Chuck Berry: discography, biography and personal life

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

American guitarist and singer Chuck Berry (photos are presented in the article) is rightfully considered one of the most influential rock musicians of all time. He stood at the origins of rock and roll, in addition, he was the first musician of this genre who performed his own songs. Chuck Berry, whose biography we will consider today, even now sometimes speaks to an audience that loves his work, despite the fact that he is already 88 years old! What was the life of a popular artist like? What hardships did he have to go through? How does he live now? Read about this and much more in the article.

Childhood and the beginning of the creative path

The real name of the musician sounds like Charles Edward Anderson Berry. He was born back in 1926, on October 18, in a Negro large family. His parents were representatives of the middle class: his mother worked as a school principal, and his father was a deacon of the Baptist church. As a boy, he seriouslybecame interested in music. He performed at all school events, held his first concert back in 1941, and once even won one of the competitions, singing the song Confessin' the blues by Jay McShann.

Punishment for Misconduct

Chuck Berry was rapidly approaching success, but in 1944, due to his own stupidity, he had to forget about his childhood dream. Together with friends, he robbed three stores in Kansas and stole a car. It is interesting that the guys used non-working pistols, but no one knew about it. For their rash act, Chuck Berry and his friends paid with their own freedom, as they were sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Despite the fact that over Chuck was "the sky in the box", he did not stop making music. Chuck Berry organized a quartet and delighted the prisoners with amateur rock and roll. Fortunately, the musician was released early in 1947, when he turned 21.

Family

After his release from prison, Chuck Berry "took up his mind" and decided to get married. His wife was Temetta Suggs, who in October 1950 gave birth to his daughter, Darlene Ingrid Berry. The creation of a family favorably influenced the hooligan Chuck, he did not disdain any work - he was a cleaner, an automobile factory worker, and a beautician. Soon the family was able to buy a small brick house on Whittier Street with the money Chuck had earned.

First successes

Even mired in everyday problems and troubles, Berry did not forget about music. At the beginningIn the fifties, he starts playing with local bands in clubs in St. Louis. Chuck hoped to do what he loves and earn extra money for the family. Once in one of the clubs where he usually performed, Chuck performed country music with blues elements, which the audience really liked. He began to practice the performance of such compositions, while simultaneously playing the guitar. This mixture of styles allowed the musician to attract the attention of various racially divided audiences. Chuck began to be recognized on the street.

And in 1953 he joined the Johnnie Johnson Trio and started working with Johnnie Johnson. The created team played blues ballads with country elements and was popular with both "white" and "black" audiences. Chuck Berry's guitar captivated listeners, and the lyrics he wrote were hummed all over the country.

Fame

In 1955, the artist came to Chicago and met his idol, venerable bluesman Muddy Waters, who sent Chuck to Leonard Chezz, the owner of a record company. Chuck Berry introduced him to the best of blues compositions, but, to his surprise, Chazz was more interested in his country guitar experiments. Already on May 21, the first single of the musician called Maybellene was recorded. It was a real sensation - the single was scattered across the country in a million copies and took first place in the US rhythm and blues charts. Already in September, Chuck Berry's single took fifth place in the American national charts.

Finally foundyour Chuck Berry style. The discography of the guitarist with an enviable speed began to replenish with new works. In 1955 he released another single called Thirty Day, the next, in 1956, the third - Roll Over Beethoven - and the fourth - Brown Eyed Handsome Man. Three more albums - Johnny B. Goode, Rock and Roll Music and Sweet Little Sixteen Chuck presented to listeners in 1957 and 1958.

The tests of his songs were innovative, as they were some life stories with unexpected twists of fate and sometimes irony. Chuck Berry is rightly called the "poet of rock and roll." Later, not only rock and roll compositions, but also blues and even instrumental ones began to appear in the musician's albums.

Concert activity

In the late fifties, the American guitarist began touring. The audience was delighted with his guitar playing and the legendary "duck" gait. For several years (1957-1960), his songs dozens of times occupied top positions in the American charts. During this period, he appeared in several films such as Jazz on a summer's day, Go Johnny, go!, Rock, rock, rock.

Back to jail

In 1959, another scandal erupted around the artist - he was accused of rape. The lawsuit was filed by a cloakroom attendant at one of the St. Louis clubs where he performed. According to some reports, she was engaged in prostitution. Yet Chuck was found guilty, fined $5,000, and imprisoned for five years. After three years in prison, the musician was released early. It is noteworthy that while Chuck was in prison, Chess Recordscontinued to release his records. So, in 1960, the album Rockin' at the Hops was released, and in 1961, New Juke-Box Hits.

British Invasion

After his release, Berry began to restore his good name, and he began with the UK. In 1964, he first visited this country, where, with the help of Bo Diddley, he recorded another album called Two great guitars. For four years (from 1966 to 1970) Chuck tried to change record companies and moved from Chess Records to Mercury records. At this time, the artist also introduces elements of psychedelia into his music. The experiments were unsuccessful, record sales and popularity were falling, so in the early 70s, Berry resumed cooperation with the old proven company. Several new albums were recorded on Chess Records: Back Home, The London Chuck Berry Session, San Francisco Dues, Bio.

In the mid-70s, Chuck Berry toured extensively, he came several times to Russia.

At that time, almost all famous British bands made cover versions of Chuck's compositions, including The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Beatles, The Animals.

Rock'n'roll's popularity began to fade in the 1970s, but Berry remained the guest of honor at various "revival" events.

Third time in jail

In 1979, the musician again finds himself behind bars, this time he was accused of tax evasion. The court sentenced Berry to four months in prison and a thousand hours.forced labor. This state of affairs finally knocked the musician out of the saddle, he stopped recording new albums and performing.

And in 1990, a scandal broke out again around the person of Chuck Berry. Several women filed a lawsuit, accusing the musician of installing hidden video cameras in the women's restrooms of his club. Fortunately, this time Chuck was able to prove his innocence, but he still had to pay the plaintiffs financial compensation in the amount of one million dollars.

Chuck Berry's merits in the field of rock music were recognized only in 1986 - his name was included in the Composers Hall of Fame.

Present

Now the musician is 88 years old, and he still performs every week at his club in St. Louis, called Blueberry Hill. Very rarely, but still Berry goes on tour. As part of his farewell world tour, he recently visited Moscow.

In 2004, according to Rolling Stone magazine, Chuck Berry entered the top 50 greatest musicians of all time.