Chuck Berrywho hit Keith Richards in the face with a punch for touching his guitar, was not exactly known as a particularly enthusiastic cooperation partner. Nevertheless, the rock ‘n’ roll legend succeeded, which On March 18, 2017 At the age of 90, numerous remarkable collaborations died in the course of her long career. They range from legendary appearances-such as his rocky TV appearance With John Lennon in 1972 and an equally divine appearance With Bruce Springsteen in 1995 – up to rather lackluster partnerships. Like his duet with Shabba Ranks in 1995 “Go Shabba Go”. Here are 10 most historical, fascinating and/or almost scandalous cooperations in Chuck Berry.
The Ecuadors, “Say You’ll Be Mine” (1959)
Before she became an icon herself, Etta James worked as a session singer and band member in various studios in the 1950s. When she landed at Chess Records when Berry was on the way to the star, she finally sang the background vocals for his hit “Back in the USA” from 1959.
In the same year she participated in a CHESSS session with her then partner Harvey Fuqua from the Moonglows, which was published under the name The Ecuadors. The resulting single “Say You’ll Be Mine” with “Let Me Sleep Woman” on the B side contained songs and guitar parts of Berry and the tracks are just as rough and raw as Berry published in his own name.
Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry, “Two Great Guitars” (1964)
In the mid -1960s, Chess was dominated by two amazing guitarists. Berry and Bo Diddley. It was inevitable that they would be heard together on an album. The result, “Two Great Guitars” from 1964, is not as exciting as the premise suggests.
The plate only includes four titles. Of which two rather mediocre solo contributions from Berry and Diddley are. However, the other two pieces are something completely different. “Chuck’s Beat” and “Bo’s Beat” are epic jam sessions of the two guitarists who are 10 or 14 minutes long. At a time when songs on rock plates were extremely unusual. The duo drove each other to a fingers from the foot.
Chuck Berry with Gerry and the Pacemakers, “Maybellene” (1964)
The Tami show, twisted in 1964, presented many rock, pop and R&B greats of the time. And this documentary also showed a symbolic exchange between a rock’n’roll pioneer and a newcomer from the British Invasion. In the film, Chuck Berry breaks out with a scorching, twang version of his hits “Maybellene” from 1955.
But in the middle of his performance, something strange happens. A band begins to set up next to him on stage. Without interrupting the baking beat, they are presented as Gerry and the Pacemakers. After a gentle modulation in another key, the up-and-coming Merseybeat combo picks up the song seamlessly and ends “Maybellene” with a much gentler, poppier finish. This transition is not just a brilliant performance of show talent. But also illustrates perfectly how very chuck Berry’s rocky innovations in the sixties and beyond were taken over by others.
Chuck Berry with the Steve Miller band, “Live at the Fillmore Auditorium” (1967)
In 1967 the Steve Miller Band had not yet become the hit machine of its heyday in the 1970s. Instead, the band from the Bay Area was rather rooted in R&B and the emerging psychedelia. What made her a courageous choice to accompany Berry in 1967 at a concert in the famous Fillmore in San Francisco.
But the band did its job. And accompanied her ad hoc front man through a repertoire of blues classics. Among them Willie Dixon’s “(i’m your) Hoochie Coochie Man” and Memphis Slims “Every Day I have the blues”. As well as a handful of Berry’s own hymns. Including “Johnny B. Goode”. During the entire inspired set, Berry is shown by one side that has not been heard since his showdown with Bo Diddley three years earlier.
Chuck Berry with Robbie Mcintosh and Onnie Mcintyre by Average White Band, “Reelin ‘and Rockin'” (1972)
In the early days of rock it was common for American stars to hire local bands on tour instead of bearing the costs for taking their own accompanying band. It was the same when Berry toured Great Britain in 1972 and chose a small band in which two Scottish musicians played. The drummer Robbie Mcintosh and the guitarist Owen “Onnie” Mcintyre, who had just founded their own band called Average White Band.
