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The true king of rock and roll. I remember when Hail Hail Rock and Roll came out, the documentary of his 60th birthday concert organized by Keith Richards, came out. Sixty seemed so old. Now many classic rockers are in their 70s and he made it to 90!

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I thank God I had the chance to see him live, once, in a small club. He didn't disappoint! Rest in peace, my good man, and thank you for everything you brought us.The world is a better place because you were in it.

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I remember the same documentary for the way in which he schooled Keith Richards (in front of the camera) on the proper way to play Oh Carol.

A precursor to the Jeff & Jay moment on the IATTBYH film.

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Hail, Hail is a great doc - Keith was giving it to Chuck and Chuck definitely gave it to Keith.

Been at Chuck's St. Louis place a half dozen times, but never saw him play.

 

Great, great songwriter. 

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I always thought the Beatles made Chuck's songs sound like bubble gum music - maybe, because of their choice of Berry' tunes that they chose to cover.

 

I give you that Stones' version of Come On was very lacking.

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PanicStream just uploaded a Chuck show from 6/6/86 - a Chicago Blues Fest show. Keith sat in. What a line up for the fest.  Chicago really use to know how to throw down back in the day.

 

 

Friday--Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon`s Big Three, Otis Rush, Memphis Slim and Matt ``Guitar`` Murphy perform at the Bandshell. The West Side All Star Jam and A.C. Reed and His Spark Plugs hold forth at the Front Porch; Sweet Home Chicago is at the Crossroads.

 

Saturday--The Neville Brothers, Bill Doggett, Otis Clay and the Chicago Fire, and the San Francisco Package headline at the Bandshell. Dr. John, the Chicago Piano Set, and Hezekiah and the Houserockers perform at the Front Porch. The Smokey Smothers Band, Cedell Davis, Artie ``Blues Boy`` White and Johnny Sayles share the bill at the Crossroads.

 

Sunday--Pops Staples and the Staple Singers, Albert King, Gloria Hardiman, Robert Cray Band, Eddie Boyd and Robert ``Junior`` Lockwood play the Bandshell. John Lee Hooker, Dr. Isaiah Ross and Frank Frost are at the Front Porch. Henry Townsend, Jimmy Johnson Blues Band and the Aces are at the Crossroads.

-- HOW MUCH: Free.

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Man, that Chicago Blues Fest line up is spectacular! I was there for the Saturday night festivities. Enterprising locals used to wheel around on dollys 55 gallon drums filled with beer and ice. One buck, one beer. Blues Fest used to be one hell of a party.

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Is it too soon to talk about his Mann Act conviction or the toilet cam thing?

Just scratching the surface. On the depraved superstar pervert rankings, he falls somewhere between R Kelly and Jacko. Do these predilections and perversions pre-date a person's fame, or arrive as a product of it?

 

Regardless, Chuck sure had a way with words:

 

Had motor trouble it turned into a struggle, half way 'cross Alabam,

The 'hound broke down and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham.

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if you didn't have Chuck you were out of luck.  in my opinion Jerry Garcia and Keith Richards (who I happened to see back to back in Buffalo in September, 81) were his greatest disciples.  was hoping Wilco would pull a chuck tune out their hat saturday but it wasn't meant to be although Jeff did mention it from the stage   .

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if you didn't have Chuck you were out of luck.  in my opinion Jerry Garcia and Keith Richards (who I happened to see back to back in Buffalo in September, 81) were his greatest disciples.  .

One could argue for Weir as well.

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I was 8 years old when "Get Yer Yay Ya's Out" came out. I got it for Christmas I think. Oh Carol was one of my favorite things on that record, still is. I didn't know much of anything about Berry at that age, but I eventually did. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW0cVp0WWkk

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Yeah - the Stones were my intro to Berry, too. Ya-Ya's is perfect example. Little Queenie is another favorite of mine.

 

One of the first songs I learned on guitar was Down the Road a Piece -- I know Chuck didn't write it, but he covered it and I am assuming the Stones were more familiar with his cover than the original. Great intro guitar lick.

 

Ian Stewart was another reason why the Stones were best at covering Chuck's tunes - esp on Down the Road a Piece and on Ya-Ya's.

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if you didn't have Chuck you were out of luck.  in my opinion Jerry Garcia and Keith Richards (who I happened to see back to back in Buffalo in September, 81) were his greatest disciples.  was hoping Wilco would pull a chuck tune out their hat saturday but it wasn't meant to be although Jeff did mention it from the stage   .

Around and Around and Promised Land, two staples of the GD catalog, of course. Here's a cool poster of when Chuck Berry opened for the GD in Portland in the last stages of the GD in '95:

5232a.jpg

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