Chuck Berry: discography, biography and personal life

American guitarist and singer Chuck Berry (pictured in the article) is rightfully considered one of the most influential rock musicians of all time. He stood at the origins of the birth of rock'n'roll, in addition, he was the first musician of this genre who performed his own songs. Chuck Berry, whose biography will be considered by us today, and now sometimes speaks to the loving his work by the public, despite the fact that he is already 88 years old! What was the life of a popular artist? What were the hardships of his life? How does he live now? About this and many other things, read in the article.

Childhood and the beginning of the creative path

The real name of the musician sounds like Charles Edward Anderson Berry. He was born in the distant 1926, October 18, in a Negro large family. His parents were middle class: his mother worked as a school principal, and his father as a deacon of the Baptist church. Even as a boy, he was seriously carried away by music. He performed at all school events, held his first concert in 1941, and once even won one of the contests, singing the song of Confessin 'the blues by Jay McShane.

Punishment for misconduct

Chuck Berry was rapidly approaching success, but in 1944, due to his own stupidity, he had to forget about the childhood dream. Together with friends, he robbed three stores in Kansas and stole the car. It's interesting that the guys used non-working pistols, but nobody knew about it. For his thoughtless act, Chuck Berry and his friends paid with their own freedom, as they were sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Despite the fact that Chuck was "the sky in the cell", he did not stop playing music. Chuck Berry organized the quartet and pleased the prisoners with amateur rock 'n' roll. Fortunately, the musician was released ahead of time in 1947, when he turned 21.

A family

After his release from prison, Chuck Berry "took up his mind" and decided to marry. His wife was Temetta Suggs, who in October 1950 gave birth to his daughter Darlene Ingrid Berry. The creation of the family favorably influenced the hooligan Chuck, he did not disdain any work - he was a cleaner, and workers of the car factory, and a hairdresser-beautician. Soon the family earned money on Chuck could buy a small brick house on Whittier Street.

First successes

Even bogged down in everyday problems and troubles, Berry did not forget about music. In the early fifties he began to play with local bands in the clubs of St. Louis. Chuck hoped to do his favorite thing and earn extra money in the family. One day in one of the clubs where he usually performed, Chuck performed country with elements of blues, which was very popular with the public. He began to practice the execution of such compositions, while playing the guitar in parallel. Such a mixture of styles allowed the musician to attract the attention of different audiences, separated by race. Chuck was recognized on the street.

And in 1953 he joined the staff of Johnnie Johnson Trio and began working with Johnny Johnson. The band created blues ballads with country elements and was popular with both "white" and "black" audiences. Chuck Berry's guitar fascinated listeners, and the texts that he wrote humming in all corners of the country.

Fame

In 1955, the artist got to Chicago and met there with his idol, venerable bluesman Muddy Waters, who sent Chuck to Leonard Chesza, the owner of the record company. Chuck Berry presented him the best that he had from blues compositions, but, to his surprise, Chazz was more interested in his guitar experiments with country. Already on May 21 the first single of a musician named Maybellene was recorded. It was a real sensation - a single flown across the country in a million copies and took first place in the rhythm and blues hit parade of the United States. Already in September, the single Chuck Berry took the fifth place in the American national charts.

Chuck Berry finally found his style. Discography of the guitarist with enviable speed began to replenish all new works. In 1955, he released another single called Thirty Day, the next, 1956, the third - Roll Over Beethoven - and the fourth - Brown Eyed Handsome Man. Three more albums - Johnny B. Goode, Rock and Roll Music and Sweet Little Sixteen Chuck presented to listeners in 1957 and 1958.

Tests of his songs were innovative, as they were some life stories with unexpected twists of fate and sometimes irony. Chuck Berry is rightly called the "rock-n-roll poet". Later in the musician's albums, not only rock and roll compositions began to appear, but also blues and even instrumentals.

Concert activity

In the late fifties American guitarist began touring. The audience was delighted with his guitar playing and the legendary "duck" gait. For a few years (1957-1960), his songs dozens of times occupied the top positions in the American charts. During this period, he starred in several films, such as Jazz on a summer's day, Go Johnny, go !, Rock, rock, rock.

Back to prison

In 1959, another scandal erupted around the artist - he was accused of rape. The suit was filed by the cloakroom attendant of one of the St. Louis clubs, where he performed. According to some reports, she was engaged in prostitution. Yet Chaka was found guilty, fined five thousand dollars and imprisoned for five years. After three years in prison, the musician was released early. It is noteworthy that at a time when Chuck was in prison, the company Chess Records continued to release his records. So, in 1960 released the album Rockin 'at the Hops, and in 1961 - New Juke-Box Hits.

"British invasion"

After liberation, Berry began to restore his good name, and he began with the UK. In 1964 he first visited this country, where with the help of Bo Diddley recorded another album called Two great guitars. For four years (from 1966 to 1970), Chuck tried to change the record company and switched from Chess Records to Mercury records. At this time the artist also introduces elements of psychedelia into his music. Experiments were unsuccessful, sales of records and popularity fell, so in the early 70's Berry resumed cooperation with an old and trusted company. On Chess Records, several new albums were recorded: Back Home, The London Chuck Berry Session, San Francisco Dues, Bio.

In the mid-70's Chuck Berry toured extensively, he came to Russia several times.

At this time, cover versions of Chuck's compositions were made by almost all the famous British bands, including The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Beatles, The Animals.

In the seventies the popularity of rock'n'roll began to subside, but Berry remained an honored guest at various "revival" events.

Third time in prison

In 1979, the musician is again behind bars, this time he was accused of tax evasion. The court sentenced Berry to four months in prison and a thousand hours of forced labor. This situation finally knocked out of the saddle musician, he stopped recording new albums and perform.

And in 1990, around the person of Chuck Berry, a scandal broke out again. Several women filed a lawsuit in court, accusing the musician of having installed hidden video cameras in the women's latrines of his club. Fortunately, this time Chuck managed to prove his innocence, but he still had to pay the material compensation in the amount of one million dollars to the plaintiffs.

The merits of Chuck Berry in the field of rock music were recognized only in 1986 - his name was added to the "Hall of Fame of Composers".

Nowadays

Now the musician is 88 years old, and he still performs every week at his club in St. Louis, called Blueberry Hill. Very rarely, but still Berry goes on tour. As part of a farewell tour of the world, he recently visited Moscow.

In 2004, according to the Rolling Stone magazine, Chuck Berry entered the top 50 of the greatest musicians of all time.