Marie is only six years old, but Chuck is 80: Happy Birthday, Chuck Berry

Happy 80th Birthday to Chuck Berry, far and away the oldest living rock star. Even Elvis is (excuse me, I mean "would be") only 71 today. Berry's style of guitar playing is the bedrock upon which all further rock is built. Both the Beatles and Rolling Stones spent their early careers as virtual Berry cover bands - damn good ones mind you - before forging their own sounds. And though he bears little-to-no resemblance to Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell or even the great Dan Fogleberg, Chuck was one of the original singer-songwriters, combining brilliant lyrics with unique guitar stylings and a singular worldview. Now would be a fine time to visit your favorite online or brick-and-mortar music retailer and pick up some Chuck, such as the single-disc Great Twenty Eight, two disc Anthology or the recently re-released DVD of the 1986 Keith Richards/Berry project Hail! Hail! Rock N' Roll.

For your viewing pleaure: a classic clip of personal favorite “Memphis, Tennessee” (great town, great tune). No word if the TV camera seen here is the same one he later used to secretly tape women "freshening up" in the ladies room at his St. Louis restaurant in the late 1980s. Hey, nobody's perfect!