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In CHUCK BERRY: An American Life (Hachette Books) biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of  one of the great American entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail. Based on interviews,  archival research, legal documents, and a deep understanding of Berry\\u2019s St.  Louis (his birthplace, and the place where he died in March 2017), Smith sheds  new light on the notoriously enigmatic icon, a man few have ever really understood.

RJ Smith has been a senior editor at Los Angeles Magazine, a contributor to Details, a  columnist for The Village Voice, a staff writer for Spin, and has written for GQ, New York  Times Magazine, Elle, and Men\'s Vogue. His book The One: The Life and Music of James  Brown was among the New York Times\' "100 Notable Books of 2012." Smith lives in Los  Angeles.