When I was very young I didn't hear much Chuck Berry music. An older friend recommended that we went to see Dave Berry (The Crying Game) who at that time performed Berry songs of all types -from the fairly obscure Broken Arrow and No Money Down to the usuals - I developed a passion for finding Berry records and accumulated a good collection of 45s and 78s.
I saw him first in 1964 at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester and had hold of his thumb while he played!!
At subsequent shows over the years the obvious 'pick up band' arrangement seemed to be the norm but I was still conscious of the fact that was THE Chuck Berry on the stage.
Stories of his meanness and irascibility have been around for years, but whenever I play Guitar Boogie or Let it Rock or any of the vast number of Berry tracks that I love I forget all about them and just revel in those rhythms and lyrics.
This is starting to read like an OBIT thread, but at 84 Mr. Berry surely deserves a long rest after 60 years playing and performing.