The Real King of Rock and Roll

So, Little Richard is gone too. Not many early rock luminaries are left now. Little Richard’s death reminded me of an incident that occurred back in the early 1980’s when I was teaching Social Studies at Linden-McKinley high school here in Columbus, OH. A white girl of Appalachian background was speaking to me before class started about her love of Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock and Roll.” As she was finishing, an African American classmate entered and, passing by my desk, remarked, “Mr. Greeber, if Chuck Berry was white, he’d be the “King of Rock and Roll.”

Now, of course, my name was Greenberg, but I was also occasionally known as “Gerber,” who was the French teacher in the next classroom (he was frequently called “Greenberg”), or “Greeber” by students who weren’t sure which one of us was Greenberg and which one Gerber. Sometimes I was also called “Greensberg,” (don’t know how the “s” got in there) and even on rare occasion “Iceberg.” The latter was apparently derived from a pulp fiction pimp known as Iceberg Slim. It might also have been a sign of grudging admiration for the fact that I affected a nonchalant, imperturbable attitude that allowed me to more easily negotiate the daily chaos of the inner city public high school. But I digress.

Chuck Berry left us in 2017, and yes, he could have been considered the King of Rock. Why not? Is there a better lyrical embodiment of the genre than Johnny B. Goode? And what about his outrageous duck walk across the stage while playing guitar riffs, holding the instrument like a weapon that would slay any remnants of staid, pop tunes refusing to yield way on the Billboard top 40. Classical music must give way as well. “Roll over Beethoven, tell Tchaikovsky the news,” Chuck sang. But he did it joyously, always had that sly smile on his face. In American Hot Wax, the 1978 biopic about early rock DJ Alan Freed, Chuck Berry played himself. He arrived at Freed’s rock concert at the Brooklyn Paramount only to find out that he would not be paid. Authorities had seized the gate receipts as part of a punitive investigation into Freed’s finances. Chuck places his hand on Freed’s shoulder and tells him he will go on anyway. “Rock and roll has been pretty good to me,” he says, “I’ll do this one for rock and roll.” Then he proceeds to bring the house down with his rendition of “Reelin’ and Rockin’”. That sets the cinematic stage for Jerry Lee Lewis who closes the show by turning the scene into a genuine riot by attacking the piano and flinging the stool during his “Great Balls of Fire.”

Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, three of the original Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees in 1986. Each of them had immense influence on the genre as acknowledged by those who came later. No offense to Elvis, but any one of them could be considered the King of Rock and Roll. And yes, no doubt race was an obstacle for Little Richard and Chuck Berry. Do you recall Pat Boone in his Hushpuppies and his white bread interpretation of Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti”? That pale, unintentionally comical performance as captured on vinyl outsold the original and earned Boone a small fortune. It was more acceptable to Middle America, less dangerous. Of course Elvis himself could be charged with the same offense, coopting Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog” and turning it into a much bigger money maker for himself.

When all is said and done, it’s probably a futile task to try to identify “The King of Rock and Roll” or definitively declare who has made legitimate contributions to the genre and who is a pretender. It is, however, laudable that the Hall recognizes those whose groundbreaking contributions in Country, Jazz, and R&B paved the way for Rock. Artists like Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, Lead Belly, Howlin’ Wolf, Louis Armstrong, and Les Paul are recognized as “Early Influences.” Some choices are questionable. Folk singers Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger are undoubtedly influential but I think it’s a stretch to connect them to Rock. Rather incredibly (to me at least), folk singer Joan Baez was inducted to the Hall outright in 2017. Joan Baez a rocker? I think not. But, as they say, difference of opinion is what makes horse races.

It remains to be said, rest in peace Little Richard (1932-2020), and (belatedly) the same to you Chuck Berry (1926-2017). Your music lives on. And, you know, I think my student may well have been right. If Chuck Berry was white, he might have been designated the King of Rock and Roll. Who better to wear the title?