Chuck Berry, 90, announces first album in 38 years

[Suzanimal]

Roll over Frank Ocean and tell Beyoncé the news. Chuck Berry proved that the surprise album announcement is not solely the preserve of young artists when he announced the release of his first album in 38 years.

The rock’n’roll legend picked his 90th birthday, on Tuesday, to reveal details of his new album, Chuck. Released on the Nashville-based label Dualtone, the album is the belated follow-up to Rock It, which came out in 1979.

Details of the record were scanty, but a statement said that it would consist mainly of new material written and produced by Berry. It was recorded in St Louis, the musician’s hometown.

Berry dedicated the album to his wife of 58 years, Thelmetta, implying that it would be his last. “This record is dedicated to my beloved Toddy,” the singer said in his statement. “My darlin’ I’m growing old! I’ve worked on this record for a long time. Now I can hang up my shoes!”

Chuck also features Berry’s children, Charles Berry Jr and Ingrid, on guitar and harmonica. Charles said: “What an honor to be part of this new music. The St Louis band, or as dad called us ‘the Blueberry Hill Band,’ fell right into the groove and followed his lead. These songs cover the spectrum from hard driving rockers to soulful thought provoking time capsules of a life’s work.”

The album will be released next year.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...st-in-38-years

[oyarde]

Excellent . I had Rock It , love the album cover .

[oyarde]

Now I need to put some on . something like Bring Another Drink , Carol , Got My Mojo Working ,Guitar Boogie , No Money Down , Lets Boogie , Its My Own Business , I'm A Rocker , Ramona Say Yes , Roll Over Beethoven , Thirty Days , Woodpecker ....

[Zippyjuan]

Don't think he tours anymore. Somebody I would have liked to have seen in concert. Along with Bo Diddly and Johnny Lee Hooker. Did get to see Ray Charles and James Brown.

[PursuePeace]

oh man... I read the title of this too fast...

No wonder I was so confused.



Attachment 5297

Must stop skimming thread titles.
This always happens to me.

[The Northbreather]

Don't think he tours anymore. Somebody I would have liked to have seen in concert. Along with Bo Diddly and Johnny Lee Hooker. Did get to see Ray Charles and James Brown.

He plays in St. Louis all the time...

[oyarde]

He played @ Blueberry Hill every month until he turned 88 , I do not know if he does anymore . He played there 1996 - 2014 , last I heard he was not planning on driving over ( from Ladue and Wentzville) in the winter of 2014 & 2015 in the bitter cold . He was born and raised in St Louis and still lives there .

[John F Kennedy III]

Epic.

[oyarde]

Everybody should check out the Duck Room @ Blueberry Hill , as far as I know they still have live shows a few nights a week .

[Zippyjuan]

He played @ Blueberry Hill every month until he turned 88 , I do not know if he does anymore . He played there 1996 - 2014 , last I heard he was not planning on driving over ( from Ladue and Wentzville) in the winter of 2014 & 2015 in the bitter cold . He was born and raised in St Louis and still lives there .

"Touring" for Chuck Berry usually meant grabbing his guitar, tossing it into the back of his Cadillac and driving himself from venue to venue by himself. He would use local players to back him up- one night in New Jersey some guy named Bruce Springsteen got to play with Chuck. Jerry Lee Lewis was also on the bill and is another who would have been fun to see live.

Chuck Berry and Bruce Springsteen at Cole Field House

Here's a blog post and contemporary review of Chuck Berry's performance with Bruce Springsteen at the Cole Field House in 1972 or 1973. Of course my favorite version is the one Daryl Davis-- who snuck in as a kid and watched it all from backstage-- shared with GoHeadOn a couple of years ago. Davis explained how everyone was in a panic because Chuck hadn't arrived:

He walked toward where I was standing a few feet from the band. As he passed me, I didn’t say a word, I just watched him. He laid the guitar case down on an amp crate and opened it up. The bandleader approached him with the rest of the band and said something to the effect of, “I’m Bruce Springsteen and my band is your backup band. We’re really looking forward to playing with you.” At the time, few people outside of Asbury Park, NJ knew who Bruce Springsteen was. Chuck shook hands and Bruce went on to tell him that they had been going over some of his repertoire earlier and asked what songs he might want to play that evening. Without pausing or missing a beat, Chuck said, “I think I’ll play some Chuck Berry songs,” and walked on stage and plugged in his guitar. It was a great concert. When he came off stage, he packed up his guitar but had forgotten the cord. The audience was screaming for an encore. Chuck walked back onto the stage and the crowd thinking he was going to play another song cheered even louder. He pulled the cord out of the amp waved to the crowd and duckwalked off the stage. He walked right by me again and again, I didn’t say a word. I was just in awe. He went out the door and got in the rental car and drove himself to wherever he was going.

Springsteen's first album, "Greetings from Asbury Park" was released in 1973 so this was just before then.

[Zippyjuan]

He played @ Blueberry Hill every month until he turned 88 , I do not know if he does anymore . He played there 1996 - 2014 , last I heard he was not planning on driving over ( from Ladue and Wentzville) in the winter of 2014 & 2015 in the bitter cold . He was born and raised in St Louis and still lives there .

Looks like last time was August, 2014. He was playing a club in London in 1987 when I was there and should have gone.

[oyarde]

Looks like last time was August, 2014. He was playing a club in London in 1987 when I was there and should have gone.

A few years before that I was there , I meet Charlie Watts in a jazz place .

[Bruehound]

Best lyrics in the history of Rock N Roll

"We boogied in the kitchen..
we boogied in the hall,
I got some on my finger so i wiped it on the wall ..."

- Chuck Berry

[Chester Copperpot]

Don't think he tours anymore. Somebody I would have liked to have seen in concert. Along with Bo Diddly and Johnny Lee Hooker. Did get to see Ray Charles and James Brown.

Im going to have to give Chuck another call.. Last time I called him up he wasnt there but Bo Diddly answered the phone.. he got pretty annoyed too.. hahah

[oyarde]

Best lyrics in the history of Rock N Roll

"We boogied in the kitchen..
we boogied in the hall,
I got some on my finger so i wiped it on the wall ..."

- Chuck Berry

Reelin' and Rockin' . He knows a little somethin' about Making America Great Again.

[Zippyjuan]

Chuck at 88 in 2014:

[Anti Federalist]

It was recorded in St Louis, the musician’s hometown.

Berry dedicated the album to his wife of 58 years, Thelmetta, implying that it would be his last. “This record is dedicated to my beloved Toddy,” the singer said in his statement. “My darlin’ I’m growing old! I’ve worked on this record for a long time. Now I can hang up my shoes!”

And then he died.



Hopefully everything but the final mixing and production is completed, and we'll still see the LP this year.