Voting Station

Richard Berry

Please vote to return to collections.

Vocalist

The Resume

    (April 11, 1935-January 23, 1997)
    Born in Extension, Louisiana
    Wrote and recorded the original version of 'Louie, Louie' (1957)
    Uncredited guest vocalist on the Robins' 'Riot in Cell Block #9' (1953) and Etta James' 'The Wallflower (Roll With Me, Henry)' (1955)

Why he might be annoying:

    Three of his kids were born out of wedlock.
    He wrote the words to 'Louie, Louie' on either a paper bag or some toilet paper (depending on which version of the story you hear).
    He sold the copyright to 'Louie, Louie' (and four other songs) to his record company for $750 (1959), missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties when the Kingsmen made the song into a hit.
    By the mid-80s, he was on welfare and living in his mother's house.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was a versatile singer who could sound like Little Richard on uptempo rockers, Muddy Waters on blues numbers, or Jesse Belvin on ballads.
    He wrote one of the enduring classics of rock and roll.
    Lawyers from the Artists Rights Society negotiated a deal that returned 75% of the publishing rights for 'Louie, Louie' to him, earning him over $100,000 a year in royalties during his last decade.
    He was a popular guest at radio station 'Louie, Louie' marathons.
    Asked if it was frustrating being remembered for only one song, he said, 'Hell, that song has gotten me quite a few gigs when I couldn't have dug a gig up.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 90.91% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying