Chuck Berry’s Guitar Was Bolted To His Coffin



In 2017, family, friends and fans gathered to pay their final respects to rock ’n roll legend Chuck Berry. The celebration began with a public viewing at The Pageant, a music club in the Delmar Loop section Berry's hometown of St. Louis, where he often played. Hundreds of fans filed past Berry, whose beloved cherry-red Gibson guitar was bolted to the inside of his coffin's lid. It was fitting for a man who revolutionized the use of the instrument. The guitar is thought to be the 1964 model that he toured with for about 12 years of his career, though some believe it wasn't Lucille because that guitar is a darker red color. Many believe the guitar in the coffin was just for show and not ultimately buried with him when the coffin went in the ground. At the funeral, a guitar-shaped flower wreath was on display, a gift from The Rolling Stones, while a surprise eulogy was given by KISS lead singer Gene Simmons.