#ThrowbackThursday: “The Duality of Chuck Berry”.

by Sean Smith
On March 18, 2017, the music industry lost one of the pioneers of rock and roll, Chuck Berry. The singer, songwriter and iconic guitarist passed away at his home surrounded by friends, family and loved ones.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winning icon turned 90 years old on October 18, 2016. In celebration of the milestone Berry announced that in 2017 he would release a new album. It would be his first original album to be released since Rock It in 1979. The new album, called simply Chuck, is still slated for release and is currently available for pre-order. It is tentatively scheduled for a June 16, 2017 release date. In the wake of Chuck Berry’s death, the first single for the now posthumous album has been released. It is entitled “Big Boys” and the sound of the track is very much in line with his previous work of decades past.
Chuck Berry
“Big Boys”
From Chuck
Dualtone Records
Fans will forever link him not only with being a forerunner of rock and roll, but also as the artist who offered up such classic hits as “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Maybellene,” “No Particular Place to Go,” “Brown Eyed Handsome Man,” “My Ding-A-Ling,” and “Johnny B. Goode.”
Chuck Berry
“Roll Over Beethoven”
Chess Records
Chuck Berry
“Maybellene”
From Chuck Berry Is On Top
Chess Records
Chuck Berry
“No Particular Place To Go”
From St. Louis to Liverpool
Chess Records
Chuck Berry
“Brown-Eyed Handsome Man”
From After School Session
Chess Records
Chuck Berry
“My Ding-a-Ling” (Live In London 1972)
From The London Chuck Berry Sessions
Chess Records
Chuck Berry
“Johnny B. Goode”
Chess Records
Related Media
Michael J. Fox-As Marty McFly With The Starlighters
“Johnny B. Goode”
From Back to the Future: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (1985)
Amblin Entertainment/Universal Pictures/MCA Records
Related Media
Cadillac Records Trailer (Biopic About Chess Records Featuring Mos Def As Chuck Berry)
Sony Music Films/Parkwood Entertainment/Tri Star Pictures
To put it plainly, Chuck Berry was a complicated man. A very talented musician, but also a man that to say the very least showed questionable character at times in his life. While it is important to recognize his contributions and accomplishments in the music industry, it is also important to remember that like every other human being walking this earth he was far from perfect.