JOHN BERRY
GRAMMY Award-winning country star John Berry celebrates 42 years as a Country music performer. In 2020 Grammy award-winning country star, John Berry took advantage of being off the road. Highlights include partnering with Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt for his weekly series, "Songs and Stories For Kids," which charted multiple times on the Pollstar Live Stream Chart. He released a new video and re-recorded a new single for "The Graduation Song," started his new podcast, Faith Family & Friends and is ending the year with his 24th annual Songs and Stories with John Berry Christmas. In 2019 John Berry celebrated the 28th anniversary since signing his first record deal with his most recent single “The Richest Man” from the new album Thomas Road. In 2019, Berry was diagnosed with throat cancer, requiring 35 treatments combined of radiation and chemotherapy. In 2018 charted at #30 on the Music Row Breakout Charts with the single, “Beautifully Broken,” which is featured in the soundtrack for the movie of the same name. The singer-songwriter rose to stardom on the country charts of the 1990s with such mega hits as Your Love Amazes Me, Standing on the Edge of Goodbye and She’s Taken a Shine. His annual Christmas tours brighten the holidays for thousands, as does his electrifying rendition of O’ Holy Night.
During the 90’s and early 2000’s, John placed 20 singles on the country charts, 6 of which went Top 5, with Your Love Amazes Me, scoring a #1 on the Billboard and Radio & Records Country Chart as well as Standing on the Edge of Goodbye and She’s Taken a Shine earning the #1 slot in Radio & Records. He has earned multiple Gold and Platinum records over the years. John was nominated for the ACM Top New Male Vocalist in 1994, won a Grammy Award in 1996 for his participation in Amazing Grace: A Country Salute to Gospel Vol. 1, was nominated for another Grammy in 1995 for his smash hit Your Love Amazes Me and was nominated for the CMA Horizon Award and Top Male Vocalist Award in 1995. In 1997 he was nominated for Vocal Event of the Year (for Long Haired Country Boy with Charlie Daniels and Hal Ketchum) and in 2013 John was nominated for the Mainstream Country Male Artist by the ICM Awards. And thanks to the miracles of modern technology, he even sang a duet with the late, great Patsy Cline.
“I love what I do, with a passion not seen in quite some time. I’m hopeful and excited about the future. I love singing and always will. I have a bus, an incredible stage presentation, a great band, hands-on management team and I’m always all dressed up and ready to go.”
John’s enduringly powerful performances draw on a lifetime of making music and living life. Born in South Carolina and raised in Georgia, he began playing guitar at 13, performing shows at age 14 and making records at age 19. “By the time I was 17, I knew that music was what I wanted to do with my life”; and he has done it well ever since.
Between 1979 and 1990 he recorded and marketed six albums on his own labels. The Graduation Song, which he wrote during his senior year in high school, became a perennial favorite at graduation ceremonies. It appeared on two of his early collections.
Those early discs and John’s strong regional popularity attracted attention on Music Row. Capitol Records signed him to his first major label contract in 1992. Berry’s co-written hits A Mind of Her Own and Kiss Me in the Car introduced him to radio audiences in 1993. Then Your Love Amazes Me, What’s in it for Me and You and Only You thrust him to stardom in 1994. Standing on the Edge of Goodbye, I Think About it all the Time, and If I Had Any Pride Left at All were all major hits the following year, with Standing on the Edge of Goodbye earning John the coveted 1995 Grammy nomination.
But it was his stunning performance of the title track of the 1995 CD O’ Holy Night that led to his most enduring legacy to date. John began doing special Christmas tours that year and 2016 marks his 20th anniversary holiday concert tour. He has big plans to celebrate and involve the fans like never before for this anniversary celebration. He has also issued three more Christmas-music collections. If O’ Holy Night is all that anyone remembers of me, that’s fine with me,” he comments about his perennial Christmas popularity. “It is a truly inspired piece of music.”
Happily, there were more successes to come. The hit Change My Mind earned John a Top-5 spot on the Country music charts in 1996. She’s Taken a Shine became an even bigger hit in 1997. Both fans and the media took note again when There He Goes was released as a 1999 duet with Patsy Cline.
In 2002, Berry returned to making records for his own company, Clear Sky Records. Songs and Stories, a double CD was issued that year.
In 2003, John Berry released his I Give My Heart collection and its critically applauded wedding anthem Will You Marry Me. The disc also contained his versions of such classic love songs as Time in a Bottle, If, Love Look What You’ve Done to Me, Faithfully, Lady and Let’s Stay Together. I Give My Heart inspired still another popular concert series, The Love Tour.
In 2008, Those Were the Days, was released, marking John’s return to mainstream country music. He created his first Christian-music CD in 2011. In 2012, John published the combination book and CD, again titled Songs and Stories. Over the years he has continued to tour steadily.
“We just have a great group of fans who welcome us every year. They are always there.”
In late 2015 John launched a crowd funded Kickstarter project that proved very successful. Overwhelmed by the fan response, John assembled an all-star studio team and cut both a Country album entitled What I Love the Most and a new album simply titled Christmas and released both in late 2016. Blessed with the ability to make the music he wanted to make (and not what a label dictated) allowed John the time to write and create what many music critics who have heard bits & pieces are saying could be his best, most complete project yet. “I'm excited to have been able to release this new music and bring it to the fans through a new distribution agreement with Sony RED. It’s a new time in the music business and technology allows me to be closer to my fans and interact in new ways. You know, God just keeps blessing me. There are new opportunities coming at every turn.”
“With time, I’ve learned that the road to fulfillment is doing what I was called to do, love to do, and then doing it the best I can, regardless of the circumstances. And for me, that is making music and singing for people."
