Johnny B. Gone

Right about the time I was discovering there was just a little more to rock and roll than top 40 radio and beginning to dig a little bit into its history, my father introduced me to one Chuck Berry.  My father had no qualms with Elvis Presley, but, to him, Chuck Berry was the shit--he was an exciting guitar player, he bopped along to his duck walk, and he projected that rock and roll aura that had set up its permanent residence in Coolsville.

Chuck Berry died today at the age of 90, and I'm not sure how many people realize what a rock and roll icon he was.  He was listed as the fifth greatest rock artist of all-time by Rolling Stone, he was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the rock and roll highway is literally littered with Chuck Berry singles, and it's impossible to overstate the precedent he set for every guitar hero to come, from Eric Clapton to Jack White, and from Jimi Hendrix to Eddie Van Halen.

And not only that, he's the only rock and roll artist to have his music sent out upon a space ship (Voyager) in the hope that alien civilizations, should they exist, be also able to marvel at the wonder that was Chuck Berry.

And for the record, yes, yes he could play a guitar just like a ringing a bell....

Godspeed, Mr. Berry, godspeed.

They don't get much better than this one:

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee