Who was first inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame?

Chuck Berry (18 October 1926 – 18 March 2017) was a creative and talented performer during a time of increasing interest in teen consumers. Developing a music style that included guitar solos and showmanship, Berry was a major influence on subsequent rock music. Notable influences included The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and others. In 1986, the initial group was inducted, with Chuck Berry being first. His inductor was Keith Richards.

By early 1953, influenced by the guitar riffs and showmanship techniques of the blues musician T-Bone Walker, Berry began performing with the Johnnie Johnson Trio. His break came when he traveled to Chicago in May 1955 and met Muddy Waters, who suggested he contact Leonard Chess, of Chess Records. With Chess, he recorded "Maybellene" - Berry's adaptation of the country song "Ida Red"—which sold over a million copies, reaching number one on Billboard magazine's rhythm and blues chart.

In late 1957, Berry took part in Alan Freed's "Biggest Show of Stars for 1957", touring the United States with the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, and others. By the end of the 1950s, Berry was a high-profile established star with several hit records and film appearances and a lucrative touring career. He had opened a racially integrated St. Louis nightclub, Berry's Club Bandstand, and invested in real estate.

Berry died of an apparent heart attack at his residence.