Some of the appearances of this tour were recorded at the LP “The London Chuck Berry Sessions”, some of which was recorded live in the studio. The recording of Berry’s song “Reelin ‘and Rockin'” from 1957 is particularly spirited. And shows the rhythmic skills that Mcintosh and Mcintyre should later bring in AWB hits such as “Pick Up The Pieces” from 1974.
Chuck Berry with Sha na na, “Roll Over Beethoven” (1977)
After SHA NA NA NA NA’s proto-glamorous spectacle in Woodstock, the retro band developed from a subversive slap in the face for the hippie era into a guiding figure of the 1950s revival of the seventies. Their television program of the same name sealed the success: at “Sha na na” it was about putting on a greaser style at a time when freak flags and Afros were standard.
Then Chuck Berry himself entered the stage. In a episode of the show from 1977, the rock Maestro had a memorable appearance. At first he was mocked because he was confused with Johnny Mathis and Fats Domino. Then he led Sha na na na na through a cheerful, decades overcrowling version of his classic “Roll Over Beethoven” from 1956.
Chuck Berry and Tina Turner, “Rock and Roll Music” (1982)
The Roxy on the legendary Sunset Strip in Hollywood was the scene of a meeting of the giants in 1982. Towards the end of an exuberant set, Berry invited a guest musician to the stage and put her as “The Fabulous – do you hear me? – The fabulous Tina Turner!” before. The Queen of Rock & Roll then appeared and accompanied her rocker colleague with a rousing version of his hits “Rock and Roll Music” from 1957.
The event was recorded on a commercially published video entitled “Chuck Berry Featuring Tina Turner”. A somewhat misleading title, since Turner can only be seen in this one song. Funnily enough, Turner was not much better known at that time than Berry, who was not exactly a box office hit around 1982 before “Johnny B. Goode” was seen in “Back to the Future” and helped him to get new fame.
Turner was still a few years away from her own big comeback. This makes her joint appearance in a small club with “Rock and Roll Music”, all the more as a warm, down-to-earth meeting of two R&B veterans.
Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Robert Cray, “Wee We Hours” (1986)
Despite this notorious punch, Keith Richards never tanged in his veneration for Berry. Finally, the Rolling Stones debut single was a cover version of Berry’s “Come On” in 1963. It was only logical that Richards led the celebration of his hero’s 60th birthday.
The concert film “Hail! Hail ‘Roll”, twisted in 1986, showed an all-star band compiled by Richards, which, in addition to Eric Clapton and Robert Cray, also belonged to the guitar itself, who played Berry’s own song “Wee Hours” from 1955 with them. “Wee Wee Hours”, a song that is so wild for the otherwise wild Berry, turned out to be a worthy platform for bluesy, glowing jam sessions of the guitar legends.
Chuck Berry and Linda Ronstadt, “Back in the USA” (1986)
Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ roller brought a number of Berry’s prominent admirers to the stage. But the collaboration between Linda Ronstadt and Berry at “Back in the USA” has something special. Ronstadt had long demonstrated their skills in Soul and R&B-Oldies covers like Betty Everett’s “You’re no good” and Martha and the Vandellas’ “Heat Wave”. And she brought her powerful voice into her own in “USA”. In order not to get into the background on his 60th birthday, Berry speaks up with call-and-response replicas between Ronstadt’s lines. And spurs them with enthusiastic calls like “I’ll bet you did!” And “Sing a Song!” to. And that did that too.
Chuck Berry and Etta James, “Rock and Roll Music” (1986)
Etta James started her career at Chess Records alongside Berry. Therefore, it was only natural that his old companion from the days of the Ecuadors and “Back in the USA” was there to celebrate his 60th birthday. The highlight of Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ roll is her and Berry’s fiery interpretation of “Rock and Roll Music”. A revelation, a heated dialogue between Berry’s immortal guitar riffs and James’ equally indomitable voice.
It is not just a Tour de Force performance that proves how timelessly his songwriting art has remained. But also shows that even the brittle Berry in the right environment was able to let his fists sink long enough to create a really mutual and mutual cooperation.