That time Chuck Berry performed in Vancouver

A palpable wave of rock 'n' roll sadness is rolling across the world today in response to the death of music legend Chuck Berry.

Berry died on Saturday at his home in Missouri. He was 90 years old. 

In Vancouver guitarist and songwriter Paul Pigat's opinion, no one who blended blues and country better than Berry. Hordes of future guitar students would start with the riff from Johnny B. Goode.

"If it wasn't for Chuck Berry there'd be no rock n roll," he said.

Pigat said Berry took the stage in the 1950s, when racial tension was already at a boiling point in the United States. He was able to snag the white audience with his mastery of country music.

To assuage a little of our collective heartache, here is a little gem originally broadcast in 1976. 

This video was shot in CBC's Vancouver studios as part of a pilot for 90 Minutes Live, hosted by Peter Gzowski. 

Chuck Berry performs at CBC studios in Vancouver

8 years ago

Duration 3:58

Legendary guitarist and rock 'n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry puts on epic performance