THREE months after the death of his father Chuck Berry who passed away March 18 at 90, Charles Berry Jr. has put into perspective the immortality of the rock and roll pioneer. “It’s much like Beethoven, much like Tchaikovsky. He’s in that category,” says Berry, 55. “Three hundred years from now, his music is gonna be right up there with all the other greats.”

But the late singer-guitarist behind classics like “Maybellene,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” and, of course, “Johnny B. Goode” adds another chapter to his legendary songbook with today’s posthumous release of “Chuck,” his final studio album and first since 1979. The self-produced LP — which was announced on Berry’s 90th birthday last Oct. 18 — features musical support throughout from both his only son, Charles Jr. (on rhythm guitar), and his daughter Ingrid Berry-Clay (harmonica, vocals) as part of his Blueberry Hill backing band.

With Berry’s two children playing such key roles in the recording of “Chuck,” it made the project a loving family affair. “My sister Ingrid has been on several of my dad’s albums — she’s been a band member since the early ’70s.

This was my first studio appearance on anybody’s record,” says Charles Jr., who joined his father’s band in 2001 and played with him until he stopped performing in October 2014. “So it was special for us. It’s something my dad really wanted — to have his children on his record.”

As for why it took Berry 38 years to release another studio album, his son explains, “He started working on it right after the release of ‘Rock It’ in 1979 and managed to get a pretty good amount of material built up.

But in 1989 there was a devastating fire at his recording studio, so all that work was destroyed. After rebuilding his studio, he had to start from scratch around 1991. So [it was] that in combination with my dad still being a touring entertainer and having other business ventures.”

(SD-Agencies)