Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner confirmed Gilley’s death, saying that the singer was surrounded by loved ones.
“Pasadena has lost a true legend,” Wagner said in a statement. “It was my great honor to know this man most of my life. Mickey was a true musical talent who charted 42 singles in the Top 40 country charts over a span of two decades. His talent and larger-than-life personality helped ignite a new interest in country music as he introduced the world to Pasadena through his dance hall and ‘Urban Cowboy’ in 1980. We were so honored to have Mickey perform at our State of the City in February 2020. Our prayers for comfort and peace are with Mickey’s family, his loved ones and his fans.”
According to Gilleys.com, the singer was born on March 9, 1936, in Natchez, Mississippi. A cousin of rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, Gilley grew up in Louisiana where he learned the sounds of rhythm and blues “by sneaking up to the windows of the clubs at night,” according to his website.
Country music legend Mickey Gilley has died at age 86, according to Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner. https://t.co/AdSh0xjsX4
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 7, 2022
The Mississippi native moved to Pasadena in 1971, opening the famous honky-tonk nightclub, Gilley’s, the Houston Chronicle reported. He created music inspired by the sound of Louisiana’s R&B music with chart-topping hits “Is It Wrong For Loving You” and the remake of the Soul hit “Stand by Me.”