2004-02-10
Mr. Rock and Roll

The legend began on October 18, 1926, with the
birth of a baby boy in a small house on Goode Avenue, St. Louis,
Missouri. As his proud parents, Martha and Henry cradled him in their
arms, they couldn't have possibly imagined that their third child of an
eventual six would grow up to be a rock legend.

Chuck Berry
grew up living in 'The Ville', one of the few areas in St. Louis where
black people could own property and from a young age developed a
passion for music. His wild charisma and preference for rhythmic wild
hillbilly and rock and roll tunes captured the attention of Chess
Records in Chicago, and in 1955 he released his first single
"Maybellene". The hits that followed including, School Days, Oh Baby
Doll, Rock and Roll Music, Sweet Little Sixteen, Johnny B. Goode,
Carol, Sweet Little Rock and Roller and Merry Christmas Baby, now
represent a catalogue of work that is unequalled in rock and roll
history, and Chuck was able to buy a 30-acre estate in Wentzville,
Missouri, about 50 km west of St. Louis, which he named Berry Park.

In
the sixties his music was vastly covered by amongst others the Rolling
Stones and the Beatles. After having served a short sentence because of
violation of the so-called Mann Act, transporting a woman over state
lines for immoral purposes, Chuck had a nice comeback with numbers like
Nadine, No Particular Place To Go, You Never Can Tell, Promised Land
and Dear Dad. His biggest success however would follow in July 1972,
where with the single, "My Ding-A-Ling" he scored his only American
number one hit. Even Elvis Presley fresh out of the army, couldn't
knock him off the top spot. The year ended on a high for Chuck, with
the release of a live version of "Reelin and Rockin", which was Chuck's
last big hit.

Chuck Berrys contribution to rock and roll has
been enormous, his entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 is
a clear testimony to his popularity and influence, and seals Mr Rock
and Roll's place in music history.