Chatting with Chubby Checker

Chubby Checker, best known for his 1960s hit single "The Twist," was awarded the first ever platinum record and the first Grammy Award for a rock and roll record. "The Twist" was the #1 song of the 1960s.

Chubby continues to perform and his enthusiasm is infectious. His newest CD, "All the Best," is dropping today and he'll be promoting it at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a concert and CD signing tomorrow, July 23 at 630pm. Admission is free.

I recently had the good fortune to speak with Chubby about his work, his relationship with the Rock Hall, and what's in the future for him. Here's what he had to say:

Your new CD, "All the Best" is being released on July 22. Can you tell us a little about it?It's a mixture of new and orginal material. The hot new song is "Knock Down the Walls," a high-energy tune, you just gotta hear.

It's been almost 50 years since "The Twist" came out. To what do you attribute the song's lasting appeal?
It's like talking to Alexander Graham Bell about his invention..."The Twist" is as new as today and as old as "American Bandstand." Keep in mind the "The Twist" was the first dance performance together with a song, the first song with dancing apart from the beat. Now you see that everywhere, but "The Twist" was the first.

In addition to the Rock Hall appearance, will you be touring in conjunction with the new CD?
I tour pretty much continually. I think there are five or six shows in August. I hit a lot of the state fairs.

You've played Cleveland before. What strikes you about the city's music fans?
Cleveland's fans are great. They really know their music. Plus it was the home of Alan Freed, who gave original (black) artists a break when few other DJs were playing those artists. Without him, there would have been no Fats Domino, no Platters, no Chuck Berry.

I have to ask: In 2004, you picketed the Rock Hall induction ceremony. Now you're appearing at the Rock Hall. Have you made your peace with them?
There was never any "bad blood" between me and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame people. The reason I was marching was to get more play for "Chubby's Music." Here I have the #1 song of an entire decade, the first dance music, the first platinum album, and the first Rock and Roll Grammy and nobody's playing my music. That was what that was all about.

What's coming up for Chubby Checker?
Well, in addition to promoting the CD, we've got a new candy bar, the CheckerBar (see Chubby's Website for details), a "King of Twist" tee-shirt, and some other fun products.

Finally, what's one thing that fans would be surprised to learn about you?
I've really thankful to my fans. They're the best.

^{(photo © Scott Gries/Getty Images)}