Chuck Berry

The Greatest Rock and Roller

by Erika Cox

Chuck Berry was born Charles Edward Anderson Berry on October 18, 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri. Berry didn’t seem to be following a path toward music, he obtained a degree in cosmetology and became a hairdresser, he then took a job on an auto assembly line.

But music was in him and by 1953 he was performing regularly with a three-person band called “Sir John’s Trio” on the weekends at a popular nightclub in St. Louis like many Black artists at the time he was playing mostly the Blues.

In May 1955, he traveled to Chicago where he met Muddy Waters and signed with the popular and successful Chess Records. Chess was popular with many of the Blues artists; especially those from the South and many got their start with Chess Records.

In 1955, he recorded “Wee Wee Hours” and “Ida Red”, “Ida Red” was eventually renamed “Maybelline” one of Berry’s biggest hits. His other big hit was “Roll Over Beethoven” and after this single hit it back Berry went touring with the likes of the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly gaining more popularity as the tour went along.

Berry’s musical style was a mix of Rockabilly, Country Western, Blues, and Rhythm and Blues creating a high strung, original Rock and Roll sound.

Maybe this combination had something to do with the appeal and popularity of his songs. He blended many genres together to get a unique and appealing sound, a true Rock and Roll sound. His guitar playing was influential and innovative capturing various guitar tricks and creative riffs.

Berry’s guitar playing had a definite influence on many of the British groups in the 60’s, including the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Some say Chuck Berry is one of the greatest lyricists, next to Bob Dylan and perhaps this is because of the type of songs he recorded, his songs were full of humor and satire.

The one unique aspect of Berry’s songs and part of his immense popularity, particularly with teenagers of the 50’s, is that the songs primarily appealed to teenagers. Rock and Roll music was in its heyday and many of the listeners were teenagers, so this helped his songs become huge hits.

Berry was seen as an ageless teenager with songs like “Too much monkey business” a song about the hassles of school work, and “School Days” another song about teenage rebellion toward school and the list goes on, “Johnny B. Goode and “Sweet Little Sixteen” to name a few more but you get the ideal.

Berry’s famous song “Roll over Beethoven” was sort of a revolution in music, the pinnacle where Rock and Roll becomes a dominant music genre and the sense that teenagers started to gain more independence over their parent’s generation, music and traditions.

Berry had one number 1 hit with “My Ding-A-Ling, a novelty song and one of his first recorded songs. Most of Berry’s songs are permanent fixtures in Rock and Roll.

Berry was a significant influence on the development of Rock and Roll. He was credited as being a major catalyst with the transition from Rhythm and Blues to Rock and Roll. Berry was also famous for his guitar playing, he is one of the most influential guitarists of all time influencing musicians like Keith Richards, John Lennon, and Pete Townshend just to name a few.

Berry was named the 6th greatest guitarists of all time according to a Rolling Stone magazine list. Personally, this was a let down because of his major influence, he should have been in the top five. Berry’s career wasn’t exempt from troubles he had legal and personal problems, but nonetheless, Berry remains a prominent figure in the history of Rock and Roll music.

He was one of the pioneers of Rock and Roll music in the 50’s and his songs have remained signature Rock and Roll songs.

Chuck Berry was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, one of the first artists to be inducted when the Hall of Fame opened in 1986. He also received the Kennedy honors in 2000.

Berry continues to perform playing once a month at the Blueberry Hill Bar and Restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri.

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Chuck Berry