Chuck Berry and Etta James hailed by listeners for performance that ‘burned the whole place down’

A performance from music legends Chuck Berry and Etta James has been praised by viewers as the pair “burned the whole place down”.

Veteran rocker Keith Richards was also on hand for the performance. The Rolling Stones guitarist hailed Berry on numerous occasions, even working with the Johnny B. Goode songwriter. He said of the guitarist: “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. 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.

“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.”

Berry proved his brilliance on numerous occasions, but the performance with James at his 60th birthday party has been praised by members of the public. The extraordinary moment saw Berry and James perform Rock and Roll Music. The performance in 1986 has since been uploaded to YouTube, where fans shared their love of the performance.

One person wrote: “Even at this age, just give Chuck Berry a guitar and a beat, and he could burn the stage up. And with Eta James, wow! They burned down the whole place! Wish I had been there! If time travel is ever created in my lifetime, this is the first place I’d go back to.”

Another added: “She’s flat out incredible. Chuck ain’t too bad either. [John] Lennon said it best, if rock and roll had another name, it would be Chuck Berry.” A third wrote: “Two of the greatest musicians of all time.”

Others noted the energetic performance is a fantastic opportunity to see Berry and James at their very best. A fan wrote: “Chuck Berry and Etta James what a great duet. Berry always the entertainer, and James what a fantastic exciting voice she has! A high energy duo!!”

Another agreed, adding: “This is by far the REALEST PERFORMANCE I’ve ever watched, in every sense of the word SOULFUL, emotions.” A third shared: “I’ve heard that song before, but I’ve never heard it sung this well. Miss James killed it. That lady could really rock. Thanks for posting this.”

The performance from Berry and James featured in the music documentary, Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll. Richards appeared alongside Eric Clapton and Julian Lennon at the celebratory event. James and Berry’s performance can be viewed below.