Furry Lewis

Birth Name:

Walter E Lewis

Birth Date:

March 8, 1893

Birth Place:

Greenwood, Mississippi

Death Date:

September 14, 1981

Place of Death:

811 Mosby, Memphis, Tennessee

Age:

Cause of Death:

Heart failure

Cemetery Name:

Hollywood Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Music

A notable guitarist in both the bottleneck and finger-picking styles, Furry was a country blues guitarist and songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee whose greatest productivity came late in life during the folk blues revival of the 1960s.

Fun Fact:

After a hard life of some fame and even less fortune, because he lived in a high-crime area of Memphis Furry’s red Martin guitar would hang on the wall of Capital Loans and Pawn where it wouldn’t get stolen. After each gig he would pawn his guitar and whenever someone asked him to play, he would ask for money to get his guitar back. Naturally he would always ask for a few extra dollars to put into his pockets.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Hollywood Cemetery

2012 Hernando Road

Memphis, Tennessee, 38106

USA

North America

Grave Location Description

From the entrance, turn left at the third intersection. His upright monument is next to road on your left in the back of the middle section (about 10 graves from the intersection).

Note this cemetery is somewhat abandoned and not in the best of neighborhoods. A daytime visit with friends with plenty of caution is recommended.