In this highly- anticipated official and fully-authorized feature documentary, the absolute instigator of Rock and Roll, Chuck Berry, is revealed like never before with exclusive access to his family, friends, famous fans and the music icons he inspired.
Chuck Berry’s 60th birthday concert and the drama surrounding it were captured in Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll—but until now, Berry‘s life has never before been covered on screen. With Chuck Berry, Award-winning filmmaker Jon Brewer (BB King: The Life of Riley, Nat King Cole: Afraid of the Dark), lends new insight to the man known as the bedrock of Rock n Roll. Several rock & roll legends reflect on what Berry meant to them, with exclusive access to Mrs. Berry and the Berry family.
Berry was, at heart, a family man. He was a prolific craftsman of words and chords; an undisputed and stunning combination of talent and charisma. Though his path to stardom wasn’t easy. Facing discrimination from white-owned radio stations to club owners, Berry struggled at first to break through as an artist. But after taking Muddy Water’s advice to “write for the kids,” Berry’s songwriting—a clever combination of hillbilly humor and gritty rhythm and blues, became so popular among the youth that it could no longer be ignored by such institutions. His music is often recognized as that pivotal bridge between blues and rock n’ roll, forever changing the trajectory of popular music—but arguably, the most important effect his songs had was piercing the thick barrier of systemic prejudice, making younger generations question why the American racial divide existed and what they could do to fix it.
For any fan of rock n’ roll history and Berry’s music, this is truly a must-see. The film is now available on VOD platforms and on Blu-ray.
