Keith Richards on the most important guitarist of all time: “The granddaddy of us all”
Like any other person to pick up a guitar, The Rolling Stones founder Keith Richards is an environment of his influences. Although he cultivated a style that couldn’t belong to any other musician on the planet, Richards wouldn’t have been able to have crafted this unique sound without those who came before him.
Music has been part of Richards’ life for as long as he can remember, and it brought colour into an otherwise grey, post-war childhood. The guitarist’s mother, Doris, had an addiction to the radio, which gifted her son an irresistible taste for the sweet sounds of the blues, jazz, and soul.
Singers such as Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstine, and Sarah Vaughan were among his earliest memories of music. However, even at a young age, Richards knew that no amount of practice would give him a voice as heavenly as his heroes, but he later found that he could replicate those he worshipped who played the guitar.
Thanks to his grandfather, Richards began playing the guitar at a young age, and this instrument put him on the path to glory. He modelled himself on a series of his heroes, but none were more crucial than Chuck Berry. Although Richards has never officially labelled one specific artist as his favourite guitarist of all time, he’s hardly been covert in his love for Berry over the years. As far as The Rolling Stones’ riff machine is concerned, Berry was a musical saviour sent from another planet to bring the world the blues and light up his life.
When the topic of the greatest guitarist of all time often arises, Richards’ name is regularly mentioned in the conversation. However, from his perspective, he’s nowhere near deserving of that status and is merely a messenger who has flown the flag for rock ‘n’ roll. He’s dedicated his life to spreading the word of his favourite genre, an affliction born when Richards was only a youngster.
Famously, Richards has never been one to keep quiet about his feelings, whether positive or, more commonly, negative. Although he’s quietened down in recent years, The Rolling Stones guitarist is still no stranger to a round of verbal sparring. Nevertheless, one person Richards would never dare disrespect is the late Berry, despite him once literally punching him in the face.
Berry first announced himself to the masses during the 1950s, inspiring an entire generation with his groundbreaking catalogue of songs. His hits include beloved creations such as ‘Maybelline’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven‘, and ‘Johnny B Goode’, which helped etch Berry’s name into the rock ‘n’ roll history books.
While The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were credited with popularising the genre during the ’50s, Berry made it all possible. He’s the guitarist’s guitarist, and Richards is just one of many who idolise him. Berry taught the world a new way to play rock ‘n’ roll throughout his prolific career, and every chord he played was infectious.
“When I started, all I wanted to do was play like Chuck [Berry]. I thought if I could do that, I’d be the happiest man in the world,” Richards once remarked of the iconic musician.
Furthermore, while speaking with Rolling Stone, Richards recalled when he first realised Berry’s talent and became infatuated with his guitar playing. “When I saw Chuck Berry in Jazz on a Summer’s Day as a teenager, what struck me was how he was playing against the grain with a bunch of jazz guys,” he said.
Richards continued: “They were brilliant — guys like Jo Jones on drums and Jack Teagarden on trombone — but they had that jazz attitude cats put on sometimes: ‘Ooh… this rock and roll…’ With ‘Sweet Little Sixteen,’ Chuck took them all by storm and played against their animosity. To me, that’s blues. That’s the attitude and the guts it takes. That’s what I wanted to be.”
In 1986, Richards realised his lifelong ambition when he was given the opportunity to perform alongside his hero. The performance was part of Berry’s concert film Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll, and in preparation for the show, Richards spent several weeks living in Berry’s home, which he called a “childhood dream come true”.
In footage of the performance, Richards is in his absolute element. His whole life was building towards that precious moment, and understandably, the guitarist was savouring each second. Despite his wild achievements up to this stage, nothing gave him more joy than trading guitar licks with the man responsible for his love of the blues.
Following Berry’s death in 2017, Richards was beside himself in grief. “I kind of got the strange feeling that I remembered when Buddy Holly died,” the guitarist said in a statement. “I was in school, and this whisper started to go around the classroom. The whole class gave this collective gasp of horror. This was that same blow to the gut. It hit me harder than I expected.”
“Chuck is the granddaddy of us all. Even if you’re a rock guitarist who wouldn’t name him as your main influence, your main influence is probably still influenced by Chuck Berry. He is rock & roll in its pure essence,” Richards emotionally added.
Richards is a notoriously difficult character to impress. Still, there are a few people that he’ll never slander, and Berry is part of that exclusive club. The late American put him on the path to rock ‘n’ roll glory, making him the artist he is today. At every step of the way, he’s paid homage to his main influence and continues to ensure that Berry’s legacy continues to exist despite his passing.
