Rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry dies, age 90

[DonViejo]

Source: RawStory


DAVID FERGUSON
18 MAR 2017 AT 18:16 ET

Rock and roll legend and electric guitar pioneer Chuck Berry has died at age 90.

St. Louis’ KSDK Channel 5 reported Saturday that police were summoned to the home of the guitarist’s home around 12:40 p.m. on Saturday and found an unresponsive male. They attempted resuscitation but were unsuccessful.

Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr. — known to the world as Chuck Berry — was pronounced deceased at 1:26 p.m., said a statement from the St. Charles County Police Department.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/rock-and-roll-pioneer-chuck-berry-dies-age-90/

---

[elleng]

1. :-(

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Just saw the breakings

Wow. What a loss. I always used him as a guide for what one could do - notably at an advanced age. He was still playing and jamming almost all the way to the end.

R.I.P. to a great legend and you will be sorely missed.

Chuck Berry, Musician Who Helped Define Rock ’N’ Roll, Dies at 90

By JON PARELES MARCH 18, 2017

Chuck Berry, who with his indelible guitar licks, brash self-confidence and memorable songs about cars, girls and wild dance parties did as much as anyone to define rock ’n’ roll’s potential and attitude in its early years, died on Saturday. He was 90.

The St. Charles County Police Department in Missouri confirmed his death on its Facebook page. The department said it responded to a medical emergency at a home and he was declared dead after lifesaving measures were unsuccessful.

While Elvis Presley was rock’s first pop star and teenage heartthrob, Mr. Berry was its master theorist and conceptual genius, the songwriter who understood what the kids wanted before they did themselves. With songs like “Johnny B. Goode” and “Roll Over Beethoven,” he gave his listeners more than they knew they were getting from jukebox entertainment.

His guitar lines wired the lean twang of country and the bite of the blues into phrases with both a streamlined trajectory and a long memory. And tucked into the lighthearted, telegraphic narratives that he sang with such clear enunciation was a sly defiance, upending convention to claim the pleasures of the moment.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/18/obituaries/chuck-berry-musician-dies.html

[tekriter]

3. Saw him many times...

Living in St. Louis, I've had many opportunities to see Chuck Berry in person. Still made public appearances until recently, and although his best years were behind him, you could still see the spark of rock n'roll in his eyes.

[bathroommonkey76]

4. Take away his golden shower problems and issues with women and you have one of the greatest rockers

to have ever lived.

RIP

[left-of-center2012]

9. "... his golden shower problems"

Say what!?

[bathroommonkey76]

14. Chuck had a golden shower

fetish he used to share with prostitutes in the 80s and 90s (maybe even further back). The first time I learned about it was in the early 90s from Spy Magazine-- They did an in depth article about his weird fetishes.

Don't Google the videos unless you want to be sickened.

[heaven05]

18. so do someone else

on society's stage at the moment and he's a fucking asshole who contributes NOTHING to the human race. Chuck Berry is a human being with his own path in life, for good or ill. Why cast aspersions on a dead man? Is your life without 'fault'. Judgemental people sure do sicken me. What was the purpose of your goddamn response about Chuck Berry???? Who are you? Pure huh? I don't think so, in fact I know so.

[bathroommonkey76]

24. How often do you defend pedophiles?

"Judgemental people sure do sicken me."


lol

Keep kicking that hypocrisy can down the street, cheech.

When R. Kelly dies I'll say the same thing about him- And Trump.

My relatives will tell ya I've never frequented any golden shower circles in my lifetime. Sure, I may be flawed, but they'll also tell ya' that I never had sex with a 14 yr and spent a year and a half in prison like Mr. Berry.

[heaven05]

34. he paid for his mistake

and I'll double down, judgemental people sure do sicken me. But you're pure as driven snow so you can judge. And I care less about what your relatives think about you. Only what I think, matters in this case.... only. I'm done with pure as the driven snow.....

[bathroommonkey76]

38. I'll be looking forward to your Jerry Sandusky eulogy when he dies.

Last edited Sun Mar 19, 2017, 12:12 AM - Edit history (2)

Be sure to mention all of his football accomplishments at Penn State. And make sure you jump on EVERY person who talks about his little boy fetish.

“She was anything but innocent.” - Berry said this about a 14 fuckin year old girl he had sex with!

Let's not mention all of the perverted shit this man did in his lifetime! LOL

Did you know he wired the ladies room at his restaurant with cameras? He loved to watch women potty! Heck you probably don't care. Hypocrite, says what?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

44. Yup - recorded a 12-year-old in the bathroom

Then took the tape home with him.

[bathroommonkey76]

53. Disgusting.

But since he's a rock god we should look passed all of that. lol

[orangecrush]

76. My first ignore

Miserable.

[bathroommonkey76]

78. Who cares? lol

[Eliot Rosewater]

28. I know, of all things you could say about this fucking legend.

Lets ignore that person.

