Note to wife:
Chuck Berry, who died Saturday at age 90, was in the first class of inductees into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1986 — he was that important.
Rock and roll was created in the 1950s by blending country, rhythm and blues, gospel, and boogie woogie, among other styles. The new form of music brought black sensibilities to a mass white audience. No one synthesized the various genres better than Chuck Berry. Indeed, his guitar, lyrics and attitude are the very foundation of rock and roll.
Hits included “Maybellene” (his breakthrough in 1955), “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “Roll Over, Beethoven,” “Rock And Roll Music,” “No Particular Place To Go,” “School Day,” “Johnny B. Goode” and so many others. More importantly, his style has been used by generations of rockers, many of whom without even knowing its origin. His influence on rock is everywhere.