Entertainment
Chuck Berry, the Father of Rock ’n’ Roll, Dies at 90
By Monée Fields-White, The Root
Singer, guitarist and songwriter Chuck Berry, a giant in the history of rock ’n’ roll whose turbulent private life was marked by a rocky relationship with the legal system, died last Saturday at the age of 90.
Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr. was born on Oct. 18, 1926, in San Jose, Calif., but his family moved to St. Louis just after his birth. Interested in music early on, he sang in the church choir and school glee club. Berry taught himself how to play the guitar in junior high school.
Just before graduating from high school, Berry was convicted of armed robbery and spent three years in reform school. He married within a year of his release in 1947 and worked as a carpenter and hairstylist while also playing guitar with different bands. In 1953 he joined a jazz-and-blues band, Sir John’s Trio, and played at the Cosmopolitan Club in St. Louis for the next three years. He made his mark with the group, changing its name to the Chuck Berry Combo and the musical style to a fast-paced mix of country, pop, and rhythm and blues.
In 1955 he went to see Muddy Waters in concert in Chicago, and afterward he asked the blues legend for advice about making a record. Muddy advised him to seek out Leonard and Phil Chess of Chicago’s Chess Records. He did, and they ended up signing Berry, who quickly had a string of top 10 hits, including “Maybellene,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Rock and Roll Music,” “Johnny B. Goode” and “Carol.”
Arts and Culture
Third Annual Town Up Tuesday Lifts Oakland’s Community, Culture and Joy
Urban Peace Movement announced Town Up Tuesday, a free community music and social awareness festival dedicated to the people of Oakland to celebrate Bay Area culture and create safety by fostering connection and belonging. It will be on Tuesday, May 21, at Edoff Memorial Bandstand at Lake Merritt from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
By Kyung Jin Lee
Urban Peace Movement announced Town Up Tuesday, a free community music and social awareness festival dedicated to the people of Oakland to celebrate Bay Area culture and create safety by fostering connection and belonging.
It will be on Tuesday, May 21, at Edoff Memorial Bandstand at Lake Merritt from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The event will feature local Bay Area legends and rising stars home-grown talent that will include 10 performers: 1100 Himself, The Conscious Daughters, Michael Sneed, Trunk Boiz, 3LISE, The Animaniakz and Ms. Bria.
Too $hort is a special guest and there will also be a surprise legendary Oakland artist. The two DJs are Emelle & Dahge, and the two hosts are Dnas and Mystic.
Past performers have included: Kamaiyah, Yukmouth, Stunnaman02, Symba, Lil Kayla, Grand Nationxl, Jane Handcock, and D Smoke, among others.
“Oakland is a historically Black city and one of the most diverse and progressive in the country — a city rich with culture,” said Nicole Lee, executive director of the Urban Peace Movement.
“At a time when we are being scapegoated for political gain and negative narratives of Oakland permeate the press, we’re uplifting who we truly are and all the things that make this region so special.”
About Urban Peace Movement: Urban Peace Movement (UPM) is a racial justice organization working to end mass incarceration and the criminalization of Black and Brown communities in Oakland. https://urbanpeacemovement.org/ @urbanpeace510
Kyung Jin Lee is the media representative for the Urban Peace Movement.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 15 – 21, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 15 – 21, 2024
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Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 8 – 14, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 8 – 14, 2024
To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
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