Chuck Berry started playing in the early 1950s and it really took his death this weekend to get him to stop.
But with fans now clamoring to buy souvenir tickets for his last live appearance — nearly three years ago — it’s clear that death is only going to increase his ultimate earning power.
Once high-powered entertainment managers connect the dots, they’re going to offer the family a lot more than what Berry left behind.
Nostalgia may be the best “hidden asset” of all.
Who got Chuck Berry’s money?
The real drama comes in when big entertainment muscle sees the opportunity that sprawling and iconic catalog represents.
Berry’s intellectual property could theoretically generate millions of dollars a year in licensing, merchandising, image and everything else that drives Michael Jackson’s or Jimi Hendrix’s estate.
While T shirts and posters may not have a long tail for Berry’s core audience — the Boomers are busy downscaling — there’s always the potential that a savvy brand manager will make him iconic for generations to come.
And that potential draws outside ambition. The Berry family may get an offer to sell their interest to a corporate entity willing and able to squeeze the assets.
