As the countdown begins toward what would have been Chuck Berry’s 100th birthday in 2026, acclaimed American singer-songwriter Valerie June has released a reimagined version of Berry’s pioneering 1955 hit Maybellene to mark the song’s 70th anniversary.
Produced by Lawrence Rothman, the new recording pays tribute to the man widely recognised as the architect of rock and roll, whose influence continues to echo through the decades.
June describes the project as a joyful homage to one of music’s most enduring legacies. “We are wishing Chuck Berry a happy birthday with the ultra-collaborative version of Maybellene,” she said. “Berry’s music is the pulse of American music from rock and roll to soul, blues and country. Our version even brings in a gospel choir. With music as a truly universal language, almost 100 years later, this song is our way of rejoicing together on the highways and byways of sound. What a joy to give him his flowers.”
The timing of June’s release coincides with Chuck Berry’s Birthday Bash, a two-night celebration held on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18 at Powell Hall in St. Louis, presented with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The event will feature Valerie June alongside producer Lawrence Rothman, Abraham Alexander, Maggie Rose, Patton Magee, Zach Person, Howlin’ Hurd, Charles Berry Jr., Charles Berry III, Jahi Eskridge, and a roster of special guests, including musicians from The Rolling Stones, Living Colour and The Pretenders.
The performance series is part of a broader tribute project titled Chuck Berry 100: A Tribute Reimagined, a genre-blending multi-artist album due in Fall 2026 through One Riot Records and KRO Records. The collection will feature reinterpretations of Berry’s most celebrated tracks, reimagined by artists spanning Country, Indie Rock and Americana, with further contributors still to be announced.
The album is being produced by St. Louis natives Lawrence Rothman, known for work with Angel Olsen, Amanda Shires and Margo Price, and Yves Rothman, who has collaborated with Blondshell, Yves Tumor and Bully. “In my hometown of St. Louis, Chuck Berry was our holy grail of rock n’ roll,” said Lawrence Rothman. “He was the blueprint of pop, rock n’ roll and hip hop. Growing up, I got to know him as a kid while I tagged along with my father, who carpeted his properties. He was a storyteller who strapped a motor to sentences. His influence is ingrained, like Mozart and Beethoven, into the fabric of culture and music forever.”
Berry’s original Maybellene, released in 1955, is considered one of the first true rock and roll records. It introduced Berry’s storytelling style and signature guitar riff to the world, launching a musical revolution that bridged R&B and country into a new form that reshaped popular culture. His songs like Roll Over Beethoven, Johnny B. Goode, and Sweet Little Sixteen became templates for generations of rock musicians, from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Bruce Springsteen and AC/DC.
Valerie June, signed to Fantasy Records under the Concord Music Group, has become one of modern Americana’s most distinctive voices. Born in Jackson, Tennessee, in 1982, June grew up immersed in gospel, R&B and blues before moving to Memphis to begin her career. Her early work fused Appalachian folk, country soul and symphonic pop into what she calls “organic moonshine roots music.” She first rose to wider attention with her Dan Auerbach-produced album Pushin’ Against A Stone in 2013, which featured Booker T. Jones and earned her critical acclaim across the US and UK.
With her version of Maybellene, June unites gospel, roots and Americana traditions to breathe new life into a rock classic. As the world prepares to celebrate Chuck Berry’s centenary, her tribute not only honours the birth of rock and roll but also demonstrates how Berry’s creative spark continues to inspire artists nearly a century later.
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