Chuck Berry: an American life
Description
"The definitive biography of Chuck Berry, legendary performer and inventor of rock and roll and author of classics like "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "You Never Can Tell," and "Roll Over Beethoven." Chuck Berry long ago earned a reputation as a person who gave nothing away. Best known as the groundbreaking innovator of rock and roll and the artist behind classics ranging from "Johnny B. Goode" and "Maybellene" to "You Never Can Tell" and "Roll Over Beethoven," he could be a difficult man to be around off-stage, and was extremely closed off in interviews. There was the work, and then there was the man, who was not easily given to describing the work-and definitely not interested in talking about himself. Though the major events of his life are known and have been described in the hundreds of tributes that marked his passing, the secretive complexity that encapsulated his life and underscored his music has never been fully explored-until now. In Chuck Berry, biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of one of the great American artists, entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail. Based on interviews, archival research, legal document analysis, and a deep understanding of Berry's St. Louis (the place where he was born, the place he never left, and the place he died in March 2017), Smith sheds new light on a man that few people have ever really understood. By studying his life, especially within the context of the American culture he made and eventually sought to withdraw from, we better understand how he became such a groundbreaking figure in music, erasing racial boundaries and paying a great price for his success. While celebrating his accomplishments, the book also does not shy away from troubling aspects of his public and private life, and asks profound questions about how and why we separate the art from the artist. Should we? Berry always said that what he did was make money. He often declined to describe himself as an artist only admitting he was good at what he did to get reporters off his back. But the man's artistry was the rarest kind, the kind that had social and political resonance, the kind that made America want to get up and dance. At long last, Chuck Berry brings the man and the music together"--
More Details
ISBN:
9780306921636
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Grouping Information
Grouped Work ID | aaf6bec2-dbb1-eb86-0967-7bf562cb86ff |
---|---|
Grouping Title | chuck berry an american life |
Grouping Author | r j smith |
Grouping Category | book |
Grouping Language | English (eng) |
Last Grouping Update | 2024-04-26 16:49:10PM |
Last Indexed | 2024-05-05 23:22:28PM |
Solr Fields
accelerated_reader_point_value
0
accelerated_reader_reading_level
0
author
Smith, R. J., 1959-
author_display
Smith, R. J.
available_at_eh
East Hampton Public Library
detailed_location_eh
East Hampton Adult Biography
display_description
"The definitive biography of Chuck Berry, legendary performer and inventor of rock and roll and author of classics like "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "You Never Can Tell," and "Roll Over Beethoven." Chuck Berry long ago earned a reputation as a person who gave nothing away. Best known as the groundbreaking innovator of rock and roll and the artist behind classics ranging from "Johnny B. Goode" and "Maybellene" to "You Never Can Tell" and "Roll Over Beethoven," he could be a difficult man to be around off-stage, and was extremely closed off in interviews. There was the work, and then there was the man, who was not easily given to describing the work-and definitely not interested in talking about himself. Though the major events of his life are known and have been described in the hundreds of tributes that marked his passing, the secretive complexity that encapsulated his life and underscored his music has never been fully explored-until now. In Chuck Berry, biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of one of the great American artists, entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail. Based on interviews, archival research, legal document analysis, and a deep understanding of Berry's St. Louis (the place where he was born, the place he never left, and the place he died in March 2017), Smith sheds new light on a man that few people have ever really understood. By studying his life, especially within the context of the American culture he made and eventually sought to withdraw from, we better understand how he became such a groundbreaking figure in music, erasing racial boundaries and paying a great price for his success. While celebrating his accomplishments, the book also does not shy away from troubling aspects of his public and private life, and asks profound questions about how and why we separate the art from the artist. Should we? Berry always said that what he did was make money. He often declined to describe himself as an artist only admitting he was good at what he did to get reporters off his back. But the man's artistry was the rarest kind, the kind that had social and political resonance, the kind that made America want to get up and dance. At long last, Chuck Berry brings the man and the music together"--
format_category_eh
Books
format_eh
Book
id
aaf6bec2-dbb1-eb86-0967-7bf562cb86ff
isbn
9780306921636
itype_eh
ADULT BOOK
last_indexed
2024-05-06T05:22:28.390Z
lexile_score
-1
literary_form
Non Fiction
literary_form_full
Non Fiction
local_callnumber_eh
B Berry
owning_library_eh
East Hampton Public Library
owning_location_eh
East Hampton Public Library
primary_isbn
9780306921636
publishDate
2022
publisher
Hachette Books
recordtype
grouped_work
subject_facet
Berry, Chuck
Rock music -- United States -- History and criticism
Rock musicians -- United States -- Biography
Rock music -- United States -- History and criticism
Rock musicians -- United States -- Biography
title_display
Chuck Berry : an American life
title_full
Chuck Berry : an American life / RJ Smith
title_short
Chuck Berry
title_sub
an American life
topic_facet
Berry, Chuck
History and criticism
Rock music
Rock musicians
History and criticism
Rock music
Rock musicians
Solr Details Tables
item_details
Bib Id | Item Id | Shelf Loc | Call Num | Format | Format Category | Num Copies | Is Order Item | Is eContent | eContent Source | eContent URL | Detailed Status | Last Checkin | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b27220084 | .i67829715 | Wallingford Adult Nonfiction | 782.4216 BERRY SM | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | waan | |||||
ils:.b27220084 | .i67725272 | Norwich/Otis Adult Biographies | BIO BERRY | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | nwab | |||||
ils:.b27220084 | .i67984526 | Madison/Scranton Adult Nonfiction | 782.4216 BERRY S | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | maan | |||||
ils:.b27220084 | .i6781928x | East Lyme Public Adult Biography | B BERRY, CHUCK (Smith) | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | elab | |||||
ils:.b27220084 | .i68341210 | Meriden New Adult Biography | BIO BERRY, C | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | mebb | |||||
ils:.b27220084 | .i67704219 | East Hampton Adult Biography | B Berry | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | ehab | |||||
ils:.b27220084 | .i67766717 | Branford/Blackstone Adult Biography | BIO.BERRY (CHUCK) | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | brab |
record_details
Bib Id | Format | Format Category | Edition | Language | Publisher | Publication Date | Physical Description | Abridged |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b27220084 | Book | Books | English | Hachette Books | ©2022 | xvi, 415 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm |
scoping_details_eh
Bib Id | Item Id | Grouped Status | Status | Locally Owned | Available | Holdable | Bookable | In Library Use Only | Library Owned | Holdable PTypes | Bookable PTypes | Local Url |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b27220084 | .i67829715 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b27220084 | .i67725272 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b27220084 | .i67984526 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b27220084 | .i6781928x | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b27220084 | .i68341210 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b27220084 | .i67704219 | On Shelf | On Shelf | true | true | true | false | false | true | 9999 | ||
ils:.b27220084 | .i67766717 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 |