Like many of today?s top country artists, John Berry grew up at a time when popular music embraced a wide array of styles. In the same way that Bob Wills incorporated the jazz of his day into country to produce Western Swing, and Waylon Jennings learned musical tricks from rock-and-roller Buddy Holly that came out in his "outlaw" country, Berry adapted bits and pieces from his various musical predecessors into his own country singing.
That creative conglomeration of styles, backed up by Berry?s soaring tenor, strikes a chord with fans and professionals alike. Less than five years ago, he was playing to enthusiastic fans in the Atlanta area. He was a huge regional success, releasing six
albums on his own before he decided to take his career to the next level. He arrived in Nashville in the spring of 1992, and was soon added to the Capitol Nashville roster.
He earned "Best Male Vocalist" nominations at the Grammy, Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Awards shows. He jump-started his career at the 1993 Country Radio Seminar, wowing a group of radio programmers with his performance of the #1 hit, "Your Love Amazes Me." He brought a "seen-it-all" industry audience to its feet at 1995?s Country Music Awards Show, when he delivered a stirring acoustic rendition of "If I Had Any Pride Left At All." As one critic wrote afterwards, "If there is a more commanding vocalist in country music than John Berry, we have yet to hear from him."
It would be difficult to find an artist more passionate about their music, or more devoted to bring that music to an audience. Berry can get intensely serious in discussion of his art, but he?s not the stereotypical tortured artist, spending his life with a furrowed brow. He?s an avid motorcyclist who boasts, "I have the prettiest Harley Fat Boy on two wheels." He and his wife, Robin, have three young children. His life is full, fun and forever going forward.
