If rock and roll artists right now are asked to give a name as to who influenced most the growth of rock and roll as a musical genre, they would all undoubtedly point to the musical legend Chuck Berry.

Known for his string of classic rock and roll hits such as "Maybellene," "Johnny B. Goode," "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Roll Over Beethoven" and "My Ding-a-Ling," Chuck Berry has been credited for providing the catalyst towards the transition and development of the rhythm and blues style towards rock and roll. His unique style of playing the guitar has been cited by many, if not all, rock and roll artists and experts as significant in identifying the budding rock and roll style. His legendary guitar-playing techniques were also acknowledged by a good many rock and roll artists like Keith Richards and Bob Dylan as an inspiration behind their own music. John Lennon once said that "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry.'"

Charles Edward Anderson Berry was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in the district called The Ville, on October 18, 1926. Having been born into a middle-class background, with his mother a qualified school principal and his father a contractor and a Baptist church deacon, Chuck Berry was able to freely pursue his passion for music. His first performances were as a high school student in the 1940s, then playing in Illinois for a band called Sir John's Trio, where Chuck Berry met his longtime musical collaborator Johnnie Johnson. In 1955, Chuck Berry signed up with Chess Records, the label that recorded and released all of Chuck Berry's hits.

Like most rock and roll acts at the time, Chuck Berry's success was riddled with controversies. More than once, he was charged with trafficking with minors and was once sentenced to five years in jail for the said charge. Though already in his 80s, Chuck Berry still does tours and makes rock and roll appearances. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 2000.