The particular place he likes to go is in a hooker's mouth.

Captain_Ballbeard: The particular place he likes to go is in a hooker's mouth.

Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode (with Bruce & The E Street Band as backup) - BONUS: duckwalk at 1:25

I wonder how his cousin Marvin is doing.

Did he give up music? Or just become less popular as he got older?

No. Rock wandered off into yelling and screaming and lost the beat.

Chuck Berry stole everything he did from an old black blues musician ... wait ... wat?

qsblues: Chuck Berry stole everything he did from an old black blues musician ... wait ... wat?

That is right he stole everything from his elder B.B. King, born a whole year before him.

Fark_Guy_Rob: Did he give up music? Or just become less popular as he got older?

Both. He hasn't put out an album in 30 years.

I'm kinda amazed he still tours. By all accounts -unlike all the other early rock guys- he still has the first dime he ever made.

raccoon2k: I wonder how his cousin Marvin is doing.

RminusQ: As of when I was in college in STL, he played at least one show a month at Blueberry Hill.

Still does. Next show is Nov 16.

I'm pretty sure he's video taping womens restrooms and changing rooms, and then going back to his home to watch.

cscanlon7: raccoon2k: I wonder how his cousin Marvin is doing.

I bet Marvin wishes he got his cut of the money instead of just being known as a spooky guy.

Those of you who will not sing
You must be playin' with your own ding-a-ling

One of the best lyricists in rock and roll, IMO.

UltimateNimrod: One of the best lyricists in rock and roll, IMO.

Indeed. And he wrote most of them on the spot, so to speak. Him and Johnnie Johnson would get gigs and would just get up and jam out the I-IV-V and Chuck would just pop out the lyrics. Obviously, he refined some of them, but the majority of his ideas were spontaneous.

There were a few others before him, but every guitarist that's playing today is bringing it forward from what Chuck did originally.

/still finds it amusing he got away with releasing "Ding-A-Ling"
//VH1 is playing Hail Hail R'N'R all day, watch the "making of" they did with Keef Richards for some hilarious, amazing stories.
///Happy Birthday, Chuck!

peewinkle: /still finds it amusing he got away with releasing "Ding-A-Ling"

What? It was just an innocent song about silver bells hanging a string!

I'm sure it's been told before, but...

It boggles the mind that long after humankind has been obliterated on this planet, or what have you...somewhere, on a golden record way, way out in the furthest reaches of space exist the one song that represents "Rock 'n' Roll"... "Johnny B. Goode".

Chuck may have not been the greatest rocker, but given that little tidbit, he's probably one of the most important.

mark_bert: RminusQ: As of when I was in college in STL, he played at least one show a month at Blueberry Hill.

Still does. Next show is Nov 16.

I actually saw his show a few months ago. He did an adequate job singing (for an 85 year old and when he remembered the words) but they should keep his guitar unplugged and just let him hold it for decoration. I mean, obviously you're not expecting to be blown away, but he's reverted back to sounding like a 12 year old who's only been playing guitar for a couple weeks.

At the little AM radio station where I used to work, the evening guy played a filthy-ass live version of Chuck's "Reelin" & Rockin"...

"I looked at my watch, and it was eleven thirty
She turned back and called me something dirty...
We boogied in the kitchen, we boogied in the hall,
I got some on my finger so I wiped it on the wall "

I nearly drove into the ditch when I heard that.