Chuck Berry: The Greatest Rock 'N' Roll Artist Of His Generation

Arguably, Chuck Berry was the most influential rock ’n’ roll artist of his period. While Elvis Presley may have enjoyed the “King” moniker,  it was Chuck who showcased the most revolutionary musical changes of the time. His signature guitar riffing, hit singles, and new ideas made him a versatile songwriter and guitarist who was well ahead of his time.

Keith Richards raved about Berry while honoring him at the 2013 Polar Awards in Sweden. “I ate him basically, I mean I breathed him—it wasn't just food, he was the air I breathed for many years when I was learning guitar and trying to figure out how you could be such an all-rounder. Such a great voice, such a great player and also such a great showman… it was all in one package.”

Berry was by no means the first rock ’n’ roller. Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s loud guitar leads were already a hit in 1939, followed by Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog” in 1953, and the Big Joe Turner version of “Shake Rattle & Roll” in 1954. However, Berry upped the ante in the rock ‘n’ roll department in the 1950s. Chuck’s famous songs like “Sweet Little Sixteen” and “Beautiful Delilah” breathed charm and energy into the scene, all thanks to Chuck’s clever wordplay and enthusiastic melodies.

Berry revealed that his distinctive sound was influenced by many forces.  “We have T-Bone Walker, I love T-Bone Walker's slurs and his blues; so put a little Carl Hogan, a little T-Bone Walker and a little Charlie Christian, the guitarist in Tommy Dorsey’s band, together: Look what a span of people that you will please. And that’s what I did in ‘Johnny B. Goode,’ ‘Roll Over Beethoven’—and making it simple is another important fact.”

No discussion of Berry’s performances would be complete without mention of his pure energy on stage and his bizarre “duck walk” that became a signature rock ’n’ roll move. Berry introduced rhythm ’n’ blues to a white audience that had been largely unfamiliar with it prior to the mid-1950s.

“People don’t want to see 17 pieces in neckties, they wanna see some jeans, some gettin’ down and some wigglin’. I put a little dance to it. They appreciate seein’ something along with hearin’ something,” he said.

His tracks “Sweet Little Rock & Roller” and “Too Much Monkey Business” were playfully lewd but highlighted the style of America’s youth at the time who loved nothing more than dancing, rock ’n’ roll music, and muscle cars.

When asked who he would consider the father of rock ’n’ roll. Berry was certain he’s a “cog in the wheel” but humble about his role, suggesting “Louis Jordan and Elvis Presley and even Fats Waller and… Little Richard was great in the beginning and Bill Haley… we all got the ball rolling.”

That ball made history, and Chuck Berry has been embedded in the DNA of rock ‘n’ roll music since 1955. His talent was so universal, there’s no stopping him from making a great impact even on a new breed of artists and audiences.