Chuck Berry: the 100 most inspirational musicians of all time
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Chuck Berry (born Charles Edward Anderson Berry, b. Oct. 18, 1926, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.) was one of the most popular and influential performers in rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll music in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s.
Raised in a working-class African American neighborhood on the north side of the highly segregated city of St. Louis, Berry grew up in a family proud of its African- American and Native American ancestry. He gained early exposure to music through his family’s participation in the choir of the Antioch Baptist Church, through the blues and country western music he heard on the radio, and through music classes, especially at Sumner High School. Berry was still attending high school when he was sent to serve three years for armed robbery at a Missouri prison for young offenders. After his release and return to St. Louis, he worked at an auto plant, studied hairdressing, and played music in small nightclubs.
Chuck Berry traveled to Chicago in search of a recording contract; he signed with the Chess label, and in 1955 his first recording session produced “Maybellene”, which stayed on the pop charts for 11 weeks, cresting at number five. Berry followed this success with extensive tours and hit after hit, including “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956), “Rock and Roll Music” (1957), and “Johnny B. Goode” (1958). His vivid descriptions of consumer culture and teenage life, the distinctive sounds he coaxed from his guitar, and the rhythmic and melodic virtuosity of his piano player (Johnny Johnson) made Berry’s songs staples in the repertoire of almost every rock-and-roll band.
At the peak of his popularity, federal authorities prosecuted Berry for violating the Mann Act, alleging that he transported an underage female across state lines “for immoral purposes.” After two trials tainted by racist
overtones, Berry was convicted and remanded to prison. Upon his release he placed new hits on the pop charts, including “No Particular Place to Go” in 1964, at the height of the British Invasion, whose prime movers,
the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, were hugely influenced by Berry (as were the Beach Boys).
In 1972 Berry achieved his first number one hit, “My Ding-A-Ling.” Although he recorded more sporadically in the 1970s and ’80s, he continued to appear in concert, most often performing with backing bands comprising local musicians. Berry’s public visibility increased in 1987 with the publication of his book Chuck Berry: The Autobiography and the release of the documentary film Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll, featuring footage from his 60th birthday concert and guest appearances by Keith Richards and Bruce Springsteen.
Chuck Berry is undeniably one of the most influential figures in the history of rock music. In helping to create rock and roll from the crucible of rhythm and blues, he combined clever lyrics, distinctive guitar sounds, boogie-woogie rhythms, precise diction, an astounding stage show, and
musical devices characteristic of country western music and the blues in his many best-selling single records and albums.
A distinctive if not technically dazzling guitarist, Berry used electronic effects to replicate the ringing sounds of bottleneck blues guitarists in his recordings. He drew upon a broad range of musical genres in his compositions, displaying an especially strong interest in Caribbean music on “Havana Moon” (1957) and “Man and the Donkey” (1963), among others. Influenced by a wide variety of artists—including guitar players Carl Hogan, Charlie Christian, and T-Bone Walker and vocalists Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan, and Charles Brown—Berry played a major role in broadening the appeal of rhythm-and-blues music during the 1950s. He fashioned his lyrics to appeal to the growing teenage market by presenting vivid and humorous descriptions of high-school life, teen dances, and consumer culture. Many popular-music performers have recorded Berry’s songs.
An appropriate tribute to Berry’s centrality to rock and roll came when his song “Johnny B. Goode” was among the pieces of music placed on a copper phonograph record attached to the side of the Voyager 1 satellite, hurtling through outer space, in order to give distant or future civilizations a chance to acquaint themselves with the culture of the planet Earth in the 20th century. In 1984, he was presented with a Grammy Award for lifetime
achievement. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
Sheet Music Download.
