Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry [Hardcover]

Bruce Pegg (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415937485 | ISBN-13: 978-0415937481 | Publication Date: October 18, 2002

Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry draws on dozens of interviews done by the author himself and voluminous public records to paint a complete picture of this complicated figure. This biography uncovers the real Berry and provides us with a stirring, unvarnished portrait of both the man and the artist. Berry has long been one of pop music's most enigmatic personalities. Growing up in a middle-class, black neighborhood in St. Louis, his first major hit song, "Maybellene," was an adaptation of a white country song, wedded to a black-influenced beat. Thereafter came a string of brilliant songs celebrating teenage life in the '50s, including "School Day," "Johnny B. Goode," and "Sweet Little Sixteen." Berry's career rise was meteoric; but his fall came equally quickly, when his relations with an underage girl led to his conviction. It was not his first (nor his last) run in with the law. He scored his biggest hit in the early '70s with the comical (and some would say decidedly lightweight) song "My Ding-a-Ling." The following decades brought hundreds of nights of tours, with little attention from the recording industry. Bruce Pegg offers the definitive, though not always pretty, portrait of one of the greatest stars of rock and roll, a story that will appeal to all fans of American popular music.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Elvis might still reign as the king of rock'n' roll, but Chuck Berry clearly invented the form. Strangely, not much has been written about the seminal songwriter ("Maybellene," "Johnny B. Goode"). Berry himself had the last word in his rather explicit 1986 autobiography. Here Pegg (writing, Syracuse Univ.) attempts to clarify his often troubled life, chronicling Berry's childhood in a segregated and racist St. Louis, successes and failures with Chess Records, run-ins with the law, and ultimate icon status. Interviews with friends and associates shed light on the shadows that Berry was reluctant to reveal in his autobiography (e.g., he was arrested under the Mann Act for allegedly having sex with a minor). Pegg also examines each of Berry's records in depth, tracing the development of his groundbreaking blend of blues, hillbilly, and jazz. Well-known as a gifted guitarist, Berry is also revealed to be a serious businessman. Pegg alternates between hagiography and harsh judgments of Berry, making the book feel off-balance. In spite of this shortcoming, Pegg provides an often-engaging portrait of a musician so devoted to his music that he is duck-walking his way into his eighties. The only biography on Berry in print, this is recommended for most libraries. (Photos not seen.) Henry L. Carrigan Jr., Lancaster, PA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Pegg reminds us that if Elvis led the youthquake of the 1950s, it was Berry who became its unlikely poet laureate. -- Shepherd Express
A measured, carefully constructed tome built upon meticulous research, yet it avoids the sort of dense, impenetrable style of so many scholastic rock bios. -- St. Louis Riverfront Times
The staggering amount of research Pegg has done into Berry's southern roots and St. Louis makes its own statement about Berry's stature as an artist, while the analysis of individual songs...places Berry in a historical continuum while still conveying his out-of-the-blue uniqueness. -- Montreal Gazette
Pegg's scholarship is tidy, his writing is clear and straightforward. -- The Los Angeles Times
Ambitious. -- Mojo
Pegg's research is impressive. -- Boston Herald
Pegg provides an often engaging portrait of a musician so devoted to his music that he is duck-walking his way into the eighties. -- Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Routledge (October 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415937485
• ISBN-13: 978-0415937481
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,249,600 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't put this book down!, February 25, 2004

By 

Robert R. Amis (Ponca City, OK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry (Hardcover)

As a long time fan of Chuck Berry, I have tried to read everything I could find about him, from enclyclopedia's to Rolling Stone Magazine. Over the past 20 years, I have tried to piece together the various differing messages about him, from musical genius to "difficult to work with" entertainer. This book puts it all together in an extremely well written and well documented manner. Pegg ties together all of the pieces with a lot of information and insight otherwise unknown, with interviews of principle persons in Chuck's musical and professional life. He is obviously a fan of Chuck's, but the book is very honest with the facts and never sensational.

If you are a fan of Chuck Berry, please do yourself a favor and get this book. You will not be able to stop reading it! I think it also would be helpful for anyone interested in the social/historical milieu of this time period in relationship to black entertainers in general as well.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hail, Hail, Chuck Berry!, September 13, 2004

By 

johann (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry (Hardcover)

I've been reading this book for the last few months (it's been my reading material on the train on the weekends hehe) and it's been an enertaining read of the life and hard times of Chuck Berry.
Previous to reading this book, I had only heard Chuck Berry's music and loved it, but did not know much about the man himself.
Bruce Pegg has done a good job of detailing Chuck's life, from the early days in The Ville, his begginings in music, Racism in the USA in the 50's, Chuck's relationship with Chess Records, concerts, all his court appearances (the Mann Act Trial, the Southern Aire Restuarant Video Tape Scandal (which I first heard about on E! News!) plus much more.
There are some great photos in the book which i'm not sure have been seen before.
Pegg also has also rounded up all the important people in Chuck's life and they all give interesting comments.
I haven't read Chuck Berry's offical Autobiography, but upon reading this, i'm sure this gives a much better view into his life.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chuck Berry Demystified, March 6, 2003

By 

eric albert (New York City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry (Hardcover)

Great Book. Very informative. A thorough body of research was completed in order to have this book published. I thought I knew all about Chuck Berry until I read this book. I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Chuck's. The book is balanced and pulls no punches. No wonder the biography is unauthorized. It contains information that is both provoctive and endearing.