One of the chief forefathers of US rock and roll music, Chuck Berry's songs have delighted and influenced generations of listeners, as well as musicians like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Several of Berry's most popular hits like "Rollover Beethoven", and his masterpiece "Johnny B Good" have been covered by admiring contemporaries.
A daring and charismatic performer, Chuck Berry was one of the early popular black musicians to play to both black and white audiences. He has been dubbed the "eternal teenager", and continues to attract fans of all age ranges.
Berry was among the first musicians to be honoured with a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when it opened in 1986. A clip of "Johnny B Good" was also selected to be played in the Voyager spacecraft. One play of its jolting riffs reveals why. As Lennon said: 'if you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it "Chuck Berry"'.