2017 found John touring in several configurations (acoustic solo, acoustic trio and full band) with plans to release another new album followed by the continuation of his legendary Christmas Tour. He and his family moved back to Music City after several years in Georgia, and 2017 saw John pursuing a touring and personal appearance schedule that is more active than ever. Given his wide range of music and number of releases, John is fortunate in that he can book a solo show with just himself and guitar, a small-band acoustic show or a full-band engagement and has more than enough hit material to captivate a crowd and deliver an evening full of musical memories.
Also, in August of 2017 John launched a new, weekly internationally syndicated television show entitled Songs and Stories with John Berry that explored the songs and stories that changed the lives of his weekly guest. Superstar guests in Season 1 of the show included Billy Ray Cyrus, Billy Dean, Mo Pitney, Neal McCoy, Suzy Bogguss, Collin Raye, Craig Morgan, Mark Wills, Delbert McClinton, Clay Walker and Lee Roy Parnell.
2018 John celebrated his 25th anniversary since signing his major label deal, Season 2 of Songs and Stories with John Berry aired multiple times weekly to over 105 million homes across the United States as well as the UK and New Zealand on great networks like Heartland Television, The Family Channel, The Country Channel, Phil Mack’s Keep it Country (UK), Country TV (New Zealand) and AMGTV.
In 2018 charted at #30 on the Music Row Breakout Charts with the single, “Beautifully Broken,” which is featured in the soundtrack for the movie of the same name. John also toured the country in all performance sectors, releasing several new projects and a few surprises.
2019 continued to celebrate the 26th anniversary since signing his first record deal with his most recent single “The Richest Man” from the new album Thomas Road.
In January 2019 , Berry was diagnosed with throat cancer, requiring 35 treatments combined of radiation and chemotherapy. A benefit concert was held with performers such as Garth Brooks, The Oak Ridge Boys, Vince Gill and over 24 other high profile entertainers from Country, Americana and Rock, raising funds to offset his out of pocket medical expenses, while also donating a significant portion of the proceeds earned to others in the music community in need via Music Health Alliance.
2020 has many as of yet undisclosed plans which will include his annual John Berry Songs and Stories Christmas Tour, marking its 24th year.
Highlights
# 97 Pollstar Top 100 Livestreams 2020
Since April 17, 1997 a total of 71 John Berry performances on the Grand Ole Opry – anything prior to that was not kept. This is after they went computerized
July 25th marks the 25th Anniversary of JB's "Faces" album
2021 Christmas Tour - The Silver Celebration! 25 years of Christmas with John Berry
New podcast, “Faith Family & Friends” Sept 8, 2020
“Songs and Stories for Kids with John Berry” included in Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt through the Ryan Seacrest Studios
Landed on PollStar Live Stream Chart for his Songs & Stories for kids and reached over 300K views on FB
“The Graduation Song” a song he wrote over 43 years ago during his Senior year of High School honoring 2020 graduates. The tune was written in 1977 by John Berry when he was 17 years old.
2020 started off with Johns 70th performance on the Grand Ole Opry Feb 21st
2-12-20 John Berry lent his iconic voice to Joe & Martina’s new single “Give Me Back The 90’s” .. http://smarturl.it/JoeMartinaJohnBerry #10 Download of the week on play MPE, #1 Stream on Release Day and #2 Download on Release Day
MusicRow DISClaimer Robert K Oermann • I never tire of hearing this most fundamental message of country music — happiness doesn’t lie in wealth, but in love. Few have the heart and soul to deliver it as effectively as this guy. Brilliantly crafted, wonderfully melodic, exquisitely poetic and flawlessly produced.
First single off his current album, “The Richest Man,” released in March 2019 video link here.
New Album “Thomas Road” released Nov. 30, 2018 and named after “Thomas Road” where he grew up in Decatur, GA MP3 download link (Review and Radio Airplay Only)
His annual Christmas tours brighten the holidays for thousands 2020 will mark his 24th year of the tour.
His song “Do Not Be Afraid” is included on Country Faith Christmas Vol. 2 distributed exclusively through Cracker BarrelRecorded and featured on the title track and video for the exhilarating new feature film, “Beautifully Broken.”
The song is featured in the movie for ending and during credits.The single “Beautifully Broken” was #1 on the Christian Music Weekly Chart for 5 weeks and charted at #30 on the MusicRow Country Charts, breaking a 22 year stretch for charting a single on radio.
GRAMMY for Amazing Grace: A Country Salute to Gospel Vol. 1“Beautifully Broken” Added to Spotify’s New Traditions: Country Heroes Playlist
June 16, 2018 The Mayor of Athens, GA presented an Official Proclamation announcing it as OFFICIAL JOHN BERRY DAY and the KEY TO THE CITY at his Anniversary Concert at The Foundry where he inked his major label signing 27 years ago.
TV show Songs and Stories with John Berry aired for a 2nd season on RideTV, Heartland Television, The Family Channel, The Country Network, Roku (via Heartland), AMG TV, Country TV (New Zealand), and Keep It Country TV (UK).
2020 is the 27th Anniversary since signing major label deal and 41st year of being a Country music recording artist.
Capitol Records signed him to his first major label contract in1992. Berry's co-written hits A Mind of Her Own and Kiss Me in the Car introduced him to radio audiences in 1993. Then Your Love Amazes Me, What's in it for Me and You and Only You thrust him to stardom in 1994.
20 singles on the country hit parade charts, six of which went Top 5, a #1 on the Billboard and Radio & Records country charts.