Chuck Berry

The music played most around St. Louis was country-western and swing. Curiosity provoked me to lay a lot of the country stuff on our predominantly black audience. After they laughed at me a few times, they began requesting the hillbilly stuff. ”

My first job at Gleason's Bar in Cleveland was $800 a week, when I was making $92 a week with overtime at the automobile plant. ”

I have lots of ambition! ”

I made records for people who would buy them. No color, no ethnic, no political - I don't want that, never did. ”

Respect isn't enough. You've got to have a proprietary interest. ”

I didn't connect with the kids. I was in the studio. I never saw the kids. I hoped they liked it, of course. And then I'd go write some more. And then I'd go buy me a home. Very American. ”

I added and deleted according to the audiences' response to different gestures, and chose songs to build an act that would constantly stimulate my audience. ”

Had I been pushed like Colonel Parker pushed Elvis, had I been a white boy like Elvis, sure, it would have been different. ”

I'm thankful for performing as long as I am allowed. ”

In the Fifties, there were certain places we couldn't ride on the bus, and now there is a possibility of a black man being in the White House. You have to feel good about it. ”