Welcome to my Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Series.
Charles Edward Anderson “Chuck” Berry was a pioneer of rock and roll. He was known as the "Father of Rock and Roll". His big break came when he traveled to Chicago in May 1955 and recorded "Maybellene"—Berry's adaptation of the country song "Ida Red"—which sold over a million copies, reaching number one on Billboard magazine's rhythm and blues chart. He further refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive with songs such as "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957) and "Johnny B. Goode" (1958). By the end of the 1950s Berry was an established star, with several hit records and film appearances and a lucrative touring career. In later years he did not achieve the same success or lasting impact as he did in the 1950s songs. By the 1970s he was more in demand as a nostalgic performer, playing his past material with local backup bands of variable quality. Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986; he was cited for having "laid the groundwork for not only a rock and roll sound but a rock and roll stance." Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" is the only rock-and-roll song included on the Voyager Golden Record.
- Top selling original album: The London Chuck Berry Sessions
- Top Selling single: Johnny B. Goode
“My momma always said, 'You and Elvis are pretty good, but y'all ain't no Chuck Berry. '” - Jerry Lee Lewis