Chuck Berry's gone home!

Pat Moore · Post by **Pat Moore** » 18 Mar 2017 2:18 pm

Chuck Berry died today 3-18-17 @ 90. Grandaddy of modern R&R and R&B.
Last scene in his documentary movie, showed him on the stage at his home in St Louis in a western shirt, sitting and playing on a PSG. True innovator. R.I.P.
Pat

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 18 Mar 2017 2:32 pm

RIP Chuck Berry. He played guitar like ringing a bell. His influence on popular music is incalculable.

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 18 Mar 2017 2:41 pm

An American Original! Prayers for all the family and friends. RIP Mr. Berry!

Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 18 Mar 2017 2:56 pm

R.I.P. Chuck

Was lucky to see him at a local music festival about 10 years ago. Short set but really fun.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 18 Mar 2017 3:15 pm

OMG. I wasn't ready for this. I think a lot of us (including me) figured he'd live forever, or at least until 100. Forever in our minds, at least. RIP, the elder statesman of real rock 'n roll, Chuck Berry. Truly the day the music died, ain't no mo' like Chuck.

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 18 Mar 2017 3:25 pm

Sad news, and yes Chuck Berry played pedal steel guitar.

https://youtu.be/B8F9n7qg8wo

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 18 Mar 2017 3:44 pm

Yeah, I laugh at the title of the youtube vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6MElklfvM

chuck berry riffing on his petal steel slide guitar

I saw a few Chuck gigs like this back in the day, and I always felt bad for the backup guys who had no real conception of the basic changes of these tunes. Sometimes it was glorious, but sometimes it was just hard to imagine they hadn't grokked this by gig-time.

Long live real rock and roll.

Don't get me wrong - I love real country music, blues, jazz, folk, and lots of other stuff. But there's something about the real rock and roll that mixed it all up.

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 18 Mar 2017 3:49 pm

Chuck on his Fender 400

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAAT9Uf ... AAT9UfI0rw

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 18 Mar 2017 5:17 pm

Dave Mudgett wrote:I always felt bad for the backup guys who had no real conception of the basic changes of these tunes. Sometimes it was glorious, but sometimes it was just hard to imagine they hadn't grokked this by gig-time.

Yeah, it's weird because I guess he never really had a steady touring band. Musta been thousands of guys who backed him up at one time or another. Did Johnny Johnson ever tour with him? I don't know that I've ever seen 1950s clips of him outside of movie appearances, which were highly staged and bogus.

Pat Moore · Post by **Pat Moore** » 18 Mar 2017 5:36 pm

Thanks for the clip Jeff. That's from the end of the documentary. If you can find it, he spoke about using local bands all across the country for his gigs. It's a great insight into his life. I haven't seen it for a while, but I would imagine it's out there.
I saw him live back in the '70's, in Washington D.C. at a club called "My Mother's Place". Great show in a club venue! A true showman!
Pat

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 18 Mar 2017 5:53 pm

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 19 Mar 2017 12:05 am

Sad news, the end of an era...

Kind Regards, Walter

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 19 Mar 2017 12:46 am

Godspeed Mr. Berry. You've inspired a galaxy of musicians..

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 19 Mar 2017 1:06 am

Pat Moore wrote:Thanks for the clip Jeff. That's from the end of the documentary.

Yes, the movie Hail, Hail Rock And Roll.

But that's not what I posted. It was Deep Feeling, a pedal steel instrumental on the B side of School Days.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 19 Mar 2017 11:04 am

I read somewhere that, while on tour with Bill Haley, Bill's steel guitarist went down with the flu, and Chuck stood in for him on steel.

On another occasion, a bunch of angry rednecks came up to Bill's tour bus, asking if he had seen "a black dude in a pink suit". Bill came to the front in his Stetson hat and western outfit, and said, "Who do you think I am, some sort of Commie lover?" They went away. He'd hidden Chuck at the back of the bus behind a pile of amplifiers. Bill probably saved his neck that day.

(Information from Bill Haley's biography, written by his son.)

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 19 Mar 2017 9:17 pm

Such bad news yesterday for sure.
He was the soundtrack to my teen years and well beyond.
Just so happened I needed a good song to do at my son's wedding two weeks ago and settled on "You Never Can Tell" and it went over real well.

Another one of God's gifts to us is taken away.
I almost don't want to see the news any more.
So sad....

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 20 Mar 2017 6:20 am

Mitch and Ben,wonderful photos. Those blue pants and suit tell it all. Love the one with school kids too. Chuck brought tons of fun to his fans and as stated, was an American original. Thanks, for the good times Chuck. Stevet

Bryan Staddon · Post by **Bryan Staddon** » 20 Mar 2017 6:26 am

This man was truly the real "KING" of rock and roll. Saw him only once, with a crummy pick up band, it was still great!, years later ran into the bass player who did the gig that night, he said They Never even talked to him, he just came on stage, plugged in and started, played the gig and split, He also told me Chuck drove his caddy right into the venue loading doors and didn't even get out until the cash was delivered. Seriously Badass! Long Live Rock!

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 20 Mar 2017 9:56 am

What a loss of such a GREAT talent,,such a knack for songwriting,,,poetry!!! Many of his songs reflected his penchant for young girls,,led to problems with his career several times http://performingsongwriter.com/chuck-berry/

May he rest in peace,,and his songs will surely live on and on,,,!!!

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 26 Mar 2017 6:36 pm

One of the first 45s I had was 'School Days'/'Deep Feeling'. Little did I know that the b-side was my first exposure to steel guitar.

Berry's lyrics were sensational! Nobody painted a picture with words like Chuck. The real poet of rock and roll.

"Engineer blows his whistle loud and long,
He can't stop the train he gotta let it roll on....."

RIP, Chuck Berry.

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Chuck Berry's gone home!

Chuck Berry's gone home!

The Man

The real King!