Chuck passed today... in a sense he taught every guitar player out there..
"We boogied in the kitchen
we boogied in the hall
I got something on my finger so I wiped it on the wall""
Boy did I love that London Chuck Berry Sessions record -- both the studio and the concert side
A great musician has passed -- music as we know it today wouldn't be what it is without Chuck Berry
RIP, sir
Impossible.
To paraphrase John Lennon, "if you were going to give rock and roll another name, you could just call it "Chuck Berry".
Chuck's music was simple enough, but his lyrics were pure poetry.
I told the story on this forum years ago about how as a smart a$$ high school senior, I was assigned to memorize and recite a poem. Not wishing to do any real work, I strolled to the front of the classroom and gave a dramatic recitation of "The Tale of Johnathan Goode - by Charles Anderson Berry". My classmates snickered as I delivered my reading. I thought I'd put one over on the teacher (an aging African-American woman). When the bell rang, she cut me off at the door and told me that she was familiar with Chuck's music and lyrics and even commended my "rendition". "Chuck Berry's lyrics ARE poetry", she reminded me.
Of all the rock musicians who have passed this life, I think the loss of Chuck Berry might be the biggest.
Hail, hail rock and roll! Long live Chuck Berry!
Definitely one of the true pioneers for sure!! If you're a guitarist and don't know any Chuck Berry licks, then you don't belong in music period!!
🙁
RIP Chuck Berry. Who doesn't know the opening of Johnny B Goode. King of Rock n Roll
well its official. rock n roll is dead. R.I.P.
The words Legend or Legendary are used way too often but if someone deserves it for his huge impact on the world of music it's Chuck Berry. Major bummer.
RIP.
Bye bye Johnny...
Bye bye Johnny B. Goode...:( 🙁 🙁
Thanks for the great original music, R.I.P. Chuck.
I saw an interview many years ago with Gregg and Dickey.
Dickey: "I learned to play guitar by listening to Chuck Berry records."
Gregg: "Everyone did."
Now what else do you need to know?
Even the Master knew from whence it all came.............
(To the tune of Johnny B. Goode)
Rockin Johnny's music rocked the planet blind
Until the day he had to leave us all behind
And all the rocker boys and girls knew in their hearts
That Johnny B. Goode is where the rocknroll starts
So wipe away your tears and pick up your guitars
Cause Johnny"s golden record's headin for the stars
Go! Go Johnny go go go! Go!
Go Johnny B. Goode!
[Edited on 3/20/2017 by BrerRabbit]
A giant loss for the music industry! We've lost so many this past year. I'm still not over Leon Russell!
Chuck and John:
"If you tried to give rock'n'roll another name you might call it Chuck Berry."
Billastro
[Edited on 3/19/2017 by Billastro]
Cantankerous as hell but the one responsible for what rock became. Glad I got to see him, even if it was the "My Ding-a-ling" era. BTW, he at first refused to perform until his contract was reworked on the spot.
I knew things weren't good as he stopped performing at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis in 2014 (a bucket list item that will I guess never be fulfilled.) Did see him in 1972
As great as Chuck was I still feel that he is perhaps the most under-appreciated man in R & R history. Ask a few millennials; for the most part they haven't a clue.
ROP Johnny
Cantankerous as hell but the one responsible for what rock became. Glad I got to see him, even if it was the "My Ding-a-ling" era. BTW, he at first refused to perform until his contract was reworked on the spot.
Chuck Berry was a unique player and performer. His "cantankerousness" is part of what made him who is was. In his book, a certain pianist (ahem) described Chuck as perhaps the biggest a$$hole in the business. He was known for never (very rarely) touring with his own band. He'd pick up players in each town - offering them $50.00 - $100.00 if they were good - and sometimes stiffing them altogether telling them that they would be able to tell people that they played with Chuck Berry.
A shrewd businessman on so many levels. He'd often pocket his per diem (hotel/food money) and sleep in the backseat of a rented Cadillac. He was one of the few black musicians who survived the Chess brothers screws. He rented out the main living areas in his first house while living in the basement until the rent paid off the house.
In my opinion Chuck Berry was THE most influential guitarist ever. Not the greatest or even one of the best, but his licks were probably the most imitated than those of any other player.
He had his warts, rough spots and imperfections ... but he was Chuck Berry!
Even the Master knew from whence it all came.............
One of my 5 favorite Jimi songs; thanks!!!!
Bump for Chuck guitar lesson!
As a guitar player, I'm a hack. I never really learned how to play Johnny B Goode correctly. I've always had an improvised "jam"version that I'd pull out in a moment of exuberance. I knew it wasn't correct, but it worked (think of a 5 year old's drawing of a horse that you could actually tell was a horse. 😉 ). I don't know if this guy has it correct or not either, but it's step up from what I've been playing. Johnny B Goode is one of those tunes that should be in every players back pocket! Enjoy!
