Chuck Berry

When we think about the foundations of rock and roll, it's impossible not to evoke the figure of Chuck Berry. His way of playing the guitar, with those catchy riffs and that contagious energy, laid the groundwork for what was to come. Songs like Maybellene (1955), Roll Over Beethoven (1956), Rock and Roll Music (1957), and the iconic Johnny B. Goode (1958) not only defined his sound but also reconfigured the rhythm and blues landscape, shaping the rock and roll we know. Berry was a master at combining elements, creating a sonic offering that appealed to a very diverse audience.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1926, Berry learned to play the guitar with the help of a book and those around him, influenced by blues and boogie-woogie. His path in music was not linear; before dedicating himself fully to it, he had experiences that marked him, such as an arrest in 1944 that led him to serve a sentence in a juvenile reformatory. Upon his release in 1947, he resumed his passion. By 1953, he was already making a name for himself on the St. Louis music scene, playing with the band Sir John Trio, which would later become the Chuck Berry Combo. It was during this period that his style began to consolidate, mixing rhythms and capturing attention.