Few people today realize the impact Chuck Berry had on rock and roll. He was one of the most significant founders of this genre of music. Berry showed the world what rock and roll guitar sounded like-nobody had put it as the primary instrument and played chords like that before he did. Not only that, he brought intelligent lyrics creating vivid images and stories to the genre, whereas before, songs talked about being “nothing but a hound dog” or wearing “blue-suede shoes.” His lyrics are widely regarded as poetry today. Without him, it’s difficult to imagine us having the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and so many acts that followed. If Elvis was the king of rock and roll, Chuck Berry was the emperor.
Watching & listening to Chuck Berry in those early years is like witnessing the birth of rock & roll galaxies. The DNA of nearly every rock musician who emerged after that point came out of that primal explosion.
This performance is the same age I am. Chuck Berry didn't just play the guitar, he put on a show! He was so exciting to see whenever he appeared on TV even years later. He just passed away in 2017, may he Rest in Peace.
Saw him live. Listen up friends. I have been to hundreds of live concerts. Def Leppard, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Grateful Dead, The Doobie Brothers, Jethro Tull, Steve Miller, The Cars, Pat Benatar, Journey, Ringo's All-Star Band, Kiss, Judas Priest, Ted Nugent, Neil Young, Bob Dylan........just off the top of my head. More than you can count. Not joking. Chuck Berry was the best concert of all. Back in those days you could rest your arms on the stage and I was that close. An outdoor concert, Chuck came out, noticed a bong pipe in the crowd, walked in that direction and motioned with his hand. Someone passed it up to him. He proceeded to inhale, hold, and then blow out a giant blue cloud. With a big grin, he started playing. No distortion. No fuzz or feedback. No Wah Wah. Just crystal-clear guitar notes daring you to find a mistake. Chuck Berry is a comedian, a storyteller, an entertainer, but most of all he is a legendary guitarist. The most memorable show of them all.
John Lennon said to an American interviewer, when asked about rock n roll and his influences "If rock n roll wasn't called rock n roll it would be called Chuck Berry". Sums it up for me. Maybelline; No particular Place to Go; Memphis Tennessee. All ace tunes by Chuck.
My Dad and my Uncle Bill saw him live in Philadelphia when they were teenagers in the 50s. They got to see all the early greats of Rock and or Roll lol. U.B. told me a bunch of stories about these days (my Dad died young) and how this music scared parents and how much teenagers loved it! Play Little Richard who really made parents nervous 😂. Nice review and take care 🙂
So much fun to see you react to the pioneers of rock! Now, there is a lesser known guitar legend that routinely performed a killer version of Chuck Berry's "Nadine" that I'd love to see you check out-Rory Gallagher and the 1982 Rockpalast version of "Nadine". After that, I'm sure you'll want to delve deeper into Rory's musical legacy of blues and rock. Rory was a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who played acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica, mandolin, sax and even some banjo. There are many fabulous live recordings of Rory on YT to explore-the cuts from Irish Tour '74, any of the Rockpalast performances, and the 1979 Rock Goes to College recording, just to name a few. Rory recorded with some of the greats-Muddy Waters, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Albert King. His fans include Brian May of Queen, Slash, Joe Bonamassa, the Edge, Johnny Marr, and many other great guitarists. Please check him out and discover Rory's magic for yourself-and introduce a whole new generation to this amazing guitar giant. Thanks.
And Bob Seger [Cigar lol] made a career out of copying him in his writing fast songs. Old Time Rock and Roll? Get Out of Denver? Rock and Roll Never Forgets? It's all rehashed Chuck Berry.
1958 this absolutely Rock the world at least the world on this side of the hemisphere. If Elvis was the King of Rock and Michael Jackson was the King of pop where does it put this guy just throwing it out there people Merry Christmas and a Happy New
One thing that always comes to mind for me watching how some of these absolute legends perform with electric guitars that I don't think many people think of is the actual weight of the electric guitars of the day when they were doing all their moves. It was not like the light-weight un corded ones used nowadays. They were BIG, heavy, and cords attached to the amps. These performers had to do these captivating shows while trying to avoid tripping over the cords to all their mics amps, and instruments. They had to sing, dance, bounce all over the stage with no computers, lip-syncing, or the huge one, no auto tune. They could actually do the moves and REALLY sing. Not anything like today's so-called performers.
Sounds simple now but back then this was ground breaking and it shook the entire world. John Lennon once remarked "If we did not have a name for rock and roll music, we would just call it Chuck Berry." TRUE THAT.
One of the foundations that Rock N Roll was built upon. Chuck Berry's guitar playing style was copied by many who came after. He is a "Time Capsule" all on his own.
there is a scene at the prom in back to the future were marty McFly(micheial j fox) plays this and one of the band calls chuck saying it's your cousin marvin,you know that new sound you been looking for?i think i found it listen to this.he holds the phone upso chuck can hear.
I saw that in the theater in 1985 [I'm an old fart lol] and because everyone of that generation knew who Chuck Berry was, it got a big laugh. now when many reactors watch it, it goes rght over their head...
There was a huge party downtown Houston back in the 90s (I don't remember what it was... maybe new years, but i don't think it was). A lot of bands... Chuck Berry & Little Richard were there, and I was standing like 15 feet away from them, freaking out because they are LEGENDS!!!
Now you see why I included him in my favorite guitarists list💖 p.s. You should definitely check out another favorite from Chuck Berry "You Never Can Tell"🎶
Chuck Berry was the "Father of Rock and Roll," the guitar style and the lyrics/stories he wrote were phenominal along with his performances. How you can say you don't know much about Chuck Berry is frankly pathetic. Because here, you at least admitted he is iconic and historical. Better read up on him - everything rock and roll emanates from him especially, but along with Elvis, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Fats Dominoe, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Bill Hailey and the Comets, so many others and R and B artists before them. Tp ignoe that musical history, and the historyo f jazz and popular music , is to deny who we are as Americans with our diversity and subcultures. Do you know who Duke Ellington is? Count Basie? Scott Joplin? Cab Calloway? King Oliver and Louis Armstrong? George Gerswin? Cole Porter etc etc? if not, then you don't know the musical history of your own country. I blame the wya the country fund school mjsic programs, always the ofrtstto be cut in budget meetings...you'll see a weed growing in a football sradium, but you will see an entire nation that is musically ignorant and culturally empty without even knowing it.
Rock and Roll, started as "Race Music" it wasn't played on "white" stations, but it was played in England by pirate stations and English bands brought it back to America in 1964.
