ST. LOUIS 鈥 Inside The Pageant concert hall, the late Chuck Berry was remembered on Sunday for changing the music landscape and keeping worldwide fame planted in his hometown.
鈥淗e is one of America鈥檚 greatest rock 鈥檔鈥 roll pioneers,鈥 former President Bill Clinton said in a letter read by Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. 亚洲无码. 鈥淗e captivated audiences around the world. His music spoke to the hopes and dreams we all had in common. Me and Hillary grew up listening to him.鈥 Berry played at both of Clinton鈥檚 inaugurations.
As the private service for Berry got underway after a morning of public viewing, the Rev. Alex I. Peterson told the crowd that the famed Pageant would, for the day, become a house of worship.
鈥淲e are going to celebrate him in a rock 鈥檔鈥 roll style. We鈥檙e not going to sit here and be sad,鈥 Peterson said.
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Berry, regarded as one of the most influential figures in American popular music, died at his home near Wentzville March 18 at age 90.
He was born Charles Edward Anderson Berry on Oct. 18, 1926, in his family鈥檚 home at 2520 Goode Avenue in the Ville neighborhood of north St. 亚洲无码. He first hit it big with 鈥淢aybellene鈥 鈥 his take on the country-swing standard 鈥淚da Red鈥 鈥 and put together a string of hits including 鈥淪chool Days,鈥 Roll Over Beethoven,鈥 鈥淛ohnny B. Goode,鈥 鈥淣o Particular Place to Go鈥 and 鈥淢y Ding-a-Ling.鈥
St. 亚洲无码 Mayor-elect Lyda Krewson, an alderman representing the area of the Pageant, read a proclamation from Francis Slay, who is winding down his fourth term as mayor.
Slay lauded Berry for never straying far from home and for continually showing his love for St. 亚洲无码 by performing regularly at the Duck Room, a small venue inside the Blueberry Hill restaurant.
鈥淗is Duck Room shows brought thousands to the [Delmar] Loop, and they came back and they came back,鈥 Krewson said, referring to the popular entertainment strip that runs through University City and St. 亚洲无码.
Rock 鈥檔鈥 roll royalty
But his influence went far beyond St. 亚洲无码. Berry recorded on Chess Records, co-founded by Leonard Chess. His son, Marshall Chess, recounted his father鈥檚 stories about Berry, including when those at the label heard Berry鈥檚 鈥溾 for the first time.
鈥淭hat was the beginning of rock 鈥檔鈥 roll,鈥 Marshall Chess said. 鈥淢ake no doubt about it. He was not only the father of rock 鈥檔鈥 roll, but he changed the world.鈥
Berry was among the first people inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Joel Peresman, president of the rock hall鈥檚 foundation, told the crowd: 鈥淔rom the first brick, everything that was built was based on Chuck Berry.鈥
Rock 鈥檔鈥 roll royalty sent words of comfort. A message was read from Paul McCartney, who apologized for not being able to attend but thanked Berry for his contributions to music. Little Richard, who was initially scheduled to appear, sent his condolences. The Rolling Stones sent flowers. Gene Simmons of Kiss spent most of the service standing in the back of the hall but was encouraged by organizers to speak.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 planning on saying anything,鈥 said Simmons, who was wearing his trademark sunglasses. 鈥淭hese shades are going to help me a lot. But there are real tears behind them.鈥
Simmons talked about coming to the United States from Israel as a child in 1958 and hearing Berry on the radio.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 dance. But I moved like I was a Baptist in church,鈥 Simmons said.
Paul Shaffer, former band leader for David Letterman, created a buzz as he made his way through the crowd looking for his VIP credentials. Shaffer said that Berry was 鈥渞ight there with the folks who invented rock 鈥檔鈥 roll. Anyone who plays rock 鈥檔鈥 roll was inspired by him.鈥
Post-Dispatch pop music writer talks with outside 's funeral at
— Christian Gooden (@pd_shutterspeed)
Fans pay tribute
The day of goodbyes started with the public viewing, with some fans arriving as early as 5 a.m. to be the first in the door to walk by the open casket.
