Early on March 18, Chuck Berry was found dead from natural causes at his St. Louis residence. The rock ‘n roll pioneer was 90 and left behind a plethora of tunes to be admired for generations to come.

Born on Oct. 18, 1926, Berry was an accomplished guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Before the Beatles and The Rolling Stones, there was him. He played and jived right next to the other greats like Little Richard and Elvis Presley. The three of them were the main pioneers of the genre and would later inspire musicians for many years.

He was famous for songs like “Johnny B. Goode,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Route 66,” “Sweet Little Sixteen,” and “Rock And Roll Music.” His tunes defined the early rock genre, and blues. Artists from all areas have acknowledged his legacy and their inspiration.

Berry won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1984 and was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1986. He also had many number one hits in US, including “Johnny B. Goode.”

As soon as word of his death spread, many stars took to social media to express their sadness and the remanence about his career.

New material from Berry’s last album is set to be released sometime in the upcoming week. The release date of the entire album is still unknown.

Picture Credit: Roger Kasparian