John Edward Berry (born September 14, 1959 in Aiken, South Carolina) but raised in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American country music artist. Active as a recording artist since 1979, he has recorded more than fifteen studio albums, including one platinum album and two gold albums. In his career, Berry has also charted nineteen songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the Number One single "Your Love Amazes Me" from 1994 and six additional Top Ten hits: "What's In It for Me," "You and Only You," "Standing on the Edge of Goodbye," "I Think About It All the Time," "Change My Mind," and "She's Taken a Shine."

Biography

John Edward Berry was born on September 14, 1959 in Aiken, South Carolina, to James and Marie Berry, and raised in the Atlanta, Georgia area. He was exposed to a variety of music, as his father preferred Van Cliburn, his mother had a strong taste for gospel. Berry grew up listening to an AM station from Atlanta. "It was on in dad's garage constantly, WQXI 79 AM," Berry says. "They played a pretty eclectic selection, country and Top 40 in the 1970s.

"He started playing the guitar in 1972, at age 12. He was influenced by those artists who wrote their own songs and played guitar: James Taylor, Harry Chapin, and hhis favorite, John Denver. Also, prior to playing guitar, I really loved the “Philly Soul Sound” like The Shilites and The Stylists. Berry gravitated to soul, gospel and country music and began recording his own albums at home in 1979.^[2]

Berry has had to overcome numerous difficult obstacles in his life. In 1981, at age 19, he was hit by a car while riding his motorcycle and broke both of his legs and his left hip. Doctors said he may not walk again. He had just lost his mother earlier that year. He was forced to quit his warehouse job, and during the long months spent in painful physical therapy, and all he could do was play his guitar and sing. He doesn't done anything else since. ^[2]

Two years later, John started performing solo acoustic shows in northeast Georgia, then expanded around the southeast, building a strong name and following. He eventually made six self-produced albums, with the last one selling over 10,000 copies. He was finally signed to Liberty Records in 1992. Berry received high praise from former President George H.W. Bush and wife Barbara when he was invited to sing for Mr. Bush's birthday party. Berry's greatest strength is his pure tenor .^[3] It has been said that Berry has one of "the most remarkable voices in music." ^[2]

Early In 1994, Berry began to have terrible headaches, lost his appetite and finally blacked out during a concert. He was rushed to the hospital on May 9, 1994 in Atlanta, where a cyst was found in the third ventricle of his brain. He stated: They went in with a fiber optic camera and laser, and removed it. I still suffer a little from short-term memory loss. This is a rebirth of sorts and I am into that. ^[4] He uses humor when he occasionally forgets the words to a song and his wife, Robin, uses sign language to assist him. ^[4] The same day he underwent brain surgery, "Your Love Amazes Me" he celebrated his first #1 single, Your Love Amazes Me," from his hospital bed in Atlanta.^[5]

Unnoticeable in the vocals on his 1999 album, Wildest Dreams", but only a year before that recording was made, Berry faced one of the most horrible nightmares a singer can have— the urgent need for vocal cord surgery. ^[2][6]

Career

John Berry started playing after Georgia Bulldogs home football games, at college clubs and bars in Athens, Georgia in 1985, self-released six albums, soon becoming a local and regional celebrity. Berry worked on his music for almost ten years, and built a substantial following among students at the University of Georgia. He even started his own record company to produce and distribute recordings of his songs for local fans. Berry also hosted benefit concerts for local charities around his home.

1992—1998: Liberty/Patriot Records and Capitol Records

Berry released his self-titled major-label debut 1993 on Liberty Records. This album produced five chart singles for Berry. First was "A Mind of Her Own" at #55 on the Billboard country charts, followed by the #22 "Kiss Me in the Car".^[7] With his first major album in the stores, Berry went on the road with a major concert tour opening for the likes of Reba McEntire, Aaron Tippin, and The Mavericks.^[1] After this came "Your Love Amazes Me", which in 1994 became his only Number One hit on the Billboard charts. Following it were the #5 "What's in It for Me" (originally the b-side to "Your Love Amazes Me") and #4 "You and Only You", the latter of which was also a Number One on the RPM country charts in Canada. John Berry was certified platinum by both the RIAA and CRIA.