鈥淗e looks real good,鈥 said Diane Walton, 55, of Sikeston, Mo., as she looked down at the music legend. 鈥淚鈥檇 always wanted to see him in person, but this is the only chance I got.鈥 Growing up, she would see him and other stars such as Tina Turner perform on TV, a young girl struck by people who looked like her, succeeding and bringing people together with music.
As fans stood in line for the public viewing, some cried. Others reached out toward the casket. One man knelt to pray. Many . Many were recollections of his frequent concerts at the Duck Room.
Dexter Louden was the set-up guy for Berry鈥檚 200 shows at the Duck Room, making sure everything was working properly and Berry had everything he needed.
鈥淚 always brought him chicken wings and orange juice before the show,鈥 said Louden, 60, of Berkeley.
Sitting through all the shows, 鈥淚 knew every string, every instrument, every chord,鈥 Louden said. 鈥淗e was a character.鈥
Lovey Davis, 53, of St. 亚洲无码, said she was at the viewing to represent Sumner High School, from which she and Berry both graduated.
鈥淗e鈥檚 part of our family,鈥 Davis said, standing in line with her sister Nancy Davis, 58. The sisters broke into a brief rendition of 鈥淢aybellene,鈥 Berry鈥檚 first hit song.
As John Herget walked toward the casket Sunday morning, he talked about hanging out at his father鈥檚 garage in St. 亚洲无码. He was 8 when he saw a guitar in the back of one of the cars his father was working on. A man standing behind him said: 鈥淵ou wanna learn to play?鈥
鈥淲ell, sure,鈥 Herget said to Berry. It was 1968. Berry had already soared to fame, run into trouble with the law, and was back to hit-making again. But all Herget remembers is a guy who ended up giving him guitar lessons. Then a guitar.
Herget, 58, now performs in Branson. He credits his music career to that fateful day at his father鈥檚 garage.
Security was tight. Guards wanded fans as they entered, and the crowd was repeatedly told: 鈥淣o photos allowed.鈥 Visitors were encouraged, however, to sign one of three guest books at the entrance. The line to get in wrapped around the side of the Pageant but was moving smoothly through the morning, a four-hour opportunity for fans to pay respects. Although the afternoon service was private, up to 300 tickets were issued to the public on a first-come basis.
Berry鈥檚 casket lay on the floor of the concert hall, just in front of the stage, flanked by large sprays of flowers 鈥 including one in the shape of a guitar, sent by The Rolling Stones. A red electric guitar hung from the lid of the mahogany casket above Berry, who was in a white suit, purple sequined shirt and his trademark captain鈥檚 hat. Several family members were either dressed in purple or wore purple accents.
Guitar floral arrangement from the Rolling Stones at Chuck Berry public viewing
— Kevin C. Johnson (@kevincjohnson)
Joe Edwards, who owns the Pageant and Blueberry Hill, arrived for the service in a navy pinstripe suit with red sequined shirt. He said he bought the shirt 25 years ago but had never worn it until Sunday, knowing that it would someday be a fitting tribute when he said goodbye to his longtime friend for the last time. On Saturday night, Edwards led a toast at Blueberry Hill honoring Berry.
The service, which stretched more than three hours, included Johnny Rivers performing 鈥淏lue Suede Blues." Two of Berry鈥檚 grandchildren sang 鈥淪ummertime,鈥 and a few of Berry鈥檚 band members brought a concert feel to the Pageant with their rendition of 鈥淛ohnny B. Goode鈥, culminating with longtime Berry musician Billy Peek duck-walking across the stage.
鈥淚 was always proud I was considered his mentee,鈥 Peek had said earlier through tears. 鈥淓verything that happened good to me musically goes back to Chuck Berry.鈥