Chuck Berry Greatest Hits – Chuck Berry Best Blue Songs – Chuck Berry All Songs Full Album 2021
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Artist or Composer / Score name | Cover | List of Contents |
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Stranger Things Main Theme Piano solo arr. (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Strauss Johann – The Blue Danube Piano solo | ||
Strauss Richard – Also Sprach Zarathustra (Trans. R. Schmalz for Piano solo) | ||
Strauss – An Der Schönen Blauen Donau (Advanced Ver.) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Strauss – An Der Schönen Blauen Donau The Blue Danube (Easy Piano Solo) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Strauss – An Der Schönen Blauen Donau The Blue Danube (Intermediate Piano Solo) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra op. 30 (arr. for 2 pianos) | ||
Strauss Richard 4 Lieder Op. 27 No. 4 Morgen Musescore File.mscz | ||
Strauss, Johann Ii An Der Schönen Blauen Donau, Op.314 Jrummel Easy Piano Solo | ||
Strauss, Johann Ii Waatzes For Piano Op. 314 (Complete) | ||
Strauss, Johann II Die Fledermaus Suite for piano solo arr. | ||
Strauss, Johann Ii Die Fledermaus Suite For Piano Solo Arr. Musescore File.mscx | ||
Strauss, Johann Jr. – The Blue Danube Waltz (Easy Piano Solo) | ||
Strauss, Richard Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op 30 Einleitung, Oder Sonnenaufgang (Solo Piano Arr) | ||
Stravinski, Igor – Poetica Musical Book (Español – Spanish) | ||
Stravinsky Ragtime (Piano Solo, Transcribed By The Composer) | ||
Stravinsky The Firebird Suite Piano Transcription | ||
Stravinsky Three Movements From Petrushka (piano solo arr.) | ||
Stravinsky – Octet for Wind Instruments | ||
Stravinsky – Ragtime (Piano Solo) | ||
Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring Le Sacre du printemps (4 hands, piano à 4 mains) | Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring Le Sacre du printemps (4 hands, piano à 4 mains) | |
Stravinsky – The Rite Of Spring – piano 2 hands – arr. by Raphling | ||
Stravinsky 3 Easy pieces for piano 4 hands | ||
Stravinsky 4 Etudes Op.7 | ||
Stravinsky And His World by Tamara Levitz (Book) | ||
Stravinsky Sonata F Sharp Minor | ||
Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms (arr. piano solo) | ||
Stravinsky Tango | ||
Stravinsky The Firebird Piano Transcription | Stravinsky: The Firebird | |
Stravinsky, Igor 5 Easy Pieces [Piano 4 Hands] | ||
Stravinsky, Igor – The Rite of Spring Le Sacre du Printemps (piano solo) | ||
Straylight Run – Existentialism On Prom Night | ||
Streabbog (Jean Louis Gobbaerts) – 12 Easy and Melodious Studies, Op 64 | ||
Streabbog (Jean Louis Gobbaerts) – 12 Very Easy and Melodious Studies, op 63 | ||
Streabbog Book 1 Opus 63 Twelve Very Easy And Melodious Studies | ||
Streabbog Book 2 Opus 64 12 Melodious Pieces For Piano | ||
Stride & Swing Piano The Complete Guide by John Valerio | Stride & Swing Piano Stride & Swing Piano – The Complete Guide | |
Stuart K. Hine How Great Thou Art Arr Joel Raney 6 Concert Hymns Expressions For Solo Piano | ||
Studio Ghibli Guitar Arrangements Best Album (Joe Hisaishi & Hayao Miyazaki) with Tablature | ||
Studio Ghibli Piano Suite | ||
Styx – Babe | ||
Styx – Come Sail Away | ||
Succar Ya Banat (Caramel OST) Rasha Rizk | ||
Suis-moi – Le Petit Prince OST (Hans Zimmer – Camille) | ||
Sum 41 – Pieces | ||
Summer of ’42 (Michel Legrand) | ||
Summer of ’42 The Summer Knows Michel Legrand Piano & Voice | Summer of ’42 The Summer Knows Michel Legrand Piano & Voice | |
SUMMER OF’42 THE SUMMER KNOWS Piano (another version) | THE SUMMER KNOWS -SUMMER OF’42 | |
Summertime – Piano arrangement Pianos Of Cha’n | ||
Summertime G. Gershwin | ||
Sun Ra sheet music Collection | 1 Sun Ra index sheet music | |
Sunday Music (100 Arrangements For Piano Solo) E. Pauer | Sunday Music (100 Arrangements For Piano Solo) E. Pauer | |
Sunrise on Pontchartrain (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button OST) Alexandre Desplat | Sunrise on Pontchartrain | |
Super Junior Pajama Party | ||
Super Mario 64 – dire,dire docks | ||
Super Mario 64 by Koji Kondo – Piano | ||
Super Mario Bros – Main Theme | Super-Mario-Bros-Main-Theme | |
Super Mario Bros – Main Theme Overworld | ||
Super Mario Bros – Main Theme Overworld (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Super Mario Bros – Mario Main Theme – Koji Kondo | ||
Super Mario Bros 2 Overworld Theme by Koji Kondo Piano Solo | ||
Super Mario Bros 2 Complete Piano Arrangement | ||
Super Mario Bros Overworld Main Theme sheet music | ||
