Wednesday, April 01, 2020

Al told me about this so I looked it up... Chuck Berry had a collection of 70s and 80s Cadillacs that weren't worth much, but he (and every old guy that ever had a car it seems) thought they were worth 4 times what anyone would offer him.



The notes on the video say that this clip is from the end of a DVD, the 1987 dvd Hail Hail Rock and Roll, a documentary directed by Taylor Hackford that chronicles two 1986 concerts celebrating Berry’s 60th birthday.

Thanks Al!

So, was this just a thing that Chuck Berry started, to sell off his old cars? Was it just a hoax that he created with some rented cars? Or did he really store his old cars if he couldn't get a ridiculous good deal based on being a living legend of rock and roll?

Because the internet seems to have nothing on that collection, or rumor, or even any other cars that Chuck Berry owned expect for a single mention on
https://doclehman.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/chuck-berry-donates-one-of-his-prized-cadillacs/

3 comments:

  1. No, thank you for finding this clip. For anyone who loves rock and roll the video is worth a look, especially Keith Richard's insights into Berry's attitude and behavior. Richards was expecting a kumbaya moment with his hero and got a surprise. Berry was very pragmatic when it came to his personal possessions so I suspect he wasn't going to trade a car for less than the money he'd put into it. But that's just a guess. Most guitarists have an outright love affair with their guitars, ( B.B. King for instance and 'Lucille') but when Berry would travel he'd check is guitar, figuring that if it was damaged the airlines would end up buying him a new one. Speaking of BB King, when I lived in Las Vegas, a friend of mine lived next door to him, we'd see his bus parked out on the street since his subdivision wouldn't allow it to be parked there. (He refused to fly). He always had a late model Oldsmobile and though he had the money didn't want to buy a Cadillac, or a Buick because that was a bit to pretentious for a man with his humble roots. He did eventually buy a Rolls Royce, but I don't know if he ever drove it.

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    1. I happen to also be crazy about guitars and music... and other examples of guitarists that are lifelong connected to their axe are Willie Nelson and Trigger, Eddie Van Halen and Frankenstein, and the Les Paul that Frampton played on the "Comes Alive" album, plus
      Eric Clapton and Blackie, and for a fascinating look at guitars, see https://www.groundguitar.com/eric-clapton-gear/

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    2. Thanks for the link you're the best. BTW, Berry DID punch Keith Richards in the face for touching his guitar, later Richards would laugh about it and call it 'Chuck Berry's greatest hit."

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