Berry's early influences on guitar included Charlie Christian and Carl Hogan ( guitarist with R&B artist Louie Jordan ), but he was also heavily influenced by legendary blues artists Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf. He developed a double string style of lead guitar playing which incorcorated elements of both country and R&B, but utilized the driving back beat of R&B as it's backbone. His greatest contribution however may be that he developed an overall style of sonwriting and playing which incorporated mucical elements of both R&B and Country in conjunction with colorful yet carefully crafted lyrics most typically revolving around the kind of topics which were relevent to teenagers of the day, cars, school, and love. His songs were the perfect vehicle for a black artist to use in order to cross over into a mainstream white audience.
While on a visit to Chicago Chuck sought out Leonard Chess, owner of Chess Records. Chess and legendary producer Willie Dixon were immediately impressed by a tune Berry had written called "Ida Red" and asked Berry, along with Johnie Johnson, and Ebby Hardy to return. On May 21, 1955 they recorded the now classic song along with producer Dixon on bass and a new name, "Maybelline". Chess gave a copy of the song to disc jockey Alan Freed who aired the song for two hours non-stop on WINS in New York. Berry's driving rhythem and blues guitar playing along with the songs clever lyrics propelled the song to number 1 on the Billboards R & B charts, and number 5 on the top 100.
With the exeption of "Roll Over Beethoven" Berry found the initial success of "Maybelline" difficult to follow up. Subsequent singles such as "Thirty Days", " No Money Down ", and " To Much Monkey Business " sold well be never attained any crossover success. In 1957 with "School Days" however he crossed over again reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and began touring the country virtually non stop in a string of 240 one night stands. For the next 2 and 1/2 years he produced a virtually non-stop string of now classic hits including "Oh Baby Doll", "Sweet Little Sixteen" "Johny B. Goode", and "Back in the USA". During this period Berry appeared in the movies "Rock,Rock,Rock", "Mr Rock and Roll",and "Go Johny Go" in which he had a substantial speaking part.
By this time Berry had developed a style of guitar playing and songwriting that was begining to influence an entire generation of young white guitar players including Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, John Lennon of the Beatles, Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds, and countless others. Throughout the late 1950's he toured ceaselessly, during 1958's "Big Beat" tour promoted by Alan Freed he performed with Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis begining an intense rivalry with Lewis. The tour was topped off when with only a few dates remaining during a concert in Boston a fist fight broke out during Berry's set. After reportedly making some unkind comments about the Boston Police Freed was arrested and charged with inciting a riot, the now famous scene inspired the climax of the 1978 movie "Hot Wax" in which Berry and Lewis portrayed themselves.
With the substantial amounts of money Berry was able to accumulate as a result oh his touring and recording success he purchased 30 acres of land just outside of St. Louis and then opened a nightclub which he called Club Bandstand. The club was located in a prestigous area of the city where many doctor and dentists had offices located, and was in general a bastion of a all white proffesional culture. The appearance of a racialy integrated club in this area in 1959 sent up red flags all over the city and it wasn't long before the St. Louis police got their chance to close it down and Chuck Berry was involved in a scandal that would send him to prison for the second time and almost ruin his career.
