Jerry Lee Lewis devastated by band member's murder

Music legend Jerry Lee Lewis is mourning the loss of his bass player, who was murdered early Sunday morning in Southeast Memphis. B.B. Cunningham was shot to death while working as a security guard at the Cherry Crest Apartments.

Lewis’ longtime manager, J.W. Whitten, says Lewis is devastated and says he lost a friend and companion in the music industry. Cunningham began playing for The Jerry Lee Lewis Band in 1997. Cunningham, who was also a singer and keyboardist, began his music career performing on his fathers record label, ‘Cover Records,’ in Memphis. He found fame in 1967 when he wrote and recorded the hit song, ‘Let It All Hang Out,’ with the Hombres. Jon Hornyak, the executive director of The Recording Academy in Memphis, played in bands with Cunningham and spent time with him in the studio. He says it’s hard for the music community to see a beloved figure go out that way, “Part of it is musicians get older and there are not enough gigs to make a living just as a musician, so you have to go out and augment your income in some way, and unfortunately at that place, at that point in time it was not the right place to be.” 

22-year-old Dock Britt was arrested late Sunday night and charged with First Degree Murder and Attempted First Degree Murder. Right now, he’s only facing murder charges for B.B. Cunningham’s death. He is not charged with the murder of the 16-year-old who also died that night. Cunningham is survived by a wife and son.

Source: Melissa Moon - WREG