Chuck Berry To Get St. Louis-Area Statue Despite Critics

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. -- The rock legend known for such hits as "Johnny B. Goode" will be getting a statue in suburban St. Louis, but not everyone thinks that's so great.

University City's City Council on Monday night refused to block installation of an 8-foot bronze sculpture by artist Harry Weber honoring 84-year-old Chuck Berry.

Entrepreneur Joe Edwards and KMOX radio host Charles Brennan have led a fundraising driving for the statue across from Edwards' Blueberry Hill, where Berry has performed some 160 times.

Edwards figures the statute will be a tourism draw. But critics have questioned whether it should be placed on city-owned land, and the fact that Berry spent time in jail.

Edwards says the sculpture is to be installed Thursday or Friday, with a formal dedication scheduled for July 29.

Comments

[vj129]

08:53 AM on 07/04/2011

There are politicians who spend time in jail too. They get to run for office again and commentate on news shows and go on book tours and make outrageous money to speak on forum panels...oh, and some even statues erected in their honor too. So, what's the difference between them and poor old Chuck?

[Johnd139]

07:20 PM on 07/03/2011

Let the man alone

[plzchuteme]

12:32 PM on 07/03/2011

I wonder if there would be such opposition to a statue of Johnny Cash. He suffered from substance abuse and did time as well. Chuck Berry was no saint, for sure, but he managed to make it 84 years with his hide intact, so he must have done a few things right. No one is looking to beatify him, just recognize his talents and accomplishments, which are considerable by anyone's standards.

[Johnd139]

07:20 PM on 07/03/2011

Well said indeed

[Dani Kinnison]

12:39 PM on 07/01/2011

Though he is no stranger to run-ins with the law, Chuck Berry's influence on rock 'n' roll isn't something that can be overshadowed. The statue was erected early this morning in St. Louis, Mo. The Riverfront Times posted an article about it and it included information on the upcoming dedication ceremony, as well as some photos. It can be found here: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/2011/07/chuck_berry_statue_delmar_installation.php

[Citizen54]

05:40 PM on 06/29/2011

I think Jesus did some jail time.
Many statues of him.

[Wood]

08:53 PM on 06/29/2011

Thank you...

[maddawg1245]

02:09 PM on 06/29/2011

I like the man ,so put up the statue. I am glad to see Chuck is kicking out the tunes.

[happyone6470]

01:24 PM on 06/29/2011

He went to prison for allegedly molesting a 14 year old girl .. But he has always maintained his innocence. Maybe that's what some people have a problem with .

[Adjective]

05:53 PM on 06/29/2011

He was arrested for violating the Mann act, which basically says you can't take a girl over state lines (presumably for sexual purposes) but the law has often been used to harass, especially with racial overtones. Check out the Wiki link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann_Act

[larstein]

04:38 PM on 07/01/2011

She was a 14 year old Apache Indian prostitute passing herself off as over 21. He was convicted by a racist judge and jury and given 5 years, which a second trial lowered to a 3 year sentence. This young woman was not a "child," in no way an innocent. She was a street hardened teenager with a fake i.d. A lot of young people, especially non-white, had hard lives then, as now.

Chuck was a target of the government­, as were most of the rock 'n roll figures from those years. Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ike Turner, all had legal problems which affected their popularity­. Buddy Holly died in an airplane crash, Elvis was convenient­ly drafted, until by 1959 the whole first generation of rockers had been neutralize­d by a political system freaked out about rock 'n roll.

Chuck Berry is as important a cultural figure as WC Handy or Louis Armstrong, all of whom contribute­d to creating the sound of American popular music. Berry courageous­ly stood up to the virulent racism of 1950s America with class and wit. He helped break down the racial divide in this country. This statue pays small tribute to his legacy

[sharkzback]

01:10 PM on 06/29/2011

To quote Bob Seger:

"Well all Chuck’s children are out there playing his licks
Get into your kicks
Come back baby
Rock ’n roll never forgets..."

To all you rock 'n rollers out there, all you wannabe rock 'n rollers out there, all of you air guitar playin' duck walkin' in front of the mirror rock 'n rollers out there, and all the fans of rock 'n rollers out there...we're all Chuck's children...build the statue.

[billselfconcord]

02:43 PM on 06/29/2011

HELL YEAH ROCK ON !!!!

[Wood]

08:53 PM on 06/29/2011

Faved and fanned..

Love Chuck and Love Seger..

[GpaJerry]

01:10 PM on 06/29/2011

Foolish me, I thought the cost of doing the crime was the time spent in jail "paying for" the criminal offense. But then the do-gooders among us want another pound of flesh.

[unclecrackre]

12:43 PM on 06/29/2011

Regardless of how you feel about his personal life, he has had a huge impact on the music industry. His contributions and influence on various performers is immeasurable. I feel the statue is warranted.

[gonetoutah]

12:03 PM on 06/29/2011

I'll bet it is more about his skin color than jail time.

[Readbetweentheelevens]

12:55 AM on 07/13/2011

Of course it is. Thanks for saying so. It's what we all know. Everybody knows.

[Steve Reaves]

11:55 AM on 06/29/2011

Don't do it! He's Black! He's Black, I tell you!

[a man]

11:48 AM on 06/29/2011

We are not talking about some cocaine-snorting ignoramus, here. This is Chuck Berry. I, for one, would more than proud to have a statue of him on the green in the town where I live. Once again, this is Chuck Berry, not Bob Dylan, Steve Tyler or Mick Jagger----the three of whom spent 45 of the past 50 years stoned and the other 5 years drunk!!

[celtcalgal]

12:22 PM on 06/29/2011

leave the Mick alone.

[sharkzback]

01:15 PM on 06/29/2011

and Dylan too...Goof lord man!

[billselfconcord]

02:44 PM on 06/29/2011

LOL

[John Howell]

11:41 AM on 06/29/2011

He's been a great influence on American music. Give him his statue.

[turnkey44]

11:38 AM on 06/29/2011

No big deal with the time that he spent in jail, we have a lot of people that spent time in jail and some politicians that have jail time pending.

[joellen835]

02:56 PM on 06/29/2011

Not to change the subject, but if the truth was known, the percentage of politicians who have been in jail, and will be in jail,or should be in jail for illegal deeds is probably much greater than those who haven't been in jail. I'd rather see a statue of Chuck Berry than any politician presently holding office.