Chuck Berry

Question 1

Where was Chuck Berry born

Answer 1

St. Louis

Question 2

When was Chuck Berry born

Answer 2

1926

Question 3

How is Chuck Berry related to Elvis?

Answer 3

The opposite: black man with the vocal quality of a white man

Question 4

What ambitions did Chuck Berry have?

Answer 4

Wanted to be wealthy

Question 5

How did Chuck Berry form his sound?

Answer 5

Through research. Looked at what artists white audiences liked. Realized the only genre with money in it was pop music.

Question 6

What artist did Chuck Berry admire

Answer 6

Nat King Cole

Question 7

What elements did Chuck Berry take from Nat King Cole?

Answer 7

Clear lyrics, with good enunciation which tells a story

Question 8

What vocal tone did Chuck Berry have?

Answer 8

Twangy tone, similar to C&W

Question 9

What did Chuck berry do as a kid?

Answer 9

Music competitions

Question 10

How does Chuck Berry exhibit self conciousness

Answer 10

Actively tries to create a unique space for himself as a black artist

Question 11

What label did Chuck Berry sign to?

Answer 11

Chess Records - May 1955

Question 12

What genre did Chess Records make Chuck Berry try?

Answer 12

R&B

Question 13

How did Chuck berry differentiate himself at Chess

Answer 13

Played a C&W song in more of a pop style

Question 14

What was Chuck Berry’s first song

Answer 14

Maybellene

Question 15

How was Maybellene made?

Answer 15

Transformation of a C&W song, “Ida Red”

Question 16

When was Maybellene released?

Answer 16

July 1955

Question 17

What genre does Chuck Berry become a star of

Answer 17

Rock n’ Roll

Question 18

What audience does Chuck Berry target his music to?

Answer 18

Baby Boomers (white teenagers)

Question 19

What topics does Chuck Berry incorporate into his music

Answer 19

Lyrics related to adolescence: cars, girls, no school, rock n’ roll (rock is a symbol of youth culture)

Question 20

Why are there few cover versions of Chuck Berry

Answer 20

Guitar playing is central to his songs. (Can’t minimize that element and retain the sound of the song). Berry also avoided offending white parents, attempted to keep a harmless image

Question 21

What is a major Chuck Berry Hit

Answer 21

Johnny B. Goode

Question 22

When was Johnny B. Goode released?

Answer 22

1958

Question 23

What is the form of Johnny B. Goode?

Answer 23

12 Bar blues, with text heavy narrative. Finds the middle ground of white and black culture

Question 24

What white elements are incorporated into Johnny B. Goode?

Answer 24

Text heavy narrative (lots of info), clear enunciation, country guitar sound (more high end, less base and distortion)

Question 25

What black elements are incorporated into Johnny B. Goode?

Answer 25

12 Bar blues structure with a 6 chord (boogie woogie). 12 bar blues is played up tempo

Question 26

What elements are characteristic of Chuck Berry solos?

Answer 26

Based on timbre, articulation and rhythm. Plays the same note on different strings to alter timbre

Question 27

Why was Chuck Berry influential on future artists

Answer 27

Wrote and played his own songs (one of the first), centralized the guitar in his music - introduces it to a generation