That One Time We Spent Our Wedding Anniversary with Jerry Lee Lewis’ Sister, Frankie Jean
A couple years ago, for our anniversary, we went on a road trip through our home state of Mississippi to visit the quintessentially Southern town of Natchez. This town moved up my to-see list because of its historic homes, great restaurants, and beautiful views of the mighty Mississippi River. Little did we know that our anniversary trip would include a visit to the childhood home of Jerry Lee Lewis, complete with tour by his sister, Frankie Jean.
See Related: 30 Things To Do in Natchez, Mississippi
On the actual day of our anniversary, we hopped across the river into Louisiana to visit the Frogmore Plantation. I had read online that Jerry Lee Lewis’ family was from that particular area in Louisiana and that they own a drive-through liquor store in Ferriday, Louisiana. Of course, we had to stop by.*Note that the home is no longer open for tours. Mrs. Frankie Jean passed away in 2016. As far as we know, the liquor store is still open.
See Related: Then and Now: The Story of Cotton at Frogmore Plantation
Jerry Lee’s niece was running the store that day, and told us that if we’d stick around for a bit, her mom (Frankie Jean) would take us on a tour of their childhood home. This was one opportunity we were not turning down!While waiting in Frankie Jean’s kitchen, the decor reminded me very much of my great aunts’ homes. Everything was appropriately vintage, giving the room a very homey and comforting feel.
When Frankie Jean arrived, her energy was apparent immediately, and so was her hospitality. She welcomed us and started talking like she had known us forever.
The tour of the home was not a typical tour by any means. It was like we were visiting the home of an old friend who just so happened to have a famous brother.
Every counter and tabletop was covered with photos and clippings of Jerry Lee. The love and pride that Frankie had for her brother was apparent, though they didn’t always get along. That no-nonsense attitude ran in the family, for sure!
The home was full of objects from over the years, including Jerry Lee’s potty chair from when he was a baby. It’s even autographed. I wasn’t surprised. It’s an actual home, not a museum, and nothing seemed to be off-limits to us. But, of course, we’re super careful and respectful people.
The entire experience of being in the house was amazing. Compare this tour to visiting the childhood home of Elvis in Tupelo, Mississippi. In Elvis’ childhood home, everything is behind ropes and the objects aren’t even original to the house!
At one point, I was actually lying across Jerry Lee’s bed playing with Mrs. Frankie Jean’s dogs. A surreal moment, for sure.
Frankie Jean operated the tours solely by donations. Honestly, you can’t put a price on this type of experience.
Because we were made to feel completely at home, we were happy to return the favor. I did some photo restoration work for Mrs. Frankie and Mark took a look at her ailing air conditioner. It was the least we could do! We ended up spending about four hours there, just talking about their childhood and family. She played some recordings for us of their family, including their parents, singing. Amazing!
She also talked about knowing Elvis, confirming that he was a loving, caring person. He always gave and gave to his closest friends. Because we live close to Elvis’ birthplace, we are always hearing stories about him, so it was great to get this first-hand account.
See Related: Taking the Elvis Tour of Tupelo, Mississippi
As we were leaving, we told Frankie Jean that we had just spent our anniversary with her, and that it was such a special day, definitely one we will never forget. She ran inside and came back with a few goodies for us as an anniversary gift, including a sticker that she autographed for us. How’s that for a souvenir?!Visiting with Mrs. Frankie Jean is a memory that we will always cherish. From hearing first-hand stories about growing up with “The Killer” himself to acquiring a new friend, there are so many reasons we are glad we stopped by Louisiana Avenue that day!
*In loving memory of Mrs. Frankie Jean Lewis Terrell*
Are you a fan of Jerry Lee Lewis?
Did you get the chance to visit the Lewis Family Museum before it
closed? Have you visited the homes of any other celebrities? Let us know
in the comments below!