Remembering Chuck Berry One Of Rock And Rolls Pioneers

The Father Of Rock And Roll, Chuck Berry, died on March 18th, 2017, at 90. March 18 guitarist, singer, and songwriter was one of the pioneers of rock and roll music, writing such songs as “Maybellene,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Rock and Roll Music,” and “Johnny B. Goode.” Berry's guitar work developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll unique.

He was born in St. Louis, Berry. His first public performance was at Sumner High School. While still a high school student, they got in some trouble and did some jail time, convicted of armed robbery. After his release in 1947, Berry married and worked at an automobile plant. In 1953, he was honing his craft on the guitar. His break came in Chicago in May 1955 with Muddy Waters, who suggested Leonard Chess to sign Chuck to Chess Records. Rock classics like "Maybellene" sold over a million copies, reaching number one on Billboard magazine's rhythm and blues chart.

By the end of 1956, Chuck was one of the Top acts of that time, and his hit, "Roll Over Beethoven, "was all over the charts. The hits continued from 1957 to 1959, with Berry scoring over a dozen chart singles during this period, including the US Top 10 hits "School Days," "Rock and Roll Music," "Sweet Little Sixteen," and "Johnny B. Goode." In 1964 and 1965, Berry released eight singles, including three commercially successful ones, reaching the top 20.

Chess released a live recording of "My Ding-a-Ling," a novelty song he had recorded. A new generation of fans discovered Chuck Berry's music and took the single to #1.

Chuck sure left his mark around the metro Detroit area, playing everywhere. Venues include The Big Red Barn of Olympia, The Fox Theater, Grande Ballroom, Pine Knob, Cobo Hall, The Pontiac Silverdome, and his last show, Aug 16th, 2009, at the August 16x Plaza in Pontiac, Michigan. Check out Chuck Berry's concerts on his database.

The mix of rhythm & blues left a mark on so many musicians it would be impossible to count them all. Keith Richards once acknowledged he had “lifted every lick” from Berry, the Beatles' George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, and the Who's Pete Townshend. Bob Dylan called Berry “The Shakespeare of rock and roll.”

The funeral of a rock ‘n’ roll pioneer was remembered in a four-hour church service in his hometown of St. Louis, and messages of admiration came from all over the world.

The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations were announced on Feb. 10. Once the 15 nominees were announced, the Rock Hall Fan Vote officially opened.

The 15 nominees are:

-Mary J. Blige
-Mariah Carey
-Cher
-Dave Matthews Band
-Eric B. & Rakim
-Foreigner
-Peter Frampton
-Jane's Addiction
-Kool & the Gang
-Lenny Kravitz
-Oasis
-Sinéad O'Connor
-Ozzy Osbourne
-Sade
-A Tribe Called Quest

Fans can cast their vote once a day at Vote.RockHall.com for who they think should be part of the 2024 Rock Hall induction class. This year, voting was initially announced to last through April 26. However, it abruptly ended on April 15. Even the Instagram post below from the Rock Hall states voting ends on April 26.

However, Future Rock Legends noted on X (formerly Twitter) on March 26, "The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame quietly pushed up the Fan Vote closing date to April 15th. It had previously been set to close on April 26th."

Unlike in previous years, fans got to vote for up to seven nominees every day. Previously, the choices were capped at five nominees.

The Fan Vote was first launched in 2013. Per the Rock Hall, "There have been over four million fan votes cast over the past 10 years, with 64% of the Fan Vote ballot (35 of 55) earning induction in the same year; and 86% (38 of 44 unique nominations) eventually earning induction. In 2022, the entire Top 5 earned induction – the only time that has happened."

Once voting closes, the top seven artists in the Fan Vote will create what is called a "Fans' Ballot." It will be counted among the other ballots that various artists, historians, and music industry professionals fill out and submit.

To see the final standings in the Rock Hall fan vote, keep scrolling. (NOTE: Vote tallies are as of vote closing on April 15, 2024.)

The Rock Hall noted that ten of the 15 nominees are on the ballot for the first time. Those artists are Mariah Carey, Cher, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Lenny Kravitz, Oasis, Sinéad O’Connor, Ozzy Osbourne and Sade.

The 2024 inductees will be announced in late April. This year's induction ceremony will take place in Cleveland. The exact date of the ceremony is currently unknown, but it will take place in the fall. As with last year, the 2024 ceremony will live stream on Disney+. An edited special will air on ABC at a later date, which will be available on Hulu the next day.

In a statement on the 2024 nominees, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation Chairman John Sykes said, "This remarkable list of Nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates. Continuing in the true spirit of Rock & Roll, these artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps."

Kool & the Gang have been eligible for induction since 1995. However, they only received their first Rock Hall nomination in 2024. It's pretty shocking, considering just how many hits are in their catalog. Those hits include "Celebration," "Ladies' Night," "Get Down on It," "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging."

Lenny Kravitz has been eligible for induction since 2014. This is his first nomination. Since debuting in 1989, he's consistently offered up his unique brand of rock to the masses. Some of his biggest hits include "It Ain' Over 'til It's Over," "Again," "Fly Away" and "Are You Gonna Go My Way."

Cher has been eligible for the Rock Hall for over three decades, but 2024 marks her first nomination. Despite her current standing in the Fan Vote, Cher recently bashed the Rock Hall in a December 2023 appearance on [inlink id="cher-nikki-sixx-rock-hall-comments" text="The Kelly Clarkson Show"]. Cher said, "I wouldn't be in it now if they gave me a million dollars ... They can just go you-know-what-themselves."

Currently, The Prince of Darkness is atop the Fan Vote rankings, and it's not a terribly big surprise. He's been one of the most iconic figures in hard rock and metal for over 50 years. This is Osbourne's first Rock Hall nomination as a solo artist, despite being eligible since 2005. Over course, Ozzy has a history of delayed acknowledgment from the Rock Hall. He was inducted as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006, despite being eligible since 1995.

Foreigner has been one of the Rock Hall's most notable snubs over the years. The band has been eligible since 2003, and this is their first nomination. Guitarist/founding member Mick Jones said in response to the nomination, "I deeply appreciate the recognition from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame committee ... Getting this news today is an incredible endorsement of what we have achieved over time."

Similar to Dave Matthews Band, expect Foreigner's fans to really rally and put their support behind these classic rock giants.

Like Foreigner, Peter Frampton has long been overlooked by the Rock Hall. Despite being eligible since 1997(!), 2024 marks Frampton's first Rock Hall nomination. The guitarist candidly told Billboard he was in the bathroom when he learned of his nomination and let out a scream. Frampton said his band leader Rob Arthur came running once he heard him scream.

"He thought something was wrong," said Frampton. "So, anyway, it was a very good day."

This year marks the second Rock Hall nomination for Dave Matthews Band. They were previously nominated in 2020. That year, the band [inlink id="rock-hall-fan-vote-final-totals" text="won the Fan Vote"], but they failed to be inducted. After the 2024 nomination was announced, DMB didn't waste any time to plug the Fan Vote on social media. Considering their enthusiastic fanbase, don't be surprised if Dave Matthews Band rises in the Fan Vote ranks.