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1 | His mother, Minnie Bell Swaggart, had Jimmy, when she was 18. |
2 | His father, W.L. "Son" Swaggart, died in 1999. |
3 | Recognizing his gift of music, his wife, Frances, began encouraging him to contact radio stations. As his songs began to be aired on radio, the public response was overwhelming. |
4 | Before he was a successful televangelist, he used to work as a construction worker near his hometown in Ferriday, Louisiana. |
5 | He is known to be a very private man. |
6 | He, along with Frances and Donnie, lived in poverty during the 1950s as he preached throughout rural Louisiana, struggling to survive on $30 a week. |
7 | When he was 17, he had absolutely no choice other than to reunite with his father, at a church in Wisner, Louisiana. It was there that Swaggart played piano, in the services. |
8 | Moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with his wife and son, when Swaggart was only 33, in 1968, and has lived there ever since. |
9 | When he was only 5, he and his family moved to Houston, Texas, to continue building a family. But after Jimmy lost his brother, he and his family moved back to Ferriday, Louisiana, to be closer to his grandmother, Ada Lewis Swaggart. |
10 | Began his contract singing career with Sun Records in 1958. |
11 | His wife, Frances Swaggart, gave birth to Donnie, when Jimmy was only 19. |
12 | Grandson of Ada Lewis Swaggart. |
13 | Got married at age 17. |
14 | He recorded his first album "God Took Away My Yesterdays.". |
15 | Is very good friends with Robert H. Schuller. |
16 | After he married Frances Anderson, he lived not too far from his grandmother. |
17 | Grandfather of Jennifer, Gabriel and Matthew. |
18 | As of 2015, he has recorded over 50 gospel albums. |
19 | Preaching ran in his family. |
20 | Began ministry full time when he was only 20. |
21 | Is a Republican. |
22 | Great-grandfather of Samantha, Abby, Ryder, Lola, Harper, Harrison, and Caroline. |
23 | Was voted Favorite Gospel Music Artist by readers of the magazine Singing News in 1974. |
24 | Is a friend of Benny Hinn, who visited Swaggart's church, prior to his scandal. |
25 | Sun Records producer Sam Phillips wanted to start a gospel line of music for the label (undoubtedly to remain in competition with RCA Victor and Columbia, who also had gospel lines) and wanted Swaggart for Sun as the label's first gospel artist. Swaggart's cousin Jerry Lee Lewis, who had previously signed with Sun, was reportedly making $20,000 per week at the time. Although the offer meant a promise for significant income for him and his family, Swaggart turned Phillips down, stating that he was called to preach the gospel. |
26 | Brother of Jeannette Swaggart. |
27 | His mother, Minnie Bell Swaggart, died after surgery, on June 9, 1960. |
28 | Friend of: Billy Graham, Robert H. Schuller, Oral Roberts, Kenneth Copeland, Jack Van Impe, Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye Bakker, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Kenneth E. Hagin, Jesse Duplantis, Jerry Savelle, Marilyn Hickey, Charles Stanley, Morris Cerullo, Charles Swindoll, James Dobson, James Robison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, John Osteen and Rex Humbard. |
29 | Before he was a successful televangelist, he worked as an oilman. |
30 | His idols were B.B. King and Ray Charles. |
31 | Met wife, Frances Anderson, while attending his father's church, playing piano. They married later that same year. |
32 | When he was 14, he had enough of his father's strictness. Along with his cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Swaggart was sneaking out to nightclubs, listening to blues music. |
33 | Started playing piano at age 14, along with Jerry Lee Lewis. |
34 | Went to high school with cousins Mickey Gilley and Jerry Lee Lewis. |
35 | His parents, W.L. "Son" and Minnie Bell Swaggart, were married in 1934. The couple had Jimmy, the following year. |
36 | His parents, W.L. "Son" Swaggart, a minister, and Minnie Bell (Herron) Swaggart, was a devoted housewife and a minister. |
37 | Born to local sharecroppers. |
38 | Father of Donnie Swaggart. |
39 | Is portrayed by Alec Baldwin in Great Balls of Fire! (1989) |
40 | His son, Donnie Swaggart, was named after his younger brother, who passed away in March 1941 of pneumonia. |
41 | Underwent successful surgery at Baton Rouge General Hospital after complaining of chest pains, also an angioplasty procedure to clear a blockage in an artery leading to his heart. [3 February 2001]. |
42 | Cousin of rock singer Jerry Lee Lewis. |
43 | Cousin of country singer/actor Mickey Gilley. |
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