Riding along the musical rainbow back in the 1950’s when the blues began to change America, music had really began to flow through its soulful years and start to see some amazing artists.
In 1926 October 18th Chuck Berry was welcomed to earth and would gracefully put his mark in the history of music through his great work.
Berry was born in St. Louis, Missouri in a middle class family and raised around rural areas in America, in his early years Berry indulged in some felony, he was arrested in 1944 for armed robbery.
When he was released in 1947 on his 21st birthday he decided it was time to settle down and manage his life more adeptly, Berry married Themetta “Toddy” Suggs on October 28, 1948 and two years later had his first child called Darlin Ingrid Berry.
Music was always in Berry’s heart although he hadn’t had much time to practise or show off his creative talent, of which he knew little of at this stage, his only experience was a performance at summer school.
Berry’s working history changed often, he began as a factory worker and shortly after became a janitor, After this he trained as a beautician at the Poro College of Cosmetology, alongside these jobs in the 1950s he also earned some extra cash by playing in local bars and clubs.
At the time country music was a massive hit across most parts of America and Berry received many odd looks and comments from spectators, Berry said that even some of the black folk had began to whisper such things as ‘who is that black hillbilly at the Cosmo?’
Although he received many laughs and critics it wasn’t long before people began to request his ‘hillbilly music’
Stuff really began to shape up for Berry in 1955 after he met up with Muddy Waters who requested him to visited Leonard Chess of Chess Records.
Leonard Chess was impressed by Berry’s cover of “Ida Red” a song written by Bob Willis, this was a major leap for Berry as he recorded his own adaptation of “Ida Red” called “Maybellene.”
The song sold over 1 million copies and reached No. 1 on Billboards rhythm and Blues chart, the story really began here as the success started to grow.
In the coming years Berry released many great songs such as “Roll over Beethoven, Sweet Little Sixteen and Johnny B Goode,” perhaps one of his most well known songs which also gave him a role in a film called “Go, Johnny Go” in 1959 where he played himself.
As things continued to get better Berry opened his own nightclub called Berry’s Club Bandstand, however things took a turn for the worst in 1959 after Berry was once again in trouble with the law under the Mann Act after he allegedly had sexual intercourse with a fourteen year old waitress.
In 1960 Berry was convicted to five years in prison and fined $5,000 but after many trials and legislations of racial prejudice towards Berry his sentence was changed to two and a half years.
After being released the only instinct was to make more songs, he continued his music and became one of the greatest rock and roll/blues players of all time.
Chuck received much gratification from other artists such as John Lennon who said “if you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry’.
Eric Clapton stated ‘If you wanna play rock and roll — or any upbeat number — and you wanted to take a guitar ride you would end up playing like Chuck…because there is very little other choice.”
Calum Hill Freelance Journalist & marketing 