December 1, 2000 – A multi-count lawsuit against guitarist/lyricist Chuck Berry was filed Wednesday (11/29/00) by attorneys for legendary pianist/composer Johnnie Johnson (aka "Johnnie B. Goode") in St. Louis Federal District Court. The suit seeks Johnson's rightful share of monies realized from numerous Johnson/Berry composed songs for which Johnson never received proper credit or royalties.

Amongst the allegations is that Johnson collaborated with Berry to compose songs which defined a musical genre; "Roll Over Beethoven," "No Particular Place To Go," "Rock and Roll Music," "Sweet Little Sixteen" among numerous others. Johnson maintains that he and Berry, together, created the music for these hits, but that Berry claimed sole copyright ownership as well as the profits generated from them. The suit further indicates that Johnson and Berry were partners, and that Berry took advantage of him when Berry registered the copyrights in his name alone. In addition, Berry has for years, refused to publicly recognize Johnson's central role in the composition of the music for those songs or pay Johnson royalties and other monies resulting from their collaborations. In fact, Johnson recently approached Berry in an effort to avoid litigation but Berry refused to discuss settlement.

While Berry lived luxuriously for decades, Johnson toiled in obscurity and abject poverty until he was rediscovered in 1986 by Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards during the making of the documentary, "Hail, Hail Rock 'n Roll." At the time Richards located Johnson, he was driving a bus for the elderly in St. Louis.

A Boogie Woogie Hall of Famer, and St Louis resident, Johnson's music has influenced the entire rock pantheon, from Elvis, Little Richard, and Jerry Lee Lewis to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Self-taught, Johnson hired Berry into his band in 1953 and manned the keys as pianist, composer, and bandleader for 30+ years. The first rock 'n' roll writer/performer team in history, Johnson collaborated with Berry on 50+ songs. Ironically, the song which many consider the "national anthem of rock 'n' roll" – "Johnny B. Goode" was the one song written by Berry alone in honor of his partner, Johnson.

In September 2000, Johnson was recognized by the Rhythm & Blues Foundation with a Pioneer Award. Additional honors he has received recently include a three-day celebration of his music presented by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum, and a congressional commendation for Lifetime Achievement in American Music. He is the subject of an upcoming Atlantic Records tribute album and proposed PBS documentary.

Details of Johnson's life can be found in the 1999 biography, Father of Rock & Roll: The Story of Johnnie 'B. Goode' Johnson (Thomas, Cooke & Co.). Written by rock historian Travis Fitzpatrick, and with forewords by both Keith Richards and Bob Weir, the book chronicles Johnson's lifetime career as a musician and his mercurial relationship with Chuck Berry.