Ferriday in Concordia Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)
Mickey Gilley
Gilley, like Lewis, was raised in Ferriday, LA. It wasn't until Jerry Lee had a hit with his first Sun single, "Crazy Arms", that Mickey decided he wanted to pursue a musical career. Gilley began recording for a number of independent Texas labels without much success in the late '50s. In the early '60s, he became a local favorite by playing a never-ending series or bars and clubs. A few of singles became Texas hits, but he didn't have a national hit until 1968 with a minor hit "Now I Can Live Again" on Paula Records.
In 1970, he opened Gilley's Club in Pasadena; the honky tonk had previously been known as Sherry's Club, and its owner, Sherwood Cryer, asked Mickey to re-open the bar with him. In 1974, Gilley had another local hit with "Room Full of Roses," which was released on Astro Records. Playboy Records, which was distributed by Epic, heard the record and acquired national distribution for the single. It became a number one country hit, crossing over to number 50 on the pop charts. "Room Full of Roses" launched a string of updated, countrypolitan-inflected honky tonk hits for Gilley that ran for just over a decade. Gilley racked up 16 number one hits besides "Room Full of Roses," including "I Overlooked an Orchid", "City Lights", "She's Pulling Me Back Again", "True Love Ways", "Stand By Me", "That's All That Matters", and "A Headache Tomorrow (Or a Heartache Tonight)."
Gilley signed with Epic Records after Playboy folded in 1978. The following year, the film Urban Cowboy -- which was based on Gilley's Club and featured a cameo by Mickey, as well as several of his songs -- brought him to national attention, which resulted in a string of six straight number one singles. He continued to have Top Ten hits until 1986, when his career began to slip. The late '80s were plagued with problems for Gilley. Not only had a new generation of country singers replaced him on the charts, he had financial problems which culminated in the closing of Gilley's Club. He turned his career around in the early '90s, when he became one of the first country stars to open a permanent theater in Branson, MO. Although Gilley recorded some albums in the '90s -- which were primarily available through television advertisements -- he focused his career of the theater.
Erected 2002 by Ferriday Louisiana "Where Music Was Born".
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1968.
Location. 31° 37.784′ N, 91° 33.211′ W. Marker is in Ferriday, Louisiana, in Concordia Parish. Marker is at the intersection of Louisiana Avenue and EE Wallace Boulevard (U.S. 425) on Louisiana Avenue. Located in front of the Louisiana Delta Music Hall of Fame. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 218 Louisiana Avenue, Ferriday LA 71334, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Jimmy Lee Swaggart (here, next to this marker); Jerry Lee Lewis (here, next to this marker); The Blues Trail: Mississippi to Louisiana (a few steps from this marker); Frank Morris (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Haney's Big House (about 700 feet away); Leon "Pee Wee" Whittaker (about 800 feet away); Bayou Memorial Park Flags (approx. 0.6 miles away); DePrato Mounds (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ferriday.
Also see . . . . Delta Music Museum (Submitted on June 4, 2017, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2019. It was originally submitted on June 3, 2017, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 400 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 3, 2017. 4. submitted on June 3, 2017, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana.