been able to tell it.
How old were you when
you first became aware of Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley?
As
a child, I heard Jerry and Mickey on country music radio stations (Jerry’s
airplay by that time had transitioned largely into country music, from rock ‘n’
roll). Their singing was great but it was their piano playing that really drew
me in. My father watched Jimmy preach and play on television and I remember
hearing Jimmy’s music every Sunday morning as I sauntered in and out of the
living room.
When did you first
become aware of their incredible story and the fact that they were blood
cousins who grew up together in the Deep South?
Most
writings on any of the three touch on their family relationship – though they
do so briefly as the focus is always on one of the cousins.
So
I was aware early on that they were related. However, over the years it struck
me that each of their stories becomes more interesting when you consider their
lives collectively. I thought it was important to write about the bonds between
them: their similar upbringing, the influences they shared, their disparate
responses to the world around them. These things explain their lifelong ties to
each other and the separate paths they ultimately took.
For
instance, when Jerry Lee became successful in 1956, Jimmy and Mickey were
squeezing out a living performing grueling manual labor. While further exposing
their own struggles, it also inspired them to find their own paths to success.
To fully understand each man one needs to consider their relationships to one
another.
What influences
shaped their lives and eventual careers?
Their
key influences include:
Ø Tight family bonds: the
strong influences of relatives and the powerful connections each of them
developed and maintained with their respective mothers;
Ø Ferriday, Louisiana: the
small, turbulent, railroad town that produced an explosion of wild behavior, cultural
tension, and musical discovery;
Ø The Pentecostal church on
Texas Avenue: the undeniably powerful spiritual influence that transformed
their families and inspired and haunted each of them, in varying degrees,
throughout their lives;
Ø The piano: the instrument
all three mastered and which led to their success;
Ø Their music: a fusion of
the upbeat gospel they heard at church, the blues played at the legendary
Haney’s Big House, a stone’s throw from where they were raised, and the country
music that came through their radios into their homes from the Grand Ole Opry
and Louisiana Hayride.
A number of family
members contributed to this book. How were you able to get them to open up and
discuss these amazing men?
I
think my genuine interest in and knowledge of the three men contributed most to
gaining the confidence and trust of their friends and family members. If I had
shown up with only a cursory knowledge of the men and the appearance of only
wanting a “good story”, it would have been apparent to the people who know them
best. In all but a few cases, any hesitancy I encountered quickly dissipated as
my positive interest in the men and their families readily shone through.
One
of the highlights of this effort for me has been the forging of strong bonds
and friendships with many of the people closest to these men. I am deeply
appreciative of that.
Do you expect this
book to appeal more to men or women?
People
of all ages and both genders will appreciate the complete story of these three
remarkable cousins and the many fascinating events in their lives. Men will particularly enjoy the exploits of
Jerry Lee Lewis, his personality and bad-boy image and his “take no prisoners”
attitude toward life. They will also be intrigued by the stories of the
cousins’ hardscrabble existence and the unique “characters” in this family.
Unconquered is a great book for women
too.Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart have always had many female fans and
supporters and I believe that women will appreciate the romantic ideas and
institutions of yesteryear that the book details: rural life, conservative
religion, the tight bonds between mothers and sons. They’ll also be captivated
by the psychology of these men and the exploration of what makes them do what
they do.
How have Jerry, Jimmy, and Mickey gotten past their respective personal challenges and how have they managed to continue to thrive today?
Inherent
in each man’s success is the music which is their driving force. Jerry’s music
is his lifeblood. Through music he finds the ability to communicate deep-seated
emotions and earns the respect and adoration he craves. Jimmy’s music is a
conduit to his spirituality and a key aspect of his ministry to others. Mickey
uses music as a way to please his fans and to maintain a connection with people
who enjoy country music and derive satisfaction from its message.
In
my opinion, these men have continued to persevere – and thrive – because the
music they perform is not simply a means to an external end but a reflection of
their fundamental makeup and a core part of who they are.
What is the most
significant message of Unconquered?
And what do you hope readers will gain by reading this book?
