© Eric Gaillard / ReutersChuck Berry
Berry's death was confirmed by the St. Charles Police Department who issued a statement Saturday explaining the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the musician's body.
First responders were called to a medical emergency on Buckner Road, Missouri, at 12:40 pm local time, on Saturday. There, the medical team found an unresponsive man and "immediately administered lifesaving techniques".
"Unfortunately, the 90-year-old man could not be revived and was pronounced deceased at 1:26 p.m," the statement read.
"The St Charles County Police Department sadly confirms the death of Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr., better known as legendary musician Chuck Berry," the police department added.
"The family requests privacy during this time of bereavement."
A renowned pioneer of Rock 'n Roll in the 50s, Berry wrote numerous hits including 'Maybellene', 'Roll Over Beethoven', 'Rock and Roll Music' and 'Johnny B. Goode'.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1926, Berry was instrumental in combining rhythm and blues with rock and roll. John Lennon famously once said: "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry.'"
Berry stands at number 6 on Rolling Stone's list of '100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time', received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 1984, and was one of the first musicians inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
Berry was married to Themetta Berry for 68 years and the couple share four children.
Reader Comments
It looked like some cinematic wrinkle was used when Johnnie Johnson's wonderful piano bridge came up, and of course Johnnie didn't travel a lot with Chuck, except to the recording studio.
I think it was Bill Wyman who wrote in his book that once when Chuck was playing in UK the Stones went to see him, but they couldn't find him anywhere in his hotel. Then at one point they pushed the button to the elevator door, it opened, and there stood Chuck! All the Stones began making a fuss over him, but Chuck silently reached out and punched the button, the doors closed and he was gone. Of course he later mellowed a little and he and Keith became close buds. In fact, Keith Richards is Chuck's most prominent musical exponents today and has been all his life. I grew up listening to Chuck and am so sorry I never saw him live. RIP Chuck--and Johnnie.