Super Mario Bros Songbook | ||
Super Mario Bros. 3 Don’t stand on the Donuts – Piano Sheet Music | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – Aquatic Race | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – Attack! Koopas Fleet | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – Catastrophe | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – File Select | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – King Koopa’s Entrance | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – Kinopio’s Expedition | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – Overture | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – Peachs Castle is Stolen | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – Rosetta’s Comet Observatory I | ||
Super Mario Galaxy – Starbit Festival | ||
Super Mario Galaxy Complete Sheet Music | ||
Super Mario Galaxy Sheet Music (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Super Mario Land – Birabuto Kingdom by Hirokazu Tamaka | ||
Super Mario World 2 Yoshis Island – Athletic | ||
Super Sight Reading Secrets by Howard Richman (Book) for keyboard players | ||
Super Solos for Acoustic Guitar Solos (by Johnny Norris) Fingerpicking with Tablature | Super Solos for Acoustic Guitar Solos (by Johnny Norris) Fingerpicking with Tablature | |
Super Top Ten Volume (Guitar) | Super Top Ten Volume (Guitar) | |
Supercell – Sayonara Memories | ||
Superhero Themes 14 of Your Favorite Heroes and She-Roes | Superhero Themes 14 of Your Favorite Heroes and She-Roes | |
Superman Theme For Piano | ||
Supertramp – Breakfast In America | Supertramp Breakfast In America Book | |
Supertramp – Logical Song | ||
Supertramp Anthology Songbook | Supertramp Anthology Songbook | |
Supertramp Breakfast In America SongBook | Supertramp Breakfast In America Book | |
Supertramp Crisis What Crisis SongBook | ||
Supertramp Even In The Quietest Moments Songbook | Supertramp Even In The Quietest Moments | |
Supertramp Famous Last Words SongBook | Supertramp Famous Last Words Book | |
Supertramp Paris SongBook | Supertramp Paris Book | |
Surface Pressure – Encanto (sheet music).mscz | ||
Suzanne Ciani Adagio from the album Pianissimo | Suzanne-Ciani-Adagio 1st page | |
Suzanne Ciani Dream Songs for piano | Suzanne Ciani Dream Songs piano | |
Suzanne Ciani New Age Piano | Suzanne Ciani New Age Piano | |
Suzanne Vega Songbook | Suzanne Vega Songbook | |
SUZUKI – Guitar School Revised Edition (Vol 1) | SUZUKI – Guitar School Revised Edition (Vol 1) | |
Suzuki Guitar (Complete Vol. 1 To 9) | SUZUKI GUITAR Vol 1-9 | |
Suzuki Piano School – Vol 07 – Mozart Handel and Paderevski | ||
Suzuki Piano School Volumes 1 to 7 (240 p.) | Suzuki 1-7 – Piano School (7 books) | |
Suzuki Tsunekichi – Omohi De – Irish Folk Song Opening Theme To The Netflix Series Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Suzuki Tsunekichi – Omohi de – Irish Folk Song Opening theme to the Netflix series Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories) Guitar | Suzuki Tsunekichi – Omohi de – Irish Folk Song Opening theme to the Netflix series Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories) Guitar | |
Sveinn Eythorsson – Easy Guitar Songs | ||
Swan Lake Theme – Tchaikovsky (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Swanee River Boogie Woogie – Albert Ammons (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Sweet Hour Of Prayer – Piano Solo arr. of 13 Sacred Songs by Marvin Goldstein | ||
Swing And Early Progressive Piano Styles Jazz Improvisation 3 by John Mehegam | Swing And Early Progressive Piano Styles Jazz Improvisation 3 by John Mehegam | |
Swing Low Sweet Charriot (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Sydney Bechet Si Tu Vois Ma Mere Lead sheet music GUITAR CHORDS | ||
Symphony No 40 In Gm K550 (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Symphony No 9 In E Minor (From The New World) For Piano – 1st Movement (Adagio – Allegro Molto) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Symphony No 9 In E Minor (From The New World) For Piano – 2nd Movement (Largo) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Symphony No 9 In E Minor 4th Mov. (From The New World) A. Dvorak (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Symphony No. 2 Third Mov. Advanced Piano Arr. (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Symphony No. 5 – Adagietto Gustav Mahler (Musescore File).mscz | ||
System Of A Down – Lonely Day | ||
T – Pain – Buy You A Drink | ||
Table for Two – Nocturnal Animals OST (Abel Korzeniowski) |