Chuck Berry

Without a doubt the most influential of the early rock ’n’ roll figures and the man most responsible for popularizing the genre’s signature guitar sound and 4/4 beat, Chuck Berry penned hits that created the template for The Beatles, The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones, songs like “Johnny B. Goode,” “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Maybellene.” As the decades wore on, Berry became more infamous for his legal problems than his new output, and in 1979 he released his final studio LP, a respectable effort called Rockit. In the 30 years since, Berry, now 83, has continued to perform, but shows outside his native St. Louis have become increasingly rare, so tonight could be one of your few chances to catch this legend.