Chuck Berry was a legend in more ways than one

The world lost a Rock And Roll icon with the passing of Chuck Berry. Berry, age 90, and a renowned guitarist, died peacefully in his sleep near his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Berry was best known for his great American hits "Maybellene," "Roll Over Beethoven," "Rock and Roll Music," and "Johnny B. Goode." He was one of the first artists to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio and is often considered to be a major contributor to the growth of rock and roll influenced by rhythm and blues.

The legend creates a legend

Berry's career started in the early 1950s and continued until his death. During his active touring days, he played nearly 100+ one nighters per year, an incredible feat for any performer. But, it was his partnership with a hometown venue that brought Berry to super-legendary status. From 1996 to 2014, Berry held a Wednesday night gig at Blueberry Hill, a music club in the heart of St. Louis' entertainment district.

Berry brought his music and his joy of performance centerstage once a week, every week in a locale blocks from where he grew up as a young boy. He catered to the home crowd, giving personal, intimate performances each Wednesday without fail. And his hometown more than appreciated him, filling the venue over and over again, just to hear him play his hits live, one more time.

Blueberry Hill and Berry

Blueberry Hill opened in the early 1970s as a burger joint in an area in the city of St. Louis that had been left for dead. By the mid 1980s, the owners recognized the opportunity to build a music venue and set the stage for Berry to perform one of the longest, consecutive weekly concerts by any musician.

The Blueberry Hill Duck Room was Berry's territory, and he wowed audiences until the age of 88, when he retired from live performances.

Berry was not only a man who help lead rock and roll throughout the 20th century into the 21st century, he also recognized the importance of giving back to his roots. His legendary run at Blueberry Hill is overwhelming evidence of his love of his home, of St.

Louis, of Blueberry Hill, and of rock and roll.