Chuck Berry

Bio:
Chuck Berry (born Charles Edward Anderson Berry in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 18, 1926) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of rock and roll, Chuck helped develop the elements that made the genre distinctive and influenced future rock musicians with his guitar solos and meaningful lyrics. His contributions to the genre earned him one of the first spots in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, with his songs “Johnny B. Goode”, “Maybellene”, and “Rock and Roll Music” making the hall’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll list. After the release of his LP Rock It in 1979, Chuck played a number of one-night shows around the country and continued to tour and perform for the following four decades despite not releasing any new music. On his 90th birthday on Oct. 18, 2016, Chuck announced that he would be releasing a new album, Chuck, in 2017. Chuck was pronounced died at the age of 90 on Mar. 17, 2017 after Missouri police found him unresponsive inside his home.

Best Known For:
Chuck is best known for being a singer/guitarist who was one of rock and roll’s early influencers.

Personal Life:
Chuck has been married to Thermetta “Toddy” Suggs since 1948, with whom he has three children: Charles Berry Jr., Ingrid Berry, and Aloha Berry. He revealed that his 2017 album, Chuck, would be dedicated to his wife.