March 19, 2017 – A few days ago, I was in a conversation about my website. Actually, the conversation was about social media in general, but my website came up. I said I’ve been neglecting the site. I said I hadn’t had any time to come up with any inspiration. Someone said that I hadn’t had any time to write. That probably was more accurate. See, I did have a few inspirations, things I should get to as topics, like talking about Johnny Cash with my dad – I never knew my dad saw him, or about having a hair style day with my dad — the day he was to get his biopsy results, both of us getting our hair done, a lifetime-first for me, or about the movies, and music in the movies, that I’ve watched. So it really does come down to time. There’s almost no time for myself in all of what I’m going through. I want to change this, make time, as they saying goes. So I forced myself to get up and do this, and I suppose as a way to start without it being too hard, I’m going to write simply a first impression from today’s music news.

Chuck Berry dead at 90. I would say that’s a loss, but 90 is a ripe old age, not far from my father’s 89 he will turn five days from today. A long life for both of them, yes; the only thing is my dad promised me he would live to 115, so he really must get well. And I digress.

I read the articles, specifically the ones on ultimateclassicrock.com: tributes by rockers we would expect, The Rolling Stones, Ringo Star, even Ted Nugent, and an article of biographic facts. The articles credit Chuck with his pioneer status, discuss his influence on rock, mention that his music was sent on a NASA space craft as representing the culture of Earth, all monumental, but all things I either knew or expected.

The surprise, and really I love reading something that’s new to me, was the view of Chuck as a poet. The article noted the rather simplistic lyrics of the day and said Chuck gave lyrics more complexity. I offer that as hope for those who believe music is in an intellectual and complexity rut right now. You just never know when someone will come along and shake things up. Also, the article said, and this is the factoid that really hit me, Chuck, who was an older rocker when he first hit, 30 I believe, wrote for a teenage audience, because as Chuck was reported as saying, we were all in school at one time. Relatability. A mental fountain of youth in the form of song and sound. That was what he invented. Indeed, isn’t that what rock ‘n’ roll is for? Hell yeah, Mr. Berry. And thanks for that invention. And check that out: lyrics that are viewed both as complex and as youthful. That’s a good combination. Rock on, sir!