(Video courtesy Youtube)
CHUCK BERRY: Chuck Berry was born in St. Louis Missouri USA on October 18, 1926. He lived his early life at 2520 Goode Avenue. That home was soon torn down to build Homer Phillips Hospital. The Berry’s then moved to 4420 Cottage Ave. St Louis Missouri in a neighborhood known as the Ville. Chuck was just two years old at the time. (Photo courtesy of Riverfront Times)
The Ville was a black working class neighborhood in North St. Louis. Berry’s father and mother were Baptist and sang in the Antioch Baptist church choir. Fortunately for us, the choir practice took place in the Berry home. The Berry’s owned an upright piano and the choir would gather around the piano and practice singing spiritual rhythmic songs. Young Chuck developed a liking for these songs at a young age and thus began his musical education.
After just two years the Berry’s again moved to an upgraded home with a full bath, full basement, central heating, and both a front and back yard. It was located at 4319 Labadie Street St. Louis Missouri. The place in recent years has been torn down and all that is left is the lot it was built on. (Photo courtesy of Riverfront Times)
(Photo courtesy of Redfin)
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The Labadie Street address housed the Berry family in Chucks young years with Chuck returning to the Berry home when he was released from juvenile center after serving four years for carjacking at age 21. Again a few years later Chuck would return to the home with his wife Themetta. Then when Themetta was expecting in 1950, Chuck and Themetta moved into a home at 3137 Whitttier Street St. Louis Missouri.
(Photo courtesy of Riverfront Times)
Then lightening struck and Chuck bought his first guitar. It was a second hand guitar and purchased for $30.00. It wasn’t long before an old high school friend called Chuck and invited him to join his band. After a time Chuck was seen by pianist Johnnie Johnson who invited Chuck to play with Johnnie’s band. It wasn’t long before the Sir John Trio became the Chuck Berry Combo. In 1955 the unstoppable Berry visited Chicago and crashed Chess Records where he ended up signing a contract and the rest is history.
While in the Whittier Street home chuck wrote some of his greatest hits including Maybelline, Sweet Little Sixteen, Johnny B. Goode, Reelin’ and Rockin’, among others. This was a very productive time in Chuck’s life. As his popularity increased, as well as his income, Chuck purchased another property located at 4221 Easton Avenue which then housed Chuck Berry Music Inc., and the Chuck Berry Fan Club. His hit song Memphis was produced here.
(Photo courtesy of Riverfront Times)
It wasn’t long before Berry opened up a tavern called Club Bandstand. It was intended to be a mixed-race nightclub, but fate intervened again. Soon Chuck was arrested for transporting a minor across state lines and he closed the club. Today the club is a vacant lot.
(Photo courtesy of Riverfront Times)
Chuck continued to tour and in the late 1950’s his popularity climbed. At this time Chuck and Themetta purchased another home in an exclusive neighborhood of St. Louis. It is located at 13 Windermere Place St. Louis Missouri. It was an exclusive eleven room dwelling that housed the Berry family while Chuck was touring.
(Photo courtesy of Riverfront Times)
In 1957 Chuck Berry purchased 30 acres near Wentzville Missouri known as Berry Park. He built a home and a private life there, and although he also owned a home in Ladue, in an exclusive neighborhood, he spend most of his time at Berry Park and could be seen mowing the lawn or attempting to create a crop circle, or just fishing. Photo of swimming pool at Berry Park.
(Photo courtesy of the Telegraph)
I would be hard pressed to provide a description of the immensity of the contributions that Chuck Berry gave to rock music. Although he lived a checkerboard life none of that lessens his contribution. I remember him sitting in with his daughter Ingrid whom I had booked on the top deck of a riverboat. As always he was a crowd pleaser and took the time to socialize with the crowd. No doubt the communities along the Missouri River were jumpin’ that night. In his later years he always played the Duck Room at Joe Edward’s Blueberry Hill club and restaurant. Chuck was without a doubt one of the shining stars that graced the last half of the 20th Century.
(Courtesy of Billboard Magazine)
On October 2016 on his 90th birthday, Chuck announced the release of his new album dedicated to “Toddy” (Themetta) his wife of 68 years. He said “My darlin’ I’m growing old! I’ve worked on this record for a long time. Now I can hang up my shoes”. On March 18, 2017, Chuck Berry died.
A special thanks to the Riverfront Times whose article I followed in part to write this article.
