Chuck Berry in the 1950s

Rock'n Roll

African Americans have composed, played, and performed rock 'n roll music since its creation in the 1950s. One of the pioneers, or earliest creators, of rock was singer, songwriter and guitarist Chuck Berry. Famous for his lyrics, or words to his songs, and his blues-influenced guitar, Berry performed hits such as "Maybellene" in 1955, "Roll Over, Beethoven" in 1956 and "Johnny B. Goode" in 1958. Many rock guitarists after Berry were heavily influenced not only by his guitar playing, but also by his catchy vocals. The granddaddy of rock 'n roll was also famous for doing a duck walk on stage!