This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, July 29, 2011 - Chuck Berry was named to the inaugural class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His song "Johnnie B. Goode" was included on a disc sent into deep space on the Voyager spacecraft as a prime symbol of our planet's culture. And playing Berry's music has become a touchstone, a foundation and an apprenticeship for any aspiring rock and roller for the past half a century.
But judging by his reaction Friday after he was asked to speak at the dedication of his statue in the Delmar Loop, Chuck Berry appeared to be moved as much by this most recent honor as any he has received in his lifetime.
Berry began by telling the large crowd of approximately a thousand that had gathered on a blocked off section of Delmar from Leland to Westgate that he was honored they would stand in the heat for him at this event. He promised the crowd that his remarks would be short because of the temperature, which was already in the 90s by 10:30 a.m. And he was true to his word.
"I don't know how to speak," said Berry. "But I can sing a little bit. I love you all. Thank You."
And with that, he waved to the crowd and touched the familiar yacht hat that's been his choice of headgear for decades.
But other speakers - from University City officials and KMOX radio host Charlie Brennan and Blueberry Hill owner Joe Edwards (both instrumental in making the eight-foot sculpture of Berry a reality) to sculptor Harry Weber and numerous musical stars who added pre-recorded audio comments - all had plenty of praise for Berry.
Edwards touched on Berry's immense impact on American culture. Brennan referenced the magnitude of Berry's musical contributions to generations of legendary musicians, from rock bands such as the Beatles and Rolling Stones to performers in other genres. And he backed up his statements with audio quotes from the likes of Elvis Costello, Michael McDonald, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Little Richard and country superstar Merle Haggard.
Costello saw the University City statue as just the beginning, calling for "... statues of Chuck in every city and town he's ever sung about."
Little Richard labeled Berry as "... the greatest entertainer in the world," and Perry stated, "... jamming with Chuck berry on his 80th birthday was the highlight of my career."
Plenty of Berry's music was performed prior to and during the dedication ceremony. Local band Blues Plus entertained the crowd during breaks in Brennan's live KMOX broadcast leading up to the ceremony. The Show me Sound Drumline kicked the dedication off be marching through the crowd up to the podium, and the Galilee Mission Baptist Church Choir went secular with a version of Berry's "School Days" to intro Brennan.
And as Berry ended the dedication with his thanks to the crowd, vocalists and the band led the crowd in a version of "Johnnie B. Goode," and invited everyone up to dance in front of the podium in front of banks of TV cameras and photographers capturing the occasion.
Despite some early opposition to the Berry statue, no protesters appeared to be present either before or during the ceremony. And if any protestors had shown up afterward, there was no possible way they could compete with the irresistible beat of "Johnnie B. Goode" - and the smiling faces of those dancing to honor the father of rock and roll.
Terry Perkins is a freelance writer whose coverage has long included music.