Chuck: The Chuck Berry Story

I’M a sucker for old fashioned rock n roll, so press night at the Upstairs At The Gatehouse last week for the jukebox musical Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story was a treat. Here’s my review for the New Journal, and I wasn’t joking about the ecstatic standing ovation. The show has two rasping Chuck Berry songs – Brown Eyed Handsome Man, which Holly covered, and Johnny B. Goode. Their inclusion made me wonder why their hasn’t been a similar tribute to Berry. He’s got enough great songs for a musical that would last all night.

Berry is alive and kicking of course, still touring in his 80s and maybe he’d hate the idea of a tribute musical. Stay away Ben Elton. But something more should be done to mark his contribution to rock and roll. Holly was a hero but Berry was a catalyst for it all.