A founding father of Rock n' Roll, the "Johnny B. Goode" man was one of the first black artists to tear up normally white charts, and with a new style, no less. He himself had the impression that much of his appeal lay in his clear pronounciation and diction (such that people could hear what he was saying over the raucous music) but other factors were at play. Not only did he bring a Les Paul level of tightness to a more raw form, but he did it with an R&B backing at uptempo speed. From "Maybelline" to "Roll Over Beethoven" to "Sweet Little Sixteen", he duck-walked all over stages and recording studios during the rise of the Rock musical form. He assisted in several important careers, notably introducing Muddy Waters to the head of Chess Records. In the UK, Keith Richard and John Lennon were set on fire by songs like "Little Queenie", which they learned and added to their personal playlists quickly after hearing. He played and recorded with Willie Dixon and later, many established rock stars up to the present day. A lawsuit by him in 1963 assigned partial credit to him for the tune "Surfin' USA", the Beach Boy's apparent redo of "Sweet Little Sixteen". Oddly, his only #1 single was the novelty number "My Ding-A-Ling", often brought out at his live shows but certainly not for Ed Sullivan and such. Berry's Rock reputation is secure, his having been inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in '86.
Bio written by: Pete_Jamison |
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