Chuck is credited with changing music, period.

[heaven05]

39. yeah I just have to

look at post count and probable source and well you're right. Full ignore.

[Eliot Rosewater]

40. Hug your loved ones, the fascists are going to bomb NK in a day or so

gonna kill a whole lot of Koreans, North and South, China may get involved, we may all be dead by monday.

But we dont have that woman with a private server, so all is well...

[heaven05]

42. closer than we all think

probably......

[Miles Archer]

11. Saw him twice

1). Opening for the Flo & Eddie edition of Frank Zappa & the Mothers. Did a feral version of Johnny B Goode as the closer, the duck walk, the splits, all of it.

2). Opening for Little Richard. Little Richard played every hit he had, engaged with the crowd, tore the roof off. Chuck played a 20 minute set that consisted of a sloppy, error-filled "Roll Over Beethoven," a competent version of "School Days," and the rest of the 20 minutes was "My Ding A Ling." Not exactly his best performance.

Yeah, there was that Spy Magazine story, and his time behind bars changed him and made him bitter. He was far from a perfectionist in his live performances, but nothing takes away from the grandeur of "The Great 28."

R.I.P., Chuck.

[bathroommonkey76]

17. I bet the Zappa show was killer.

I only mentioned the Spy Magazine article b/c that was my introduction to Chuck Berry. Over the years I fell in love with his music- So many hits and careers can be credited to Mr. Berry.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

43. I'm more disturbed by his clandestine recordings of female employees

Undressing in the bathroom of his restaurant.

He settled with many of them after the tapes, including one of a preteen girl, were found in the bedroom of his home.

http://m.riverfronttimes.com/musicblog/2011/12/27/videotape-allegations-stung-berrys-legacy-22-years-ago-today

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2lq9vv/til_that_in_1990_chuck_berry_was_sued_by_59_women/

And his horrid treatment of fellow musicians and fans is legendary. Few, if any, have much good to say about him.

Here's but one example:
https://m.

Amazing, tremendous musician, but a sex offender and, by all accounts, a world class asshole.

[bathroommonkey76]

51. Berry would be treated like Bill Cosby if that stuff happened in today's Internet world.

As you can see there are people on here who would defend him no matter what.

Filming a pre-teen girl. Sex with a 14 yr old. Golden showers and prostitutes... Sounds like I'm talking about Donald Trump. LOL


The Brian Johnson video was hilarious-- And thanks for the links.

[Warpy]

5. Glad he had such a long life

I vaguely remember running a follow spot at one of his performances. He was ribald and hilarious and a wonderful musician.

RIP, Mr. Berry, you've earned a good rest.

[AngryAmish]

56. May all sex offenders live so long!

[Warpy]

59. Unproven

but I guess that doesn't matter, does it?

[AngryAmish]

61. efukt. . horrible porn site. But shows the truth about CB.

[yallerdawg]

6. The true "King of Rock 'n' Roll."

He wasn't a perfect human being, but his music was perfect!

Rest in Peace, King Berry!

[Ligyron]

35. Yep, the True King of Rock n Roll is right

While maybe not always a great performer technical wise those 12 bar licks changed music forever. If you were to take them away Rock n Roll wouldn't be Rock at all. You can keep that do wop crap

His piano guy had a lot to do with those licks now what was his name? Johnnie Johnson?

[yallerdawg]

45. As I recollect...

the story was he took piano intros and licks and developed them into his iconic guitar intros and repetitive chord progressions that make rock what it is.

What would the Stones be without it, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Nirvana?

The Georgia Satellites used to say, "He left one on the table!"

[malthaussen]

65. No, Little Richard was the king of Rock and Roll

And when someone else usurped the title, his response was "There can only be one king."

-- Mal

[yallerdawg]

67. Who was the very first inductee into "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?"

I rest my case.

https://www.rockhall.com/

[malthaussen]

68. Any case that rests on the R&R HoF is pretty weak. :)

[yallerdawg]

69. In the beginning, there was Chuck.

Elvis and Little Richard came after.

The Hall of Fame got it deliberately right.

Name one tune from Little Richard. Yeah, exactly. That one.

[malthaussen]

70. Dude, you take this much too seriously.

In terms of influence on the genre, Chuck Berry is on the short list for most influential of all time, and certainly for most influential in the beginning. I'd say his shtick didn't evolve much over the next half-century, but it was a pretty good shtick anyway.

Nevertheless, when the meaningless title "King of Rock and Roll" was first awarded -- by no incorporated body whatsoever, just the sense of the opinion of the fans -- Little Richard was the one selected, and he wore that dubious crown until someone more acceptable to white people got it.