This
is a not a story of good and bad, or right and wrong. It is a deeply human
story of aspirations and success and failure. It is a tale about family, music,
and perseverance. The reader will be moved and inspired by the journeys of
these three men, who came from nothing, rose to the top of their respective
fields, and faced a variety of profound challenges along the way. My hope is
that the reader will come away with a deeper appreciation of these three men
and a fuller understanding of the many factors that shaped those unique
individuals who came from the Depression and post-Depression era South.
What is the key to
MG’s success?
I
think the recipe for Mickey’s success has several ingredients, but I personally
believe there are three main ones:
1)
He obviously comes from a family with a great deal of musical talent
2)
He grew up in a very safe environment with a nurturing mother and I
think that bred a lot of self-confidence and comfort with himself
3)
Because he didn’t experience recording success until the age of 38,
after many years of struggle and failed attempts, he knows what it means to be
a “regular Joe” and has never lost sight of that, even his star burned
intensely years later
Will the book be
available as an e-book?
Yes,
the book will definitely be available for those individuals who love their
Kindles, Nooks, and other devices. The e-book will also be available on or
around April 30th. We’ll supply more information at a later date.
Does the book
include photos?
The
book includes 32 photographs across 16 pages. Deciding which photographs to
choose from the vast selection available to us was challenging. Some of the
photographs we did not use will be posted later on the website.
When
does UNCONQUERED (your book) hit the book shelves?
The book’s release is set for May 1st.
Interested readers will be able to find it in bookstores or find the e-book
online. Pre-ordering for the book is available now through Amazon, Barnes &
Noble, and most other retailers.
Do you
know Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart and Mickey Gilley personally?
Yes, I have had the occasion to meet each of them
on multiple occasions and they have been cordial to me. My interaction with
Jerry and Jimmy has been fairly limited, but I have spent a lot of time with
Mickey and am pleased to have forged a strong friendship with him.
How
close were they all?
Growing up, they were quite close. Close in age
and growing up in the same small town, they spent countless hours together.
As adults, their paths have gone in markedly
different directions, but their bonds remain intact.
What
were their ancestors like?
The Lewis, Swaggart, Gilley, and Herron families
were tight-knit clans that lived in difficult conditions. They were generally
poor laborers, farmers, carpenters, and even moonshiners that scratched out
meager livings in a difficult environment. The Lewis family was characterized
as tough, country people; excellent musicians; prone to combustible tempers,
and possessing a low tolerance for alcohol.
How
many years did it take to compile your research?
Three years
Did
you do any sort of interviews of relatives and others?
I interviewed relatives and others close to the
three men extensively. In the course of the project, I developed close
relationship with many of these individuals and am proud to have written the
story of these men and their family.
How
large of a role has country music and music in general played in your life?
I grew up in rural, northeast Texas heavily
influenced by church music, country and western music of the 70s and 80s, and
older rock ‘n’ roll classics. I still listen to that music today and it creates
a comfortable continuity with the influences of my formative years.
Which
one is your favorite...Jerry Lee, Jimmy or Mickey?
Haha. I have been asked that by others and tend
to evade it effectively. Let me say that I have an appreciation for all three
men for different reasons. I think the musical ability of Jerry Lee Lewis is
second to none, I feel like I have an understanding of many of the influences
that have driven Reverend Swaggart to his successes and struggles, and I think Mickey
Gilley is one of the most genuine, approachable people that I have ever
encountered.
What
would you tell aspiring authors?
Most importantly, I would tell them to make sure
they really care about the subject upon which they are writing, because they
are going to be spending a lot of time with it. Secondly, depending on the
complexity and depths of their subject, they need to recognize that they may be
setting out on a marathon, not a sprint.
What
is the most important thing you learned during this writing process?
For an involved, detailed effort, it is important
to note the need to work the process. Don’t spend much time looking up and
trying to see a finish line in the distance. Instead, keep your head down,
moving methodically from task to task, step by step
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DISCLOSURE
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading
Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author.
Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no
payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation
to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may
not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or
readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade
Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and
Testimonials in Advertising*
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