Book Review
Johnnie "B. Goode" Johnson
"Father of Rock & Roll"
Author: Travis Fitzpatrick
1999 Thomas, Cooke & Company
by Ray Stiles
Review Date: December 1999
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1999 KBA Award Winner
Achievement for Blues on the Internet
Presented by the Blues Foundation
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Travis Fitzpatrick has written an enlightening and very entertaining biography of blues pianist, Johnnie Johnson. Johnson was the band leader who gave a young guitarist by the name of Chuck Berry his start. The book tells the story of a modest man who only wanted to play music and wound up helping create the early foundations of Rock and Roll. Through his long collaboration with Chuck Berry, Johnson helped write the music on more than a hundred songs and created the distinct boogie rhythms that helped make Berry a major star. It is the story of a man who never received credit for his accomplishments (until now). It is also the story of a musician's journey from the heyday of early rock and roll, to hard times and obscurity and finally to a rebirth and recognition of his remarkable accomplishments. This is a very easy book to read with Fitzpatrick taking occasional side-trips where he talks about many of the people and events surrounding the times of Johnnie's life. There is also an excellent "bonus" CD that comes with the book that is a "must" for any fan of the roots of rock and roll. And yes, Chuck Berry did write the song, "Johnnie B. Goode" for his musical collaborator.
This review is copyright © 1999 by Ray Stiles, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved.
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