Gilley Is Enjoying Honky-Tonk Life Once Again

How much has the shine faded from the “Urban Cowboy” movement? Ask Mickey Gilley. Despite his racking up eight No. 1 country singles in the 2 years after the “Urban Cowboy” movie helped catapult Gilley to the top of the sales charts in 1980, last year CBS Records dropped his contract.

But then, that’s just one of several setbacks the Louisiana-born singer has had to weather lately.

Until recently, Gilley was bogged down in a protracted court battle with former manager Sherwood Cryer over management of the famous “Gilley’s” nightclub in Pasadena, Tex., and this occupied a great deal of the singer’s time.

In addition, Gilley, who plays the Crazy Horse Steak House in Santa Ana tonight and Tuesday, stood by and watched his cousin, the Rev. Jimmy Swaggart, fall from grace earlier this year because of a sex scandal.

Yet it was a fairly chipper Mickey Gilley on the phone recently from Nashville to talk about what has been going on with him and his notorious family, which also includes his other famous cousin, “Ferriday Fireball” Jerry Lee Lewis.

At the height of the “Urban Cowboy” craze, it was Gilley who had the highest profile of the triumvirate from Louisiana. But the doings of Gilley and Lewis were easily eclipsed earlier this year by Swaggart’s spectacular “I have sinned” speech after confessing to “moral failure” involving a prostitute.

“It’s very difficult for me to see Jimmy going through what he’s going through,” Gilley says quietly. “And what makes it tough is the fact that Jimmy was always so anti-pornography.

“It’s hard, too, because Jimmy was always so perfect growing up. Jerry Lee and I always knew we’d never be as good as Jimmy--and I think it was a terrible burden for him. I think having to be so good was a terrible pressure, which obviously created problems for him.”

Although he often acknowledges Swaggart’s troubles in concert, Gilley said he prefers not to dwell on them. And since his recent court victory, he no longer has to dwell so much on matters legal.

“When I walked out of that courtroom and knew I’d won my lawsuit, I walked out very happy because I knew that I was finally free to concentrate solely on my music.

“You have no idea what it was like,” Gilley said. “I’d be out playing dates and people would come up to me who’d gone to the club and hadn’t been treatedproperly. It wasn’t my fault that things hadn’t been kept up. I was on the road and couldn’t keep a watch on the place.”

And so Gilley went to court, claiming that the declining reputation of the club featured so prominently in the “Urban Cowboy” movie was hurting his career. Gilley won a $16-million judgment last summer, which prompted Cryer to file for bankruptcy.

With that behind him, Gilley was ready to start making music, and he recently recorded the “Chasing Rainbows” album for a Nashville-based independent label, Airborne Records.

But the first and biggest challenge to establishing an identity for himself was the onus of being the cousin--and sound-alike--of one of the most important and most colorful performers in rock and country music, Jerry Lee Lewis. For succeeding at that, Gilley credits Jim Ed Norman, his “Urban Cowboy” producer and current head of Warner Bros. Records’ Nashville division.

“Jim Ed took me out of the shadow of Jerry Lee Lewis and that was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me. Before that, there were plenty of people who always regarded me (only) as Jerry Lee’s cousin--and a lot of the music I played went along those lines. It was easy for me to play the piano like Jerry Lee and people always seemed to like it, but I really wanted more than that from myself.

“Musically, I’ve always tried to head in the direction that Jim Ed pointed me in. ‘Stand By Me’ (the 1980 No. 1 country single from ‘Urban Cowboy’) really became a sound that was mine --and that was important to me.

Once Mickey Gilley emerged from Jerry Lee’s considerable shadow, he was determined to maintain his own identity. To that end, he continues touring with a 7-piece band and two female backup singers and will “as long as my heart holds out.”

Although the crowds are more modest than at the height of the “Urban Cowboy” craze, which itself faded years ago, Gilley actually finds performing more rewarding now.

“Even though I had a lot of success with ‘Urban Cowboy,’ this is more fun because there’s not as much pressure on us. Back then, Johnny (Lee) and I were the hottest act in the country. It seems like everything is one big blur, because it seemed like there were so many things that we were doing.

“Now, we’ve got some time to enjoy life. We can play a little golf out on the road if we want, maybe go to a movie. Things are moving at a more reasonable pace--and if you’re going to be on the road, you should at least have some kind of life besides doing the shows and traveling.”

Even under today’s more modest circumstances, he’s still miles ahead of his days as the house entertainer at a club that once bore his name, one who would be lucky to have a regional hit occasionally.

“I’m making records again and I’m really enjoying it. There are people out there who still come to see me. I’m healthy,” Gilley said. “Considering where I am and where I might’ve been without ‘Urban Cowboy,’ I can’t complain.”

Mickey Gilley performs at 7 and 10 p.m. today and Tuesday at the Crazy Horse Steak House, 1580 Brookhollow Drive, Santa Ana. Tickets: $25. Information: (714) 549-1512.