John Berry needs no
introduction to country music fans.. or does he? His first #1 hit in 1994 was "Your
Love Amazes Me". That was the beginning of a long run of top ten hits for John and
ample fruit to feed his Berry-crazed fans for years to come. During his career, John has
recorded on 3 major labels (that I know of), been honored by the Country Music Association
(CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM) as well as the Grammy Association. He has
proven himself as a song writer but moreover, one of the top male tenors of all time.
John had a great run as a top country star for years and then there was a lull in time
when the major radio stations only carried the "new" and more "pop"
sounding country artists, which unfortunately, found many great stars suddenly without a
major record label. Now, I don't honestly know if that was the case for John but either
way, that turmoil in the industry didn't hinder John. in 2004 he began recording albums
through an independent label, "Clear Sky Records" and continued to tour and be
heard by his fans in shows and online. During that time, he made several albums and one
sold so many copies it had to be recut to feed the frenzy of his hungry fans.
While this was great for his already established fans, there is a whole new generation of
country fans that may not know his work so this review is two-fold... to reintroduce him
to the fans of yesterday and most ardently introduce him to the new fans he'll surely
capture today. It's with that in mind that I find the re-release of his "Greatest
Hits" a very wise move.
As I pondered on how I was going to write this review, I tried to decide on my favorite
John Berry song. I failed miserably. Naturally, as a ballad lover, those take precedence
but choosing just one is incomprehensible.... at least for me. When I listen to his love
songs, I find myself falling in love.... and there's no one here but me. His voice has a
Svengali-like power to make one feel the essence of love so strongly that you forget about
everything else... all you feel is the love... or the heartbreak of love. That, my friends
is more than talent... it's a gift from God. A gift of a voice that is a finely tuned
instrument of a Stratavarious standard and can't be aptly described by mere words.
John's original Greatest Hits CD was first released through Capitol Records but he has
re-released his "Hits" CD on Clear Sky Records with an added bonus.... one that
most fans would not have thought of... the old Percy Sledge hit, "When A Man Loves A
Woman". For many artists this would be a very bad move or at the very least, a very
bold endeavor but John Berry isn't just any artist. His rendition of Percy's Soul/Motown
hit is indeed bold and John boldly nails it!
What will serve this "review" best are not the ravings of how I feel as a fan
but the song clips that I've created for your enjoyment.., all 12 tracks!.., a
re-introduction to John Berry... the voice that pours like wine yet sharp enough to cut
the glass it fills.
© Marlene Slater (Marli)
My Kind of Country
8-3-2007
