BARRY LEVINE: Chuck Berry about to set another rock superstar milestone

Among the superstars from the early years of the modern rock ‘n’ roll era who have died are Buddy Holly, 23, in 1959; Ritchie Valens, 17, in 1959; The Big Bopper, 28, in 1959; Eddie Cochran, 21, in 1960; Bobby Darin, 37, in 1973; Elvis Presley, 43, in 1977; Bill Haley, 55, in 1981; Jackie Wilson, 49, in 1984; Ricky Nelson, 45, in 1985, and Ray Charles, 73, in 2004.

Among the pre-Beatles stars still rockin’ are Fats Domino, 88; Little Richard, 84; Dion and Connie Francis, 77; Frankie Avalon, 76; Paul Anka and Chubby Checker, 75; Bobby Rydell, 74, and Brenda Lee 71.

These rock superstars have one thing in common: None has reached age 90.

That void will end on Oct. 18 when Chuck Berry, one of the true founding fathers of rock ‘n’ roll, will celebrate his 90th birthday. He will become the second rock ‘n’ roller to reach the milestone.

Dick Boccelli, known in rock circles as Dick Richards, was an original member of Bill Haley & The Comets and was a drummer and background singer with the band from 1953 to 1955. He celebrated his 92nd birthday earlier this year. However, he cannot be classified as a superstar.

He currently lives in Branson, Mo., and plays drums with the Comets at different venues in the town. He was with the group in 1954 when it recorded the iconic “Rock Around the Clock.”

A St. Louis native and life-long resident, Berry struggled early in his career and did not have a Top 40 hit until he was 29, which is when “Maybellene” climbed to No. 5 on the pop chart and No.1 on the R&B chart in 1955.

This was the first of his 13 Top 40 hits.

“Maybellene” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its “influence as a rock ‘n’ roll record,” and it also ignited one of the greatest careers in rock ‘n’ roll history.

The master of the “Duck Walk,” Berry regularly had Top 40 hits from 1956 to 1959, charting with “Roll Over Beethoven” and “School Day” in 1956, “Rock and Roll Music” in 1957, “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “Johnny B. Goode” and “Carol” in 1958, and “Almost Grown” and “Back in the U.S.A.” in 1959.

He disappeared from the charts from 1960 through 1963 after he was convicted in January 1962 and sentenced to three years in prison after violating the Mann Act for taking a 14-year-old girl across state lines for immoral purposes. He served 20 months.

That was Berry’s second of three skirmishes with the law. He served 2½ years from 1947 to 1950 in a reformatory school for committing armed robbery while in high school. In 1979, he served 120 days for federal income tax evasion.

Berry’s career rebounded in 1964 when he had a pair of Top 40 hits: “No Particular Place to Go” and “Nadine.”

He notched his only No. 1 hit in 1972 when “My Ding-A-Ling” rose to the top of the charts. That became his biggest-selling single.

Berry’s fame is truly interstellar. He has toured throughout the world for a half-century. And in 1977, a recording of “Johnny B. Goode” was placed aboard the Voyager space probe and fired into the cosmos. That vessel has left the Earth’s solar system and is now traveling through deep space.

Here’s what some rock ‘n’ roll superstars were quoted as saying about Berry.

The Beatles’ John Lennon: “If you tried to give rock ‘n’ roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry.’”

Stevie Wonder: “There’s only one true king of rock ‘n’ roll. His name is Chuck Berry.”

Jerry Lee Lewis: “My mama said, ‘You and Elvis are pretty good, but you’re no Chuck Berry.’”

Smokey Robinson: “Chuck Berry is most certainly the inspiration for all of today’s rock ‘n’ roll guitarists. His music is timeless.”

The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards: “To me, Chuck Berry always was the epitome of rhythm and blues playing rock and roll. It was beautiful, effortless, and his timing was perfection. He is rhythm supreme. He plays that lovely double-string stuff, which I got down a long time ago, but I’m still getting the hang of. Later I realized why he played that way – because of the sheer physical size of the guy. I mean, he makes one of those big Gibson guitars look like a ukulele!”

This week in rock history — “Hit The Road Jack” became Ray Charles’ second song to top the pop chart on Oct. 9, 1961. “”Georgia on My Mind” was the Albany native’s first in 1960. … “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley entered the charts on Oct. 10, 1956, for a 19- week stay. It was No. 1 for five of those weeks. Dionne Warwick was awarded her first Gold record on Oct. 11, 1968, for Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “I Say a Little Prayer.” It peaked at No. 4. “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs hit the top of the charts on Oct. 12, 1963. It became the best-selling record of the year.

Little Anthony & The Imperials had their biggest hit with their first Top 40 entry “Tears On My Pillow” on Oct. 13, 1958. It climbed to No. 4. Although it was banned by some radio stations for its suggestive lyrics, The Everly Brothers’ “Wake Up Little Susie” reached the top of the charts on Oct. 14, 1957. Although they would continue to crank out the hits into the 1980s, The Four Tops enjoyed their last No. 1 song with “Reach Out I’ll Be There” on Oct. 15, 1966.

Barry “The Old Rocker” Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].