h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Chuck Berry-Songwriter and Musician - A16298634
Author: Pamela7416-Friendly Welsh Dragon - U235511

Chuck Berry recently celebrated his 80th
Birthday.I was surprised to see that
there is not an entry here about his
life and musical career.
So, I have created this, hoping to show
at least a part of his contribution to
Rock'n 'roll music.

"Chuck Berry was the creator of Rock'n'roll music'

Um, no.

Ike Turner is credited as the author of the first rock and roll single, "Rocket 88".

Thanks for submitting this, Pamela - as you say there's a chuck-berry-shaped hole in the Edited Guide, and this looks like it's a good fit.

I think you've balanced it really well, and mentioned all the hits I can think of (incidentally, isn't 'School Day' two words in the title? Having said that, I had the ACDC version which was 'School Days' - maybe you can confirm.)

I'll have a closer look at grammar and stuff after others have commented.

Icy

hi. Tonsil revenge is right about Rocket 88 being an earlier recording,in 1951. but Chuck Berry was writing and performing locally in 1942. There are others like Little Richard who had earlier recordings than Chuck including Bill Hayley. So, I will change it to Chuck Berry was one of the pioneers of Rock'n'Roll. ,if that's
Hi Tony. School Day should be two words according to the Guinness Book of Hit Singles. I'll sort that out.
Pamela

Hi Pamela
Great stuff! I always like seeing local boys make the news

Your entry would be easier for others to read if you could tweak your GuideML a bit, like this:
Instead of using tags, put tags around each paragraph -

Charles Edward Anderson Berry... ...two older and three younger.
His earliest experience... ...on the family's radio.

and so on. Also, put tags around the paragraph before your first header.

I also have a couple of suggestions for a bit of local flavour -

You've mentioned his high school years, then later say he performed at Sumner Hill High School with Tommy Stevens. Did Berry attend Sumner Hill? I know it's trivial, but for some reason St Louisans are obsessed with where people attended high school. It would be a nice touch if the information is available.

Berry's estate is in Wentzville, there's an edited guide entry here: A13392614. I assume it's the same estate he purchased in the 1960s, but it's definitely where he lives now when he's not touring.
You can add links to other guide entries just like other websites, like this:
Wentzville
There are several other entries you can link to, but it's usually easiest to look for them last when you're sure the text is more or less done.

The club Berry performs in Blueberry Hill, the foremost blues bar in St Louis and quite famous in the region, not just for Berry's performances. http://www.blueberryhill.com/

You've made a couple of passing references to discrimination he encountered over the course of his career, but given his stature as a performer and the times in which he rose to prominence there must be more. Were there other significant episodes besides the Tennessee booking? Did his experiences with segregation show up anywhere in his songwriting?

Hi Milos, I will sort out the tags. Will mention Wentzille and put a link, and put the Blueberry hill link. Also found an entry here about Alan Freed and a long entry about The Civil Rights Movement, which I can include, although, surprisingly, Chuck doesn't mention any involement in that. He tried to intigrate the races with his'mixed' Club Bandstand and Berry Park was also 'mixed'.
Iv'e taken my information from his biography and he wrote it almost 20 years ago, I don't have too much up to date information, apart from his website, that I know is accurate, he doesn't give many interviews.
He did attend Sumner Hill High School,I'll clear that up.
One song that was influenced by the racial situation was Johnny B Goode. It was originally written as'coloured boy' not 'country boy'
Chuck changed it as he thought it would seem biased to white fans. His Great-grandfather actually did live in a log cabin in New Orleans. Also Brown-eyed Handsome Man is about a coloured man. Most of his songs are about his life. but he doesn't always make it obvious what colour the people in the songs are.
There were many other incidents when segregation caused problems. I mainly concentrated on the musical side of his life, but I could mention a few more. I know it can still be a difficult subject, and I didn't want to get too far into that sort of argument. especially as Chuck and his music has brought people together,but I do realise that it did affect his life.
Pamela

Hi. I've made a few small changes and put the links in. I've used the English spelling of colour and theatre , but in the building name Fox theater, I've spelt it like that because that's how it is on the sign. I think it's all now. Pamela

I like the content and we do need to plug a chuck berry whole in the guide,

I think if you could read through carfully and have a look at some places where spaces have vanished or typos, it would help us in PR review it

Hi. I have checked it and put in a link to the Montreux Jazz Festival. I did put white lines between the paragraphs on the Edit page, but I'm using a Internet T.V Set-top Box. (web-TV) and they keep disappearing. abouut that.

If there are any entries here you want to link to, you are welcome to. I found one entry here about Saint louis, but it's not edited and the writer seems to be still working on it.Pamela

Nice Entry Pamela, is everyone happy with this Entry?

Emmily

It's looking good.

It's going in; well done.

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

COngratulations!

Everyone. Pamela

Sorry I missed this one in PR - back in 1972 my claim to fame is that I sang backing vocals on Chuck Berry's biggest British hit.

Not so impressive as it sounds when you realise his biggest hit in the UK was My Ding A Ling - yes I was one of the idiots bellowing along in the background of the record.

A great night and a fantastic concert.

Hi Mckay.I saw Chuck in Cardiff in 1992. He was still great then, but he had a problem with the piano. He stopped during a couple of the songs, went to the piano ,and said it was out of tune.
Saint David's Hall holds a lot of classical concerts with full orchestras and large Welsh choirs , so maybe the sound was not right for a solo performer. I'm no musician, but it sounded O.K. to me. Pamela

Hi Pamela,

I've been given your fantastic entry to subedit, and the result is at A17524523. If you spot anything that needs attention, please drop me a note.

SchrEck Inc.

HI. I've had a quick look through. It seems to be all I'll check it through properly tonight. Pamela

Hi Again SchrEck.
Everything's checked alright. Can you put in this link to Johnnie Jonson please. http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=1147 Pamela