Tag Archives: chuck berry

Features, In Memoriam

Reflecting On The 2017 Deaths In Music

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If you’ve been reading the PiercingMetal website for a while then you already know that I occasionally need to share the sad news about deaths in the entertainment world. Historically speaking, I’ve been doing them since the days when I had “PiercingMetal Musings” as a side blog that had not yet been integrated into the main site as you see now. Back then I always felt weird about doing such posts but as much as good news should be announced so should the bad stuff and as a known “voice” for the Metal Scene, I try to keep up on them when the news hits the wire. Now with this being said, there is no way possible for me to address every single one of them based on the size of the team and the time that we have so starting this year I will be doing a larger rundown of many of the names that I think you would know. Some have already been discussed in our “In Memoriam” Features, and those artists will be highlighted so you can examine the longer toast that we did. Let’s start from the beginning of the year and raise a glass to their memories one more time.

January 16, 2017: Steve Wright (66), American power pop bassist and songwriter (The Greg Kihn Band)
January 18, 2017: Mike Kellie (69), British psychedelic rock and power pop drummer (Spooky Tooth, The Only Ones)
January 22, 2017: Pete Overend Watts (69), British glam rock bassist (Mott the Hoople)
January 24, 2017: Butch Trucks (69), American rock drummer (The Allman Brothers Band, Les Brers)
January 28, 2017: Geoff Nicholls (68), British rock musician and keyboardist (Black Sabbath, Quartz)
January 31, 2017: John Wetton (67), British progressive rock singer, bassist, and songwriter (Asia, King Crimson)

February 1, 2017: Robert Dahlqvist (40), Swedish alternative rock guitarist and singer (The Hellacopters, Thunder Express, Dundertåget)
February 4, 2017: Steve Lang (67), Canadian rock bassist (April Wine)
February 8, 2017: Tony Särkkä (44), Swedish black metal multi-instrumentalist
February 12, 2017: Al Jarreau (76), American jazz singer
February 13, 2017: Trish Doan (31), American heavy metal bassist (Kittie) (death announced on this date)
February 19, 2017: Larry Coryell (73), American jazz fusion guitarist
February 25, 2017: Rick Chavez, American progressive metal singer and guitarist (Drive)
February 25, 2017: Bill Paxton (61), American new wave keyboardist (Martini Ranch) and actor
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Features, In Memoriam

“Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll” Legendary Rock Pioneer Chuck Berry Has Passed (1926-2017)

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I was out spending a nice afternoon with a colleague when a quick check of the latest world happenings on Facebook found me learning of the passing of one of the true founders of Rock ‘n Roll music in the legendary Chuck Berry. Mr. Berry was a pioneer of the still forming Rock genre as he helped to refine its overall style and as his Wikipedia entry notes “developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive, with lyrics focusing on teen life and consumerism and music featuring guitar solos and showmanship that were a major influence on subsequent rock music.” It’s safe to say with some certainty that the Metal music that so many of us enjoy would not even remotely exist had not Chuck offered up his founding skills for Rock so many decades ago. Some of Mr. Berry’s most notable tracks are most likely part of your own musical mind with “Maybellene” (1955), “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956), “Rock and Roll Music” (1957), “Johnny B. Goode” (1958) and “No Particular Place to Go” (1963). Each of these numbers are iconic and were probably jammed by any of the musicians that are reading this memorial reflection. Which was your favorite of his biggest hits?

According to reports, the police responded to a call at his St. Charles County, Missouri home where he was found unresponsive. Attempts were made to revive him but they were to no avail. Chuck Berry was 90 at the time of his passing and its safe to say that he lived a very full and productive life. Though I never ever saw him in concert, I did know that he often played the B.B. King Blues Club until his mid 80’s which was always impressive to find being the case. The musicians storied life can be examined on his Official Wiki entry which is linked below. There is a lot of interesting stuff to read about him and I suggest that you take the time to learn about some of the stuff you might not have known. Thank you Chuck Berry for the earliest work on this music and all of your influences. You were one of a kind and we are forever grateful for your pioneering contributions. Rest In Peace.

Official Wiki Entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Berry