In Memoriam
Chuck Berry
October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017 · aged 90
Rock and Roll
Charles Edward Anderson Berry was the true architect of rock and roll. Born in St. Louis in 1926, he took the rhythm and blues structure and injected it with teenage rebellion, country guitar licks, and brilliant, rapid-fire storytelling. With his signature duck walk and double-stop guitar bends, he created the DNA for every rock band that followed. 'Johnny B. Goode' wasn't just a massive hit; it became the ultimate rock anthem, famously sent into space on the Voyager Golden Record to represent human achievement. Without Chuck Berry, there would be no Beatles, no Rolling Stones, and no Beach Boys. Despite his notoriously prickly personality and numerous legal troubles, his musical genius is unassailable. He passed away on March 18, 2017, at the age of 90. Rock and roll lost its ultimate founding father.
Milestones
Johnny B. Goode, Maybellene, Roll Over Beethoven
Also remembered in 2017
- Chester Bennington (1976–2017)
- Chris Cornell (1964–2017)
- Fats Domino (1928–2017)
- Tom Petty (1950–2017)