By 1994, he was moved to Liberty's sister label, Patriot Records. That same year, Patriot re-issued two of Berry's independent albums, Saddle the Wind and Things Are Not the Same. His 1994 hit, "Your Love Amazes Me," received a Grammy nomination. In addition to the Grammy nomination, he also received several Country Music Association CMA nominations that same year, winning the "Horizon Award", for the best new artist.^[8]

In 1995, he released Standing on the Edge for Patriot. Its lead-off single, "Standing on the Edge of Goodbye," was a #2 hit for him that year, and was followed by the #4 "I Think About It All the Time." The other two singles — "If I Had Any Pride Left at All" and "Every Time My Heart Calls Your Name" — did not reach Top 20 in the US, but did in Canada. This album was certified gold in both countries. A Christmas album entitled O Holy Night was also released in 1995, also on Patriot. In a memorable performance at the 1995 Country Music Awards, John sang "If I Had Any Pride Left At All" with nothing but his acoustic guitar. ^[9]

After the closure of Patriot Records in 1995, Berry was transferred to Capitol Records Nashville (the parent company of Liberty) for his third major-label album, 1996's Faces. Lead-off single "Change My Mind" peaked at #10 in 1996. Following it was his final Top Ten hit, the #2 "She's Taken a Shine," and finally his last Top 40 hit, "I Will, If You Will." The album was his final album to receive a gold certification from the RIAA.

An additional album for Capitol, Crazy for the Girl, was slated for release in 1997 but delayed due to his vocal cord surgery. ^[10] Its lead-off single, "The Stone," was also withdrawn.

In 1998, he charted two more singles for Capitol, which were to have been included on an album titled Better Than a Biscuit: "Over My Shoulder" and the title track, which spent only one week on the country music charts.^[7] He left the label in August 1998,^[11] and Better Than a Biscuit was not released.^[12]

1999—present

Berry signed to Lyric Street Records in 1999 to release his next album, Wildest Dreams. It included the singles "Love Is for Giving" and "Power Windows" (a cover of the Billy Falcon song). Neither single made Top 40 on the country music charts.^[7]

Berry's next album, 2001's All the Way to Here, was issued on the independent Ark 21 label. His album Songs And Stories was released in May 2002. This live, two-disc CD highlighted his story telling abilities. In 2004, he founded his own label, "Clear Sky", on which his next two albums, 2004's I Give My Heart and 2007's Those Were the Days, were issued. In 2008, Berry self published his music through independent digital distributor "Speakerheart."

Christmas tour

Berry is currently planning his 2010 Annual Christmas Tour. In the previous decade, John has performed to consistantly sold out crowds with his a cappella version of "O Holy Night" and other Christmas favorites, touring all over the United States. This hour and a half show is filled with traditional Christmas songs and his childhood stories.

Charity work

Berry has a penchant for helping charitable causes ranging from fighting children's diseases to Cystic Fibrosis,^[13] and has lent his name to such causes as adult literacy and Cystic Fibrosis and Haven Hospice. He performed a benefit concert for a kidney transplant recipient on October 16, 2008.^[4] He has held three charity fundraisers at the New Montcalm County 4-H Fairgrounds in Greenville, Michigan. He gave a free concert at the Greene County Relay for Life on June 18, 2010. He performs yearly, in Florida at the annual Newberry Watermelon Festival which benefits the American Legion.^[14][13]

Personal life

Berry often performs with his wife, Robin, as his backup singer. They have three children: a daughter, Taylor Marie, and two sons, Sean Thomas and Caelan. He wrote a song "Sanctuary," dedicated to Robin. It contains his favorite line that he's ever sung, "You're the prayer that mothers whisper every night for their sons everywhere."^[9] They live on a 72-acre farm called "ElderBerry Farm on Little Rose Creek" in Watkinsville, Georgia.

Deeply religious, he quit one of his record labels when they refused to record the song (Salvation), saying it was "too Christian." It is on his album, "Songs and Stories". Of his annual Christmas tour, he said," I love Christmas music! I love the whole season because it’s the basis of my faith. It’s about Christ being born. Santa Claus is great. Buying gifts is great but the whole reason is Christ." ^[15]

Awards

• Horizon Award (winner) and top male vocalist nomination, Country Music Association, 1995.
• Grammy nomination for "Your Love Amazes Me", his #1 hit in 1995
• Honorary Inductee the M.M.A.I. (Modeling Association of America) into the Modeling Hall of Fame--not as a fashion model, but as a role model. ^[16]

Discography

Studio albums

Christmas albums

Compilation albums

Independent albums

The following albums were originally released independently and re-issued by Patriot Records in 1994.

Singles

Guest singles

Other charted songs

Music videos