Chuck Berry - one of rock's greatest guitarists?

What a great lyricist Chuck Berry was. Like his guitar playing, Chuck made writing excellent songs look effortless.

"Nadine" being just one example of Chuck's ability to turn a phrase that would make Mick Jagger or Elvis Costello jealous.

I saw her from the corner when she turned and doubled back
And started walkin toward a coffee colored Cadillac
I was pushin through the crowd to get to where she's at
And I was campaign shouting like a southern diplomat.

 

All my favorite guitarists are all about simplicity, feel and a personal style. I have no interest in histrionics or flash. And Chuck was great in all those ways, and probably influenced every other guitarist I love. Truly a revolutionary and one of the all time greats. I love his playing.

And I second all those that say his songwriting was even better than his guitar playing. Hail hail rock 'n roll.

 

If he isn't one of the greats, I really don't know who is. His sound is the cornerstone of rock music.

 

Depends on how you define ‘average’.
He created a whole new language of the guitar.

 

To me, an overlooked skill of his is timing. He played with a swing that draws you in. Pick up your own guitar, and try his easiest licks. Really hard to get it right.

It's the same timing skill that he brought to his vocals.

 

Chuck's influence is more wide ranging than some might imagine:

 

His playing is pretty hard to copy too.
He may have only had a handful of trademark licks, but to replicate them the way Chuck did,
is near impossible.
Only Chuck could sound like Chuck.
So many of us players have listenened and studied and tried to emulate him, and we just never get it.
Even Keith Richards got 'told off' for not playing Chuck's stuff right.

 

not sure how many of you have heard goree carter from houston--i sure bet chuck did

check this track from 1949---sure sounds like chuck styled rock and roll to me

 

This old thread you folks might find interesting:
Roots of Chuck Berry's Famous Riff

 

Yes, I agree. He created something great, had a huge influence on rock n roll, and it's a beautiful thing. I want his playing to be great (and it is on some early records) but in general - and especially live - he could sound clunky and awkward. I think others play his style better.

 

And Chuck really wants you to get it right. Look at the hard time he gave Keith Richards in ' Hail Hail Rock and Roll ' when Keith was playing the intro to ' Carol ' (?)

 

Chuck Berry was not only one of the greatest guitarists, but one of the greatest songwriters, and (especially) one of the greatest lyricists in the history of rock.

 

i doubt anyone who plays rock and roll guitar would dispute the pivotal role of chuck berry in the creation of the style. he's like the sun who everyone else circles around. he did sound sloppy upon occasion, but it doesn't matter, his guitar playing forged a pathway for almost everyone else who followed.

 

I can't agree with that statement. The Beatles didn't fully blossom until McCartney began playing the bass.

 

and he invented words---coolerator and jet offtake to mention just two...

 

Must agree there, McCartney was not only a great bass player, but probably the best guitar player in the whole group.

 

I'll take Chuck's style over Jimi any day

 

I can't believe we are even debating this. Chuck Berry is one of THE most influential guitarists ever!

 

Chuck Berry wasn't merely a great guitarist, he's one of the most influential musicians in history.

 

Jimi too:

 

Well, to a certain point, I agree.
Yes, he could be quite sloppy.
Once I heard some say that Keith Richards (sloppy too from time to time) ‘Out-Berry’ed Berry’, in terms of the guitar.

 

Nobody....
I mean Nobody!! Can 'Out-Berry'edd' Chuck Berry!!
That's plain silly.

That's like saying someone 'Elvis'ed' out Elvis'.

 

Without Chuck Berry we wouldn't have had guitar players as we know them, and, more important, we wouldn't have had rock n roll as we know and love it. It's almost impossible to name a "guitar god" of the 60s thru the 80s (maybe even up to now) who didn't grow up idolizing Chuck Berry.

 

Technically, a lot of the guitar breaks played in the 50s are out of tune and not really technically great, and that includes Chuck Berry's solos, some of which make me wince because of the bad intonation on his rig--he had nothing like the Tune-O-Matic bridges & electronic guitar tuners of today to work with.

Hell, the fact that a poor young black man from St. Louis had an electric guitar & an amp AND a recording contract with the mighty Chess Reocords was a miracle in itself.

But he opened the door for a lot of youngsters who saw for the 1st time the almost endless possibilities of what an electric guitar could do. I'm not sure even Les Paul or Django Reinhardt even had a comparable wave of influence that could compare.

 

Two more wonderful and incredible influential greats right there!