Charles Edward Anderson Berry was born on 18 October 1926, in St. Louis, Missouri USA, and under his stage name of Chuck Berry is recognised as one of the founders of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950s, and subsequently being in the first group of musicians to be inducted into the Rock ‘n‘ Roll Hall of Fame when it opened in 1986. He passed away in March 2017.
So just how rich was Chuck Berry? Sources estimate that Chuck managed to become financially successful and raise a net worth of over $20 million, earned from his involvement in the music industry over more than 60 years, significant in itself.
Chuck Berry Net Worth $20 Million
Chuck Berry was interested in music from early childhood; he never lost his interest, and still performed in his ’80s. However, before starting his music career, Chuck worked at an automobile construction plant, but his job didn’t get in the way of the singer focusing more and more on music; his early inspiration was the style of T-Bone Walker, and when he moved to Chicago, he became good buddies with Muddy Waters who encouraged his friend to contact Leonard Chess, really useful because the director of Chess Records helped Chuck to record his first songs. However, for several years he and many contemporary black performers suffered from at least underlying racism in the US, except for strong support from such as producer Dick Clark and DJ Casey Kasem, but was welcomed with open arms in the UK and other European countries.
Chuck Berry can rightfully be called one of the pioneers, the fathers of rock ‘n’ roll music; hits such as ’’Maybellene’’, “Roll Over Beethoven”, “Johnny B. Goode” and his only actual number one hit, the somewhat controversial ‘‘My Ding-a-Ling“ among many others, gained Chuck worldwide recognition, as he helped to develop and promote a new style of music – this was certainly the biggest of his achievements and for which he will always be remembered, and which contributed consistently to his net worth over more than 60 years.
Of course, Chuck Berry wasn’t only a singer; but also a gifted guitarist and songwriter. Not only were the lyrics of his own songs very innovative, for example concerning teenagers’ problems, but he also didn’t mind being a judge for the whole of society, for example criticizing its commercialisation. Back then in the 50s, Chuck’s influence in evolving styles of music, in particular rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm and blues, was significant, and led to the creation of the basis for contemporary rock music. Chuck Berry’s name stands proudly with other original greats of rock ‘n’ roll – Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Bill Haley to name but a few. He received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 1984.
However, his music career wasn’t the only interesting aspect of Chuck Berry’s life, as his somewhat carefree attitude to life brought him several brushes with the law. In 1944 while still at high school he was sentenced to three years jail for armed robbery. He was also sentenced to three years for transporting a 14 year-old girl across state lines in 1962, and three months for tax evasion in 1979 – jail certainly changed his persona somewhat. However, his private life remained constant and relatively peaceful after he married Themetta “Toddy” Suggs in 1948. Their first child Darlin Ingrid Berry was born in 1950, followed by Melody Exes Berry-Eskridge, Aloha Isa Lei Berry and Charles Edward Berry Jr. It is noticeable that the girls’ names are, like Chuck himself, very original and unusual.
Don’t you think that having such fame and an impressive amount of money in his bank accounts let Chuck Berry lead a royal life? Actually, it seems that he was a pretty simple guy, since his favourite foods were Snickers chocolate bars, orange juice, peaches and beef. Also, his hobbies include chess, softball and highway driving among others. Interestingly, Chuck detested alcohol (quite phenomenal for a music star, right?). However, he was once caught with 62 grams of marijuana, but avoided conviction by donating $5,000 to a local hospital.
No surprise, this musician was still performing very late in his life, but after passing-out in his last massive concert, Berry’s reduced the number of concerts he performed, and chose smaller places, for example a restaurant in Blue Hills, where he performed every month. Chuck Berry passed away at his home in St Louis on 18 March 2017, at the age of 90, apparently of natural causes.
Charles Edward Anderson Berry was an absolutely great inspiration and example of how to become famous, successful and influential having only talent and a dream. With perhaps the ultimate compliment, Beatle John Lennon said – ” If you had to give Rock ‘n’ Roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry.”