I can name several songs from Little Richard. Anyone who is familiar with RnR and R&B should be able to do so. Interestingly enough, both men had 3 #1 singles on the US R&B charts; what is more interesting (hilarious, IMO) is the only Billboard Hot 100 #1 either had was the 1972 re-release of Berry's "My Ding-a-Ling" b/w "Johnnie B. Goode." That one was #1 in the US, Canada, and the UK simultaneously.

"Maybelline" was issued in July of '55, "Tutti Frutti" in September. Thus Chuck Berry and Little Richard are exact recording contemporaries, although Richard is several years younger than Chuck. From 1955 to 1958, Richard and Berry dominated the US R&B charts. Richard had a series of 13 sides in the Top 10; often both sides of the same release were in the top 10 (not much competition then). Berry also had 13 in the Top 10 -- are we seeing a trend, here? But after 1958, of course, Richard "converted" and was never the same artist. He did do that 1962 tour in the UK, though, when an obscure band called "The Beatles" opened for him. The next year, an obscure band called "The Rolling Stones" opened for him. He never made a hit record after 1958, but he did tour a lot. Chuck had a little better results in that department, but neither one was the dominant recording force after 1958 that they were earlier.

As for the HoF, Little Richard was inducted in the initial class of rockers right along with Chuck Berry. According to that body, Richard's claim to be "the architect of Rock and Roll" has merit, for what that's worth.

-- Mal

[yallerdawg]

71. Dude, I'm not dumping on a tribute thread to a man who just died.

I take it much too seriously?

"The King of Rock and Roll?"

Please.

[Midwestern Democrat]

73. He was part of the first set of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - his name was listed

first because they were inducted in alphabetical order (Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard (last name Penniman), Elvis Presley).

[yallerdawg]

75. Front page Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

[img][/img]

[left-of-center2012]

7. My ding-a-ling

[calimary]

32. EVERYBODY at my college radio station played that one!

Absolutely EVERYBODY. Another giant joins the Heavenly pantheon.

I bet John Lennon and Elvis were at the Pearly Gates to welcome him in. Or maybe duckwalk him in!

A giant in pop culture. Who DIDN'T he influence?

[LoisB]

8. RIP. You have earned it. Thank you for the many years of rockin'.

[FailureToCommunicate]

10. Long live rock & roll legend Chuck Berry!

[retrowire]

12. Thank you for your contribution to the arts! Forever known! nt

[longship]

13. Space aliens' favorite.

Everybody knows our first communication received from deep space will be from the aliens who intercept one of the Voyager records. Quite simply, it will decode, Please send more Chuck Berry.

[jpak]

15. R.I.P.

[elmac]

16. When ever I hear the song Johnny B. Goode

I think of this:

R.I.P.

[ClusterFreak]

19. Hail, hail rock and roll.

[DinahMoeHum]

20. "School Days". . .Drop the coin right into the slot. . .

Hail, hail rock n' roll, indeed!

[Tikki]

21. ...It was a teenage wedding and the old folks wished 'em well..C'est la vie say the old folks...

..it goes to show...you never can tell.

Chuck Berry.."You Never Can Tell" (1964)

The husband and I married young. I love this song. I always believed
Chuck Berry understood and was on our side. We are still married.

I am sad, his words and his sounds were part of the backdrop of my younger life.

We took our, then, young sons to see him perform. It must have been in 1985 or so.

rip Mr. Berry and truly am I thankful for your talents.


Tikki

[azureblue]

46. RIP to not only the father of R&R

but a great lyricist as well. "Goes to Show" is a perfect example, the story of a young cajun couple from out in the bayou country who got married early. Chuck used cajun language idioms (in truth, c'est la Vie) and mixed it with the symbols of that generation's teenagers, a red 53 chevy, rock, rhythm and jazz music, and told us how Pierre really loved the mademoiselle, and how they went to new Orleans for their first anniversary. All in a three minute song... Amazing.

[Tikki]

54. So many lyricists he influenced with his story telling...

I can't name them all, but Elvis Costello comes to mind all the way up to Courtney Barnett.

One of my favorite Chuck Berry songs is "Nadine"...awesome play with lyric.

Tikki

[Kahuna7]

22. R.I.P. Mr. Berry. nt

[mikeargo]

23. You Never Can Tell

RIP, Chuck.
Thanks for all the memories.

[Va Lefty]

25. Damn, what a great talent

safe passage Mr. Berry

[dawn frenzy adams]

26. He's is the true king of Rock N roll.

From the book "Rhythm and Business" by Norman Kelley.

Excerpt:

"Were it not for the dynamics of racism in our society, the man who would likely have been crowned the King of Rock N Roll was the son of a carpenter from St. Louis---Chuck Berry. When Berry waked into the offices of Chess Records on the recommendation of Muddy Watters, his demo of "Ida Red" (backed by a blues number, "Wee Wee Hours&quot had already been turned down at both Capitol and Mercury because it sounded "too country" for a black man. On the advice of Leonard Chess, Berry gave the tune a "bigger beat" and changed the title to "Maybellene" taking the name from a hair-cream bottle."
----

It is important to note that African American artist have been the victims of theft throughout the history of the music industry. Though they had no part in writing the song, Alan Freed and another dejay named Russ Fratto, were credited as co-writers of Maybellene.

