31 Facts About Jack Ely

Jack Brown Ely was an American guitarist and singer, best known for singing the Kingsmen's version of "Louie Louie".

Jack Ely died in Terrebonne, Oregon, on April 28,2015, at age 71.

Jack Ely was born on September 11,1943, in Portland, Oregon.

Jack Ely's father died when he was four years old and his mother subsequently remarried.

Jack Ely began playing piano while still a young child, and was performing recitals all over the Portland area before his seventh birthday.

Jack Ely would be required to share each in class and then make up one on the spot.

On January 28,1956, Jack Ely watched Elvis Presley on television for the first time, and he decided that he wanted to play guitar.

At his first guitar lesson, he was required to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb", an experience that Jack Ely found so demeaning that he quit after that lesson and began picking out his favorite guitar riffs by ear.

Jack Ely played guitar and sang for the Young Oregonians, a travelling vaudeville show for entertainers under the age of 18.

Jack Ely was enrolled at Washington High School in Portland, Oregon.

Jack Ely did not play in the school band, but had a passion for singing.

In 1959, Lynn Easton's mother invited him to play at a Portland hotel gig, with Jack Ely singing and playing guitar with the backup band and Easton on the drum kit.

Easton and Jack Ely performed at yacht club parties, and soon added Mike Mitchell on guitar and Bob Nordby on bass to round out a band.

Jack Ely played with the Kingsmen as he attended Portland State University.

Jack Ely convinced the Kingsmen to learn the song, which they played at dances to a great crowd response.

Jack Ely unintentionally changed the beat of the entire song, basing it on Roberts's intro only.

Jack Ely was begging Chase to let the band record their own version of "Louie Louie", and on April 5,1963, Chase booked the band an hour-long session at the local Northwestern Inc studio for the following day.

Jack Ely sang the beginning of the third verse a few bars too early, but realized his mistake and waited for the rest of the band to catch up.

Jack Ely would have to become the drummer, and since the band's name was registered to Easton only, he technically led the group.

Jack Ely was not happy with this turn of events, and he and Nordby left the band at once.

When he found out "Louie Louie" was climbing up the Billboard charts, Jack Ely attempted to rejoin the group, but was blocked by Easton who was intent on adding replacements.

Jack Ely received $6000 in royalties, and Easton had to stop lip-synching the song in live performances.

Jack Ely spiraled down into drug and alcohol addiction, but then spoke out against it with the Rockers Against Drugs.

Jack Ely re-recorded "Louie Louie" with studio musicians in 1976 and again in 1980.

Jack Ely lived at his farm in Terrebonne, Oregon, where he trained horses.

Jack Ely was a strong supporter of the Performance Rights Act, which would give royalties to recording artists and record labels.

In 2012, Jack Ely released a Christian rock album, Love Is All Around You Now.

Jack Ely died at his Oregon residence on April 28,2015, at the age of 71, having long suffered from an unknown illness.

Jack Ely was a Christian Scientist, and "because of his religious beliefs we're not even sure what it [the illness] was," his son Sean Jack Ely said.

The younger Jack Ely believed his father suffered from skin cancer.

Jack Ely was survived by two sisters, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.