You'll Always Hear Chuck Berry: Mid-Week Song

When the iconic father of rock and roll Chuck Berry died on March 18 at the age of 90, someone commented that that "was the day the music died." Not true. His music is woven in the DNA of every rock song that came after him, and will outlive everyone reading this post. Whether it's Bruce Springsteen, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, and on and on ad infinitum, Berry created a beat, a musical lexicon, and a universal sound not unlike ones created by the fathers of jazz, of country music and of other musical genres. If you want a simple example, listen to the Beach Boys hit "Surfin' U.S.A." and notice how they literally and unabashedly took the melody directly from our song choice today, "Sweet Little Sixteen." His songs were covered by every living rock legend, and a few mainstream artists as well. Of course he'll be sorely missed, but his legacy will survive the generations, as well it should.

As the late Dick Clark says in this 1958 performance, "let's turn him loose."