Chuck Berry Praises Obama, Laments Fading Health

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Source: Rolling Stone

Today, Chuck Berry made a rare move: he gave an interview. Visiting Cleveland to accept the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s American Music Masters Award, the 86-year-old met with journalists at the museum’s offices before touring an exhibit celebrating his life.

Seated in the center of a conference table between friend Joe Edwards and his son Charles Berry Jr., wearing a captain's hat and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame varsity jacket, Berry was humble, revealing and playful. "Now let me make a statement," he said at the beginning. "After being before drums for 48 years, it has taken effect in the last four months and I have a strange hiccup that comes out every time I tell the truth." The room erupted in laughter.

At one point, Rolling Stone asked Berry how far the country has come since the days he played segregated venues throughout the South. Berry paused for a moment. "I never thought that a man with the qualities, features, and all that he has, [could] be our President," he said. "My dad said, 'You may not live to see that day,' and I believed him. I thank God that I have." Berry stopped for several seconds while his eyes welled up. "Excuse me," he said.





Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/chuck-berry-praises-obama-laments-fading-voice-20121027

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[DollarBillHines]

1. Off topic, but the Stones kicked off the party in Paris the other night..

"Route 66"

Berry rides again.

[Bluzmann57]

2. We have the king of Rock and Roll

They have ted nugent. 'Nuff said.

[FailureToCommunicate]

13. And Chuck Berry's music is now in outer space. Nugent? Not so far.

Actually, later NASA announced they had actually gotten a reply from space regarding the 'Earth artifacts' they had sent:

just four words:

"Send More Chuck Berry"

[Norbert]

3. Beats the hell out of an oversaturated Meatloaf.

This is Chuck Berry. Need I say more.

[hexola]

4. Nice...but...

This guy does not have the most savory past...I won't mention it here...but it's in wiki...

[appacom]

10. Chuck Berry was "too uppity" and was targeted and set up

by some white girls who asked could they hitch a ride which took them across state lines. Not the smartest move by a normally savvy man - who didn't drink, smoke, or blow money. His weakness was that he liked screwing lots of women and everybody knew it. .. , He was a very successful musician who controlled his own money, was his own boss and didn't take shit from anyone - and that was a no-no for a Black man.

[whathehell]

16. I believe he was arrested for secretly filming women in public rest rooms....Fucked up

and it don't have a thing to do with being "uppity".

[left coaster]

29. Absofuckinglutely! How does this make him any better than pedo Nuge?

Short answer? It doesn't.

[whathehell]

30. I don't know about "pedo nuge", but it's certainly sick, ugly stuff.

I'm sure his wife and daughter were very proud of him, the old pervert.

[freshwest]

5. I was a little bitty kid dancing to Johnny B. Goode! I love Chuck Berry.

And I'm so glad he and others lived to see these days...

[struggle4progress]

6. Roll Over Beethoven

[enough]

7. Chuck Berry! So many great songs!

Thank you thank you Mr. Berry. Love from an old old fan.

[Warpy]

8. I've been privileged to see him live

He did a rather perfunctory "Johnny B Goode" but he had one hell of a lot of fun with "My Dingaling," with plenty of audience participation. He was obscene and funny and a great time was had by all.

It's for people like Berry, who bore the brunt of Jim Crow as entertainers, that I'm glad the country finally grew up enough to elect someone as un-WASP as Obama is.

[chuckstevens]

9. Chuck Berry

86? Holy Cow! Is that possible? Go Johnny Go!

[Ino]

11. He still performs once a month

at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis. I saw the show a few years ago, and it was great! He still rocks!

[nolabear]

12. I still laugh at Springsteen's description of playing with him in "Hail Hail RocknRoll".

Said when he was a kid he played backup bands for stars who'd come through without their own. When Chuck came through the band rehearsed all day and never saw hide nor hair of Berry, no set list, nada. When he got there Bruce said he asked him what they were supposed to do. His answer? "We're gonna play some Chuck Berry songs!" And they were off. Gotta love it.

I'll bet the talk around whatever old entertainer water cooler there might be about Jim Crow and the White House is astounding.

[postulater]

15. I saw him play a show with local talent.

A couple songs he just stopped in the middle and had the band start over again cuz they didn"t know the songs well enough.

My dad who was Berry's age was there and loved the show too.

[oswaldactedalone]

21. One of the ways Berry

made money was he didn't have his own band, he always hired local talent as his band for the night. He also expected promoters to pay in cash which is why he had numerous meetings with IRS tax collectors.

I don't know who played with him the night I saw him but he was terrific.

[Javaman]

25. Yeah, he would just show up with his guitar and amp! nt

[thelordofhell]

27. Here's The Video..........

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

14. Hate to sound this ignorant. But I thought he'd passed away. Kick for a living legend. nt

[Samantha]

26. Perhaps you are thinking of Chuck Brown who passed away a few months ago

My favorite CD of his is "The Other Side" which he recorded with Eva Cassidy (absolutely loved her). I tried to find the video of them singing "Let the Good Times Roll" but could only find this for free:

Check it out -- you will probably really like it.

Sam

PS I have an autographed copy and it is one of my treasures. I love Chuck Berry as well. Two great ones!

[Tom Ripley]

17. The King has spoken

[Odin2005]

18. Just started playing some 50's rock on AccuRadio in his honor!

[TheNaimSadik]

19. Spam deleted by NRaleighLiberal (MIR Team)

[Historic NY]

20. Chuck Berry great musician.....

people need to see who backed him go look......

[Faygo Kid]

22. Just the best.

My second concert, after an incredibly young Bob Segar.

[Gman]

23. And to think it all started with his cousin Marvin making a phone call!

[Javaman]

24. Many years ago, I saw him play his 60th Birthday party with Ron Wood.

I will never ever forget that show.

And when he duck walked the place went nuts.

If you ever get a chance listen to his song, "In the wee wee hours".

Yeah, he has a rep of being a tightwad and has anger issues, but given all that he has to put up with from Sun Records screwing him and Alan Fried screwing him, can you blame him?

Go Go Chuck!

[Left Coast2020]

28. Met him in 78/79 in L.A.

I was walking in restruant on Sunset, he was going out. Knew it was him instantly. Very cordial dude. As a matter of fact, it was near a recording studio that was owned (as I was told) by Frank Zappa.