RIP King.

[Martin Eden]

27. Johnny B. Goode will live forever

RIP, Chuck Berry.

[itsrobert]

31. It's hard to believe he stole the song from Marty McFly

RIP.

[Martin Eden]

47. We can never know for certain ...

... who Dr. Emmet Brown visited in that DeLorean. or when.

[fountainofyouth]

29. Just two days ago

I read over Chuck's Wikipedia page, watched some YouTube videos of his music and interviews, and thought to myself, "What a treasure we still have him."

[fantase56]

30. ............

[TexasBushwhacker]

33. I saw him in the 70s

A local act opened the show. Chuck showed up late and the local band had to back him up. He said he had a plane to catch and played 5 or 6 songs.

I read somewhere that Bruce Springsteen had to back him up once, around the same time. Chuck didn't even give them a set list.

[OneBlueDotBama]

36. It was his thing

Every guitar player knows his stuff, I know folks who played with him, you just hung on and played, He did buy them burgers at Harvey's after....

[turbinetree]

37. Teaching Music and singing by Chuck Berry

[red dog 1]

41. Chuck Berry- A true Rock & Roll Legend

I saw him play once when I was about 11.

I was, and still am, a HUGE fan of his.

My 45 rpm copy of "Johnny B. Goode" was played so much that it had a crack in it..but I still kept playing it.

School Days, Maybelline, Memphis, Sweet Little Sixteen, Nadine, You Never Can Tell, School Day No Particular Place To Go, Back in the USA, Rock and Roll Music, Oh Carol, Roll Over Beethoven,
plus many more great hits, yet his only number # 1 hit was "My Ding-A-Ling"...Go figure!

A very good movie about his record label, Chess Records, is well worth renting called:
"Cadillac Records"....the actor playing Chuck Berry was outstanding!

To me he is, was, and always will be the "King of Rock & Roll Guitarists"

R.I.P. Chuck Berry...You will be missed!!

[spike jones]

48. When introducing Chuck Berry on The Mike Douglas Show in February 1972,

Lennon said, "If you had to give Rock 'n' Roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry."

[JPPaverage]

49. The REAL king of Rock and Roll

He can never be matched. Rest in Peace Chuck Berry. Your legacy will live forever.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

50. He set the style for nearly every rock and roll guitarist out there

So sad to see him go.

[JenniferJuniper]

52. His music still sounds every bit as great as it did 60 years ago.

[milestogo]

55. He inspired the great ones...

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[enough]

57. He was a great one. NT

[enough]

58. He was a great one. NT

[FenwayDonkey]

60. In political terms - the George Washington of rock n' roll.*

[pat_k]

62. Bruce Springsteen Chuck Berry story:

By the 1970s... He never traveled with a band, choosing to play with random pick-up bands in each new city he traveled to.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band randomly backed up Chuck Berry during that period, and the story he tells about it is pretty amazing. According to the Boss (who was not uber-famous just yet), he and the band nervously awaited Berry at a club. They waited and waited, and Chuck just didn't show up. The opening act went on, and still no sign of Berry (keep in mind that Springsteen had never met nor played with Berry, so this was a nerve-wracking situation at a minimum). About five minutes before the Berry set was supposed to start, he arrived in no particular hurry—alone, driving his own Cadillac and carrying nothing but a guitar case. The band rushed to meet him and try to get in a little rehearsal, but Berry bee-lined for the booking agent and disappeared into a backroom where he was apparently paid in cash (as he was for every show, even when he was getting paid tens of thousands of dollars). After getting his money, Berry cruised out to the backstage area, tuned his guitar, and met the band.

According to Springsteen, he and the band desperately tried to find out what they'd be playing, and what key they'd be playing in. Berry just said, "We'll be playing Chuck Berry songs." They rushed on stage and stumbled through a set, with Berry periodically turning to the band and saying "play for the money, boys!" Ironically, Springsteen and the E Street Band weren't getting paid. As he tells it, playing with Chuck Berry was one of the most terrifying performance experiences of his life.

[GreydeeThos]

63. R.I.P. Chuck

[egold2604]

64. He is so lucky Marty McFly taught him that lick.

[malthaussen]

66. I hope he died with a guitar in his hand.

-- Mal

[Galileo126]

72. Roll over, Beethoven...

and tell Tchaikovsky the news, baby!

[Kimchijeon]

74. I was so sad to hear this yesterday.

I know he was getting up there in age, but he'd been so active! Rock and roll legend is putting it mildly. He will be missed.