VOA慢速英语--First Chuck Berry Album in 38 Years Released

 

The first album of music from Chuck Berry in thirty-eight years is released this week, three months after his death.

The album, called Chuck, has 10 songs, including eight written by Berry.

A family affair

The album has new songs that he had been writing since 1991. The sound is similar to the original style that first made Berry popular.

Berry told journalists in 2012, “It’s the same type of music I’ve been playing. As soon as I can get someone to guide me in that, I’m gonna come back and push ‘em out, if you know what I mean.”

Paul Roper is head of Dualtone Records which produced the album. He says the album is special for Chuck Berry’s family.

“Charles Berry Jr [his son] and Charles Berry III [his grandson] play guitar on multiple tracks and his daughter Ingrid sings on a few as well. Mrs. Berry had approval on mixes and the final master so everyone played a role.”

Roper adds the album also shows a new dimension to Berry.

“There's the highly emotive ‘Darlin’ written for his oldest daughter Ingrid and the passing on of advice in ‘Eyes of Man’ alongside¹ of course traditional Chuck Berry classic sounding rockers like ‘Big Boys’ and ‘Wonderful Woman.’ It's a special body of work, especially considering how long it has been since the public has had new music from Chuck.”

A life of success and controversy²

Chuck Berry was born in 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri. He learned to play the guitar while in high school. In 1952, Berry formed a band and soon was performing regularly around St. Louis.

Berry is often considered one of the most important musicians in rock and roll music history. His first hit song was “Maybellene.” From 1955 through 1958, he released many others, including “Roll over Beethoven”, “Sweet Little Sixteen”, and “Johnny B. Goode.”

However, Berry faced legal problems throughout his career. As a teenager, Berry went to reform school after an attempted robbery. He spent two years in prison for bringing an under-aged girl across state lines for “immoral purposes.” He also served 100 days in prison after being charged with not paying tax.

Berry’s last public performance was on October 15th, 2014, when he played in St. Louis.

He was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton presented him with the Kennedy Center Honors Award, calling him “one of the 20th Century’s most influential³ musicians.”

Chuck Berry died on March 18, 2017 at his home near Wentzille, Missouri. He was 90 years old.

Words in This Story

dimension – n. a part of something?

emotive – adj. causing strong emotions for or against something?

1 alongside   

adv.在旁边；prep.和...在一起，在...旁边

参考例句：

• There was a butcher's shop alongside the theatre.剧院旁边有一家肉店。
• Alongside of him stood his uncle.他的身旁站着他叔叔。

2 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

3 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。