By the early '50s Berry had his own band and was one of the most popular African-American musicians around, though little-known outside of his community.

In 1955 Berry made rock history with the single "Maybellene," a version of the hillbilly standard "Ida Red" recorded for the blues label Chess Records. The Top 20 tune crossed over to white audiences and pioneered the rhyming lyrics, steady beat and guitar solo which would characterize rock 'n' roll for years to come, influencing countless bands. Over the next few years Berry wrote numerous early rock standards such as "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Johnny B. Goode," becoming one of the most successful, popular musicians of any race among American youth. Berry made frequent television and film appearances, further breaking down color and music barriers.

By the early '60s Berry's music had spread to Britain, where it inspired groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, who copied his style and covered many of his tunes. He became as big a star in the U.K. as he had been in the U.S., touring and recording all the while. Towards the end of the decade, as blues became more accepted among mainstream audiences, Berry shifted towards slower, bluesier material, remaining quite popular among fans old and young alike.

During the 1970s he continued to record albums for Chess, appear on TV specials, and play the oldies circuit. By the 1980s Berry had slowed down, but he remained as popular as ever among new generations of rock musicians who owed their livelihood to his early innovations. In the past decade Berry has been awarded numerous honors, written a popular autobiography, and appeared in numerous documentaries.

In 2001, in honor of Berry's 75th birthday, Chess Records reissued the 1963 classic, More Chuck Berry.