Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry Given Lifetime Achievement Award: "It's Beyond My Dreams to be Here this Long, Really."

UPDATE: The Arts Council just uploaded the video that was played last night in Chuck Berry's honor. See it on the second page of this post. Last night the Arts and Education Council kicked off its 50th anniversary year with a ceremony to honor various contributors to arts and culture in St. Louis. ... More >>

Happy 86th Birthday, Chuck Berry!

A one Chuck Berry was born on this day in 1926. Last night he played a show at the Duck Room, wearing an ensemble remarkably similar to the one he's got on in that photo above, taken at Keiner Plaza a few years back. And somewhere in the middle, between 1926 and 2012, the man invented rock & roll. I ... More >>

Here is the Painting Sinead O'Connor Gave to the Prophet Chuck Berry on Monday

A favorite topic here at RFT Music, Miss Sinéad O'Connor wrote a blog post on her website about a recent visit to St. Louis to meet Chuck Berry. Her blog lovingly describes both our city and our rock & roll daddy. We contacted her and asked her if we could quote from her blog (she requests that yo ... More >>

Chuck Berry Unleashed First LP - After School Session - 55 Years Ago

Chuck Berry entered the music scene at a time when singles were the predominant manner of disseminating music. That's probably why the St. Louis native is known more for individual songs than, say, a seminal album. But while songs such "Maybellene" and "Johnny B. Goode" get the lion's share of atte ... More >>

Happy Birthday Leonard Chess of Chess Records, Home of Chuck Berry and Ike Turner

Musicians such as Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters are once-in-a-lifetime talents. And it's a safe bet that if Chess Records hadn't have made those artists' music accessible to the masses, another company would have pulled the trigger. But fortunately for Leonard Chess, the label he ran with his brothe ... More >>

Chuck Berry's Only Number One Hit - "My Ding-a-Ling" - Was Recorded 40 Years Ago Today

What can be said about Chuck Berry's "My Ding-a-Ling" that hasn't already been said? It's a naughty crowd-pleaser that contains more double entendres than there are silver bells on a Christmas tree. But the song holds some intriguing designations, besides that fact that it was utilized brilliantly ... More >>

Chuck Berry: There's No One Cooler and Never Will Be

2011 was a big year in the amazing continuing career of Chuck Berry. After a scary collapse in Chicago, he returned to his monthly post at Blueberry Hill, saw his statue installed in the Loop and got a feature in the January 2012 Esquire. Last week, Jamie Lees explained why you shouldn't wait to se ... More >>

Why You Should Go See Chuck Berry As Soon As Humanly Possible

One year ago this week Chuck Berry collapsed on stage in Chicago. It was a call to action for many people who had been slacking on seeing his live show at Blueberry Hill. As residents of this city, it's hard to get perspective on just how amazing it is that Chuck Berry, the dude who probably invent ... More >>

Esquire's Luke Dittrich on How He Got the Chuck Berry Feature, in the January Issue

Just last week, Esquire published this thorough and fascinating Chuck Berry article. Berry is notoriously wary of the media, so author Luke Dittrich couldn't take a direct route to his subject. We spoke with Dittrich, a contributing editor at the magazine, last weekend about his super savvy journali ... More >>

Videotape Allegations Stung Berry's Legacy 22 Years Ago Today

When it comes to his musical contributions, Chuck Berry's legacy is safe. St. Louis should be and is proud to claim Berry as one of its own for performing a slew of iconic tunes. For the most part. While Berry may have done much to lay the groundwork for modern rock and roll, that's not to say he' ... More >>

Hail, Hail: Chuck Berry turns 85

Chuck Berry turns 85 today.​To the outsider, St. Louis' music scene could be represented by the sing-songy rhymes of Nelly or the Urge's frantic musical elixir. But the town's musical identity -- and the world of rock n' roll -- would be indisputably different without a man celebrating his 85t ... More >>

Joe Lally and Tandoori Knights Lead This Week's Show Announcements

Bloodshot Bill and King Khan are coming to Off Broadway in November as Tandoori Nights. ​ All hail shirtless wonder King Khan, for he is headed back to St. Louis with his homey Bloodshot Bill as Tandoori Knights. The wild duo will be at Off Broadway on November 25. Allegedly, they started play ... More >>

