Without Chuck Berry There Would Be No Beatles or Rolling Stones

Last November when I went to see Robbie Robertson plug his autobiography, he said that he was producing a TV documentary with the founding fathers of rock 'n roll - Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino & Jerry Lee Lewis. Robertson said the time had come to do such a documentary really, really well. I offered that Robertson needed to do this really, really fast.

As you are no doubt aware by now, Chuck Berry passed away on Saturday at the age of 90. Without Chuck Berry there would be no Beatles or Rolling Stones. The Beatles, Stones and countless bands after them were reared on Berry's hits from the mid-1950's through the early-1960's - "Maybellene", "Roll Over Beethoven", "School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)", "Rock 'n Roll Music", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Johnny B. Goode", "Memphis, Tennessee" and "No Particular Place to Go".

Berry remained an active performer up until a couple of years ago when he performed monthly gigs at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis to standing room only crowds. At the time of his death, Berry was in the midst of recording his first album of new material in nearly 40 years.

Yes, Berry did some really weird shit (quite literally). But we live in a world where people who have done worse go on to get elected President of the United States. In the grand scheme of things, Berry brought more joy than pain to the world in his 90 years. Pulp Fiction would have been far less delightful without John Travolta and Uma Thurman dancing to his music.

Here's an Berry made with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show in November 1987. Berry energized the audience so much, Carson bumped his two other scheduled guests that night.

Go!!! Go Johnny go!!! Johnny B. Goode!!! R.I.P.