Chuck Berry: An American Life
Book by RJ Smith
DETAILS
Publisher : Hachette Books (November 8, 2022) Language : English Hardcover : 432 pages ISBN-10 : 0306921634 ISBN-13 : 978-0306921636 Item Weight : 1.46 pounds Dimensions : 6.4 x 1.65 x 9.3 inches Best Sellers Rank: #10,183 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #19 in Rock Music (Books) #26 in Rock Band Biographies #116 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies , The definitive biography of Chuck Berry, legendary performer and inventor of rock and roll Best known as the groundbreaking artist behind classics like “Johnny B. Goode,” “Maybellene,” “You Never Can Tell” and “Roll Over Beethoven,” Chuck Berry was a man of wild contradictions, whose motives and motivations were often shrouded in mystery. After all, how did a teenage delinquent come to write so many songs that transformed American culture? And, once he achieved fame and recognition, why did he put his career in danger with a lifetime’s worth of reckless personal behavior? Throughout his life, Berry refused to shed light on either the mastery or the missteps, leaving the complexity that encapsulated his life and underscored his music largely unexplored—until now. In Chuck Berry , biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of one of the great American entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail. Based on interviews, archival research, legal documents, and a deep understanding of Berry’s St. Louis (his birthplace, and the place where he died in March 2017), Smith sheds new light on a man few have ever really understood. By placing his life within the context of the American culture he made and eventually withdrew from, we understand how Berry became such a groundbreaking figure in music, erasing racial boundaries, crafting subtle political commentary, and paying a great price for his success. While celebrating his accomplishments, the book also does not shy away from troubling aspects of his public and private life, asking profound questions about how and why we separate the art from the artist. Berry declined to call himself an artist, shrugging that he was good at what he did. But the man's achievement was the rarest kind, the kind that had social and political resonance, the kind that made America want to get up and dance. At long last, Chuck Berry brings the man and the music together. Read more
REVIEW
Great bio about Chuck Berry, one of the most complex beings in American culture. I often think about Steven Van Zandt's comment that he would never want to end up like Chuck Berry, whose music he loved, but in person, proved to be a mean spirited, money grubbing hack. In RJ Smith's take, he was all that. But the way to look at him was as a supreme individualist, rule breaker and artist. In this book, Smith displays a firm grasp on Berry's artistry, while also showing his human side. He was a fan of musicians ranging from Muddy Waters to the Everly Brothers to Nat King Cole. He was a good chess player, lover and handy man. He was also capable of kindnesses and even friendship to fans and fellow musicians, such as Bo Diddley and Carl Perkins. The thing about Berry, however, was that he always had to have things HIS way -- defying the law, the racist mores of the land, the IRS, the record industry, concert promoters and, in a terrible, serial fashion, sexual civility. In doing so, he repeatedly stepped on his own toes, and then some, while sadly rejecting the idolatry of his fans. Smith delves deep into Berry's life in St. Louis and looks at how the racial divide , his imprisonment, and paranoia, helped mold Berry's hopes, dreams and reality.
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