Joe Edwards on the Value of Collecting, Conversation and Chuck Berry

Photo by Jon Scorfina​Many St. Louisans know Joe Edwards as the man behind the revitalization of the Delmar Loop. His imagination has spawned Blueberry Hill, the rehabilitated Tivoli theatre, the Pageant, the Moonrise Hotel, and most recently the Chuck Berry statue. His joyous projects have at ... More >>

It's a Bust: Art Critic Blasts Chuck Berry's U. City Statue

Editor's Note: RFT's critic-at-large, Anton LaFontaine, weighs in on the unveiling today of the Chuck Berry statute in the Delmar Loop.Photo: Kelly HoganPeek-a-boo, we see you!​The point of commemorative statuary is not to further the fine art of sculpture -- and the bronze homage to St. Louis' na ... More >>

It's Here: Chuck Berry Statue Finally Installed in the Loop

Kelsey Whipple​After an hour-long installation and a stint duck-walking across the sky with the help of a crane, the latest tribute to St. Louis music legend Chuck Berry is finally installed on Delmar across from Blueberry Hill. And Lord of the Loop Joe Edwards couldn't be happier. "I felt it ... More >>

It's Here: Chuck Berry Statue Finally Installed in the Loop

Photo by Kelsey Whipple​After an hour-long installation and a stint duck-walking across the sky with the help of a crane, the latest tribute to St. Louis music legend Chuck Berry is finally installed on Delmar across from Blueberry Hill. And Lord of the Loop Joe Edwards couldn't be happier. " ... More >>

Comment of the Day: Chuck Berry Is a Criminal

Today's comment comes in response to Kelsey Whipple's scoop about the controversy in University City over a statue honoring Chuck Berry. As Whipple reported, one local activist wants to stop the project over Berry's felony convictions.A reader named Daryl Davis weighed in, defending Berry -- drawing ... More >>

Review: Chuck Berry and the Postelles at the Blueberry Hill's Duck Room, Wednesday, January 19

Bob KuskyChuck Berry was alive and very well last night at the Duck Room.​After Chuck Berry collapsed during a show in Chicago on New Year's Day, fans began to worry. Was this it for the duck-walking one? Would they forever regret that they never bothered to catch one of his monthly shows at B ... More >>

Chuck Berry Show on Wednesday at the Duck Room Is On!

Erin Kinsella​Chuck Berry gave fans quite a scare in Chicago on New Year's Day, when he was forced to cut his show at the Congress Theater short due to exhaustion. Such a cancellation is exceedingly rare for Berry, who's known for being punctual and a man of his contractual word. It's also ver ... More >>

Ten Musicians Who Don't Act Their Age

Last weekend, Chuck Berry gave fans in Chicago a scare: A New Year's Day concert ended prematurely after the 84-year-old fell ill. This gig aside, however, Berry remains a workhorse: Without fail, he plays monthly at Blueberry Hill's Duck Room, and he told Rolling Stone last year that he's working o ... More >>

Chuck Berry New Year's Show Ends Early Due to "Exhaustion"; Legend "Home Resting Comfortably"

Erin KinsellaChuck Berry at Kiener Plaza, July 29, 2010​Chuck Berry's New Year's Day concert in Chicago ended prematurely, after he slumped over a keyboard and had to be helped from the stage. "Chuck had played a bit of very spotty piano earlier in the set during 'Let It Rock,' so when he he ... More >>

Happy 84th Birthday, Chuck Berry!

Chuck Berry -- who performed at the Pageant on Saturday night, to celebrate the venue's tenth anniversary -- turns 84 years young today. Happy birthday, Chuck! He's not slowing down at all -- in the last few months, he's performed at a DNC benefit downtown, continued to do his monthly gig at Blueber ... More >>

The Chuck Berry Statue: An Update and a Sneak Preview

The statue of Chuck Berry set to be unveiled in the Delmar Loop is coming along nicely. A reader slipped A to Z some in-progress photos of the eight-foot-tall bronze statue, which is being sculpted by Harry Weber, the man responsible for some of the city's most iconic art. ​ So when is the statue ... More >>

The Pageant Celebrates Its Tenth Anniversary in October with Chuck Berry

Wikimedia Commons​Late yesterday, the Pageant announced that it's celebrating its tenth anniversary of being open (huzzah!) with a show by Chuck Berry (double huzzah!). Tickets are $35 and $40 and on sale Friday at 5 p.m. This occasion made me start thinking about all of the amazing concerts ... More >>

