The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Obama joins chorus of praise for rock ’n’ roll legend Berry
Music: Singer and guitarist dies at 90
Former US president Barack Obama has paid tribute to Chuck Berry who hasdiedaged90, saying the rock ’ n’ roll musician “rolled over everyone who came before him”.
TheAmericansingerand guitarist died aged 90 on Saturday.
MrObamaposted a message on Twitter saying: “We’ll miss you, Chuck.Be good.”
Many stars of the music world also expressed their sadness. Queen guitarist BrianMay said: “As always when talking about the 1950s, it’s very hard to convey how revolutionary this man was – how outrageously original and daring – how shocking it was for the world to witness people like Chuck smash the existing world order of popular music into bits.”
May recalledatongue-incheek scene from the 1985 time travel film Back to the Future, which sees a young Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, playing a few Berry chords on a guitar, with the famous musician listening to it all on the other end of a telephone to “learn it” from McFly.
“It has a real truth em- bedded in it, too, because, as far as I know, nobody knows where or how Chuck got inspired to play like that,” May mused.
Beatles drummer Ringo Starr tweeted aphoto of the musician captioned: “Just let me hear some of that rock ‘n’ roll music any old way you use it I amplaying I’m talking about you. God bless Chuck Berry Chuck.”
The Rolling Stones said they were “deeply saddened” by his death.
They said: “Chuck was not only a brilliant guitarist, singer and performer, but most importantly, he was a master
“Nobody knows how Chuck got inspired to play like that”
craftsman as a songwriter. His songs will live forever.”
Berry was found unresponsive at his Missouri home after an initial call to local emergency services on Saturday. St Charles County Police Department said Berry could not be revived, despite paramedics’ attempts to administer “lifesaving techniques” on the singer and guitarist.
Born in St Louis in October 1926, Berry tried to emulate his musical heroes including Nat King Cole and Muddy Waters. He went on to become a celebrated musician, known for his energetic stage presence and his signature move – a one-legged hop called a “duck walk”.
Many of his songs, including Johnny B Goode, Maybellene and Memphis, have been much covered and taught to many a budding young guitarist.
In 1984 he was presented with aGrammy Award lifetime achievement prize and was among the first to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Hewasstill touring as recently as 2014 and his website heralds his first new album in 38 years, which reportedly includes new material, as coming “soon”.
He leaves behind his wife Themetta Suggs- Berry, who he met a year after his release from prison in 1947, and four children.
Daughter Ingrid BerryClay and son Charles Berry jun both performed alongside their father as members of his band.