Chuck Berry
ListenMaybellene · 1955
Chuck Berry and His Combo — “Maybellene,” 1955.
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1955 · Chess
Maybellene / Wee Wee Hours
Chuck Berry arrived at Chess Records with a homemade tape and a recommendation from Muddy Waters. What caught the label’s ear was the country-flavoured number that became “Maybellene”—a car chase delivered with a guitarist’s speed and a storyteller’s eye. [1]
| Accession | OMMA-0064 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Chuck Berry and His Combo |
| Release | 1955 · United States |
| Label | Chess · 1604 |
| Format | 7-inch vinyl single · 45 rpm · mono |
| Issue | U.S. commercial issue |
| Runouts | Not documented |
| Recorded grade | NM |
Release history and significance
Berry’s partnership with pianist Johnnie Johnson began in the St. Louis club scene, when Johnson needed a substitute musician. Berry became a regular, bringing his singing and showmanship to the group. Johnson’s swinging piano and Berry’s driving guitar gave the music its distinctive tension. [1]
In Chicago, Berry sought out Muddy Waters and asked how to make a record. Waters sent him to Leonard Chess. The tape Berry brought included “Ida Red”; the Chess brothers liked its unfamiliar sound. Berry returned with Johnson to record the song in 1955, now titled “Maybellene.” [1]
The single paired “Maybellene” with “Wee Wee Hours.” [2] Its vivid picture of cars and courtship reached young listeners beyond the blues audience, making Berry’s debut one of the defining early rock-and-roll records. [1]
Market context
Discogs records sales for the referenced U.S. 1955 commercial seven-inch edition from US$1.49 to US$225, with a median of US$15.73, as listed on 13 September 2026. The latest recorded sale was 18 June 2026. [2]
Physical Description
A seven-inch Chess 1604 single coupling “Maybellene” with “Wee Wee Hours,” credited to Chuck Berry and His Combo. [2]
Condition
The disc is graded NM.
Provenance
Acquired on 23 January 2026 through Discogs from SavoyBG.
Sources
- PBS, In Their Own Words: Chuck Berry, 27 July 2021. Berry, family members, Marshall Chess and fellow musicians recount the path to the first record.
- Discogs, Chuck Berry and His Combo, release 1952231. Chess 1604, U.S. commercial seven-inch reference edition and sales history.
Catalogue text reviewed 13 September 2026.