The thirty up-tempo sounds featured within The Chuck Berry Sound have a resplendent danceable backbeat, from artists who have their style or a degree of Berry-ish mimicry. The ensemble includes rhythm and blues artists; Brownie McGhee, Anna Mae, and Buddy Lucas and His Combo, Oh Mary Ann. Both songs were inspired by John Greer and Mercy Dee's recording Come Back Maybelline, which in turn was inspired by Chuck Berry's Maybelline. Both songs are stand-alone sledgehammer rockers which you need in your collection. Dee Clark's Dance On Little Girl has a Berry-ish arrangement. I Was Gone was recorded by Eddie Clearwater who was a Berry look-alike, sound-alike and the recording's vocal group resembles Berry’s use of vocal harmony. Texan brothers John Dawson Winter III aka Johnny Winter and Edgar Holland Winter strolling classic School Day Blues opens with a Brown Eyed Handsome Man guitar-riff and maintains the Berry- influence throughout the song
The white rock tracks which mainly feature the guitar include; Billy Peek's, Rock To The Top which is adorned with perpetuating Berry guitar riffs, and lyrically it's based on Roll Over Beethoven. Tony Casanova tops them all, he mixes lots of Berry riffs, and his song Showdown is additionally very reminiscent of Eddie Cochran. Dale Hawkins's brother Jerry Hawkins Swing Daddy Swing replicates the Berry-style guitar, and Margaret and Rose Lewis provided the vocal backing.
Terry Gale's covers with an increase in tempo an over-looked Berry gem Betty Jean. Former Blue Cap, guitarist and pianist Max Karl Lipscomb aka Scotty McKay reworking of Brown Eyed Handsome Man is one of the earliest cover versions. Texas-bred singer and songwriter Margaret Ann Lewis sings with conviction Roll Over Beethoven which is the saga about the jukebox's blowin' a fuse, and is one of a handful of female cover-songs from the Berry catalogue.
Tribute recordings are; Big Daddy G, with Big Berry (Boss Man Guitar) which contains classic Berry riffs, uses several Berry song titles and has a name drop to Berry within the verse.
Eddy Bell and The Bel-Aires Johnny Be-Goode Is In Hollywood uses Berry-style lyrics and is a sequel to Bye Bye Johnny. Rayvon Darnell with Monroe Tucker's Orchestra Don't Want You Maybellene is based around Maybellene but with a much lighter beat.
The obscure to many artists include; Carroll (Wild Red) Pegues Ray and Red and The Bi-Flames Rhythm Feet which absorbs two Berry classics Memphis and Around And Around into the song. Buddy Howard had only one release, Take Your Hands Off Me Baby is enhanced with trademark Berry guitar riffs. Mexican-American Amador Sanchez aka Tiny Morrie Everybody Rocks borrows from Berry's Reelin' And Rockin' with a saxophone responding to the lyric and was recorded for his sibling Al 'Hurricane' Sanchez's label.
Oliver and The Twisters Mother Goose Twist is not a twist it is a driving R&B cover version of the Teddy Randazzo original with a solid rock beat and with a driving saxophone solo. Jimmy King will be better known as Lou Josie and his Knockin' On Your Door Jimmy King Knockin' On Your Door. The album ends in fine style with The Dusters Rock At The Hop, the song is a tribute to both Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis who are mentioned in the lyrics. The band plays with a Berry guitar and wild Lewis piano, and name drops to saxophonist Sam 'The Man' Taylor as the saxophone blows a fuse! The sleeve notes inform you about each song and offer a short biography about each artist.
The album is housed in an attractively designed cardboard sleeve, specially designed to avoid the use of plastic and be environmentally friendly. The album has a stunning design by artist Urban Zotel, sleeve notes from reissue producer Dee Jay Mark Armstrong, and songs mastered for the best possible sound by our mastering team at our El Paso, Texas, Studio.
Atomicat Records endeavours to use some lesser-known and for some, perhaps more obscure titles and adds something unexpected to every album. The album is ideal for Dee Jays to fill the dance floor with, and for home listening or while cruising around and scaring the neighbourhood. You are listening to music from the past and preserving the future! Rockstar Records 'Often imitated, never duplicated.”
All that remains is to say, "Crank up the volume and dig these musical gems.”
Dee Jay Mark Armstrong Bühl, Germany
01 Brownie McGhee Anna Mae (McGhee) Savoy 1955
02 Dee Clark Dance On Little Girl (Clark) Vee Jay 1962
03 Ray Sharpe Justine (Sharpe) Trey 1960
04 Billy Peek Rock To The Top (Peek) Peek 1960
05 Tony Casanova Showdown (Casanova, Jay) Doré 1959
06 The New Blockbusters Rock & Roll Guitar Part 1 (Paul, Rollins, Peck) Antler 1956
07 Carroll (Wild Red) Pegues Ray and Red and The Bi-Flames Rhythm Feet (Pegus, Mills) GM 1962
08 Big Daddy G Big Berry (Boss Man Guitar) (Drake, Stokes) Hyland 1963
09 Terry Gale Betty Jean (Berry) Las Vegas Strip 1963
10 Buddy Lucas and His Combo Oh Mary Ann (Lucas, Mendelssohn) Savoy 1955
11 Scotty McKay Brown Eyed Handsome Man (Berry) Ace 1960
12 Buddy Howard Take Your Hands Off Me Baby (Howard) Mida 1962
13 Margaret Lewis Roll Over Beethoven (Berry) Ram EP 1961
14 Eddy Bell and The Bel-Aires Johnny Be-Goode Is In Hollywood (LaCour, Fraley) Lucky Four 1961
15 Eddie Clearwater I Was Gone (Peterson, Thompson, Nath) Federal 1962
16 Jerry Hawkins Swing Daddy Swing (Jones, Kilgore, Lewis) Ebb 1958
17 Johnny and The Jammers School Day Blues (Winter) Dart 1960
18 Tiny Morrie Everybody Rocks (A&M Sanchez) Hurricane 1959
19 Jimmy Breedlove Rock 'n' Roll Music (Berry) RCA Camden LP 1958
20 The Gadabouts Too Much Monkey Business (Berry) Mercury 1956
21 Rayvon Darnell Don't Want You Maybellene (Getz) Million $ 1955
22 Oliver and The Twisters Mother Goose Twist (Barberis, Randazzo, Barberis, Weinstein) Colpex 1961
23 Gootch Jackson with Herbie Layne's Orch. Johnny B. Goode (Uncredited) Gateway 1958
24 Glenn Garrison Pony Tail Girl (Tall) Lode 1959
25 Jim Miller Carol (Berry) Spindletop 1963
26 Jimmy King Knockin' On Your Door (King) Herald 1958
27 Tommy Roe and The Satins Caveman (Roe) Mark IV 1960
28 Wes Reynolds Forty Days (Uncredited) Bismark 1963
29 The Jet Tones Henry (Freeman) Plaid 1959
30 The Dusters Rock At The Hop (Mansfield) Cupid 1961
