5 Things You Should Know About Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry, one of the founding fathers of a little something we call Rock n’ Roll passed away on March 18th at the age of 90. With songs like “Johnny B Goode,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” and “Maybellene,” Ever the showman, Berry took the core tenants of rhythm and blues, played them with a distinctive, rhythmic strumming-style and music would never be the same. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, Berry was credited for having “laid the groundwork for not only a rock and roll sound but a rock and roll stance.”

1. Beach Boys vs. Chuck Berry

Like so many African American musicians, Chuck Berry has had his work “appropriated” by white musicians, including The Beach Boys. The iconic melody of “Surfing USA” was cribbed almost whole cloth from Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen.” Ultimately, the Beach Boys gave Berry co-writing credit for the song which turned out to be a substantial amount.

2. Odd Jobs

Although he was raised in a middle class family, Berry was well-versed in hard and sometimes unpleasant work. He worked as a janitor at an auto body assembly plant, he freelanced as a photographer, worked as a hairdresser, and helped his out in his father’s carpentry business. In some ways every artist is forged by the toil, the grind of having to persevere and double down on their commitment to their art. When the rest of the world is saying “Get a job,” they pursue their passions regardless.

3. Dance Away The Wrinkles

Berry’s iconic “duck walk” dance was, as it turns out, originally done by accident. The story goes, Berry was actually trying to get the wrinkles out of the legs of his rayon suit and the duck walk was born. This was a happy accident that became Berry’s trademark move for the better part of 60 years.

4. Cash, Please

Chuck Berry always got paid in cash. That’s just the way it was. Ever since early in his career, when he had some run-ins with the IRS, Berry stipulated that he be paid in cash. In fact, there’s one famous case of him attempting to leave Australia with over $50,000 in cash in a brief case. Needless to say, there’s now a limit to the amount of money you can make it through customs with.

5. Trouble With The Law

Chuck Berry was a great artist, who, like many other great artists, was not immune to run-ins with the law. The long and short of it is that Berry was no saint. His artistic genius is undeniable, while his personal moral compass remains debatable.

Chuck Berry (watch), icon, innovator, and progenitor of one of the most enduring forms of music, to say he left his mark would be an understatement. Chuck Berry lives on through his music and through those he’s inspired and will continue to inspire in coming generations.