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JOHNNYIE B. GOODE SUES CHUCK BERRY

(ST. LOUIS, MO) - On November 30, a multi-count lawsuit against
guitarist/lyricist Chuck Berry was filed yesterday 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," and "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 theircollaborations. In fact, Johnson recently approached Berry in an effort toavoid 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 band leader for 30-plus years. The first rock
'n roll writer/performer team in history, Johnson collaborated with Berry on
50-plus 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.