Chuck Berry Interviewed in the New Rolling Stone

rollingstone.com​The latest issue of Rolling Stone is receiving more attention for its cover than for its contents -- perhaps it has something to do with the naked True Blood actors splattered in "blood." (See right.) However, anyone who doesn't flip to the articles might miss something rather ... More >>

Interview, Part One: KSDK's Art Holliday Discusses Filmmaking, Johnnie Johnson and St. Louis' Contributions to Rock & Roll

image viaArt Holliday, TV news anchor and director of an in-production film, Johnnie Be Good​Art Holliday is known for his work as a news anchor on KSDK, but he's also a independent filmmaker in his free time. In his latest project, Johnnie Be Good, he documents the life and career of Johnnie ... More >>

How To Get Your Band to Open for Chuck Berry, with Randy Shore of the Zonkeys

It's not every day you get to open for a legend in St. Louis. It's only every month. In roughly that time-frame, Chuck Berry plays a show here and a band gets to say that they once shared the stage with the man who arguably invented rock and roll. As a bonus, the opener gains valuable exposure by ... More >>

Chicago Sun-Times Gushes All Over the Delmar Loop

www.ucityloop.com​A Chicago Sun-Times travel writer recently received the royal treatment in St. Louis: scoring a rare interview with rock icon Chuck Berry and getting upgraded to a plush suite at the new Moonrise Hotel. And no doubt Delmar Loop impresario Joe Edwards (owner of the Moonrise and on ... More >>

Auction to Benefit a Possible Chuck Berry Statue Goes Well

Last week, the Daily RFT reported that KMOX's Charlie Brennan, who is spearheading the cause to get a Chuck Berry statue built in the Delmar Loop, hosted an online/on-air auction to raise money. The results are in: Over $13,000 was raised. The highest bids? $2000 for Tony LaRussa's personal season t ... More >>

Holiday Jam Countdown '09: Chuck Berry, "Run Rudolph Run"

(Like last year, A to Z will post a holiday-related MP3 every day of December, leading up to Christmas. If you have any requests, suggestions or files to share, email me.) It doesn't get much more classic than Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run." H/T to reader Greg for sending this over. MP3: Chuck Be ... More >>

Tonight! The King Khan & BBQ Show at Off Broadway

Do you get off on original rockers like Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and the Beach Boys? Do you also rock out to Repo Man-style '80s punk like Agnostic Front, the Circle Jerks, and Black Flag?If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you will be dragged into the streets and shot if you are not ... More >>

Tomorrow! Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll at the Tivoli

This is just a friendly reminder that the Tivoli is screening the Chuck Berry film Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll tomorrow night at 7:20 p.m.! Details here.courtesy of the Landmarks Association of St. Louis

Chuck Berry: Too Pooped to Pop?

Entertainment Web site, Cinemablend, recently released its list of the 100 celebrities most likely to die this year. Topping the macabre ranking is 60 Minutes windbag Andy Rooney. (Obviously, Cinemablend doesn't know that Rooney actually died a decade ago. It's true. Since the late ... More >>

Hanging out with the Smiths

You can, too!

Roll Over Beethoven

Chuck Berry turns 80, schools everyone else in rock & roll.

Living on Channel Z

B-Sides asks a cadre of local musicians to reminisce about Chuck Berry as he turns 80, while Dr. Zhivegas get down with their debut disc.

All Fun & Games

...until Unreal puts our eye out. Plus: We hit the lake for some high-speed action, then attempt to chill with Chuck Berry.

People, Let's Peek Together

Letters Column

Week of January 26, 2006

That's Chuck Fuckin' Berry!

(Blueberry Hill, The Loop)

Gone, Daddy, Gone

We say goodbye to a rock & roll forefather, talk sports with Mr. Lif and get religion at the new Gearbox

Brown Eyed Handsome Fans

A new CD aims to reclaim Chuck Berry for St. Louis

Quick Picks

Week of July 21, 2004

Punk Cashes In

But for a good cause

Honey, Is That You?

Will the real Chuck Berry please stand up? Competing biographies paint radically different portraits of the St. Louis legend.

Chuckie and Johnny

Judge tosses out lawsuit between rock legends

Berry, Berry Good

St. Louis' duck-walking icon holds forth on his art, his life and hisunderwear

A Year in a Day

From Nelly to the Pageant: what went down on the St. Louis music scene in 2000

Sour Note

Time for Chuck Berry to roll over, says rock legend Johnnie Johnson

Robert "Bilbo" Walker and Al Garrett

Tuesday, Aug. 3; Off Broadway