Today in Wheeling History: October 30--Leon "Chu" Berry, renowned jazz saxophonist from Wheeling, tragically dies from injuries sustained in a car accident (1941).
Leon Brown "Chu" Berry was born on September 13, 1908, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Brown Berry and Maggie Glasgow Berry¹³. Growing up in Wheeling, Berry attended Lincoln High School, where he developed a passion for music. He initially played the alto saxophone and performed with local bands. After high school, Berry attended West Virginia State College near Charleston for three years¹⁴. His stepsister, who played the piano, influenced his early interest in music. Berry's talent and dedication to his craft quickly gained him recognition in the jazz community.
Berry's professional career took off in the 1930s when he joined the bands of Benny Carter, Teddy Hill, and Fletcher Henderson. However, he is perhaps best known for his time with Cab Calloway's big band, where he played tenor saxophone¹¹. Berry's innovative style and technical prowess made him one of the most influential tenor saxophonists of the swing era. According to music critic Gary Giddins, musicians called him “Chu” either because he chewed on the mouthpiece of his saxophone or because he had a Fu Manchu mustache. Tragically, his life was cut short when he died on October 30, 1941, from injuries sustained in a car accident near Conneaut Lake, Ohio¹³. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling⁸. Despite his brief career, Berry's impact on jazz music remains significant, and he is remembered as a pioneering figure in the genre.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV (https://shorturl.at/o5AcP) (https://tinyurl.com/yeysa3s3), Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/9eBXq), Find a Grave (https://shorturl.at/Nrw2r), The World of Sax (https://shorturl.at/NmikO), West Virginia Music Hall of Fame (https://tinyurl.com/mr2hsans)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Hall of Fame, Wikimedia Commons, Find a Grave
Leon Brown "Chu" Berry was born on September 13, 1908, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Brown Berry and Maggie Glasgow Berry¹³. Growing up in Wheeling, Berry attended Lincoln High School, where he developed a passion for music. He initially played the alto saxophone and performed with local bands. After high school, Berry attended West Virginia State College near Charleston for three years¹⁴. His stepsister, who played the piano, influenced his early interest in music. Berry's talent and dedication to his craft quickly gained him recognition in the jazz community.
Berry's professional career took off in the 1930s when he joined the bands of Benny Carter, Teddy Hill, and Fletcher Henderson. However, he is perhaps best known for his time with Cab Calloway's big band, where he played tenor saxophone¹¹. Berry's innovative style and technical prowess made him one of the most influential tenor saxophonists of the swing era. According to music critic Gary Giddins, musicians called him “Chu” either because he chewed on the mouthpiece of his saxophone or because he had a Fu Manchu mustache. Tragically, his life was cut short when he died on October 30, 1941, from injuries sustained in a car accident near Conneaut Lake, Ohio¹³. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling⁸. Despite his brief career, Berry's impact on jazz music remains significant, and he is remembered as a pioneering figure in the genre.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV (https://shorturl.at/o5AcP) (https://tinyurl.com/yeysa3s3), Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/9eBXq), Find a Grave (https://shorturl.at/Nrw2r), The World of Sax (https://shorturl.at/NmikO), West Virginia Music Hall of Fame (https://tinyurl.com/mr2hsans)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Hall of Fame, Wikimedia Commons, Find a Grave
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