An evening with John Berry

If you enjoy music that has substance, lyrical quality, and intricate wording, and you haven’t heard of John Berry, you’re missing out on one amazing voice.

After listening to his music since he burst on the scene in 1994, we finally got to see him in person last night at a place called Hugh’s Room in Etobicoke. http://hughsroom.com/

John was on painkillers while recovering from a right hand and left collarbone that were both broken when a new horse he was riding was frightened by something in the grass and bucked, throwing him in the air. He landed on the ground - with his collarbone getting the worst of it - and lay there in pain while his sons went to get help, thankful that he could still feel all his extremities and that it had happened to him and not one of his sons.

In spite of the injuries, John played a mean guitar and his voice was in great form. He did have one moment, which got a lot of laughter, when he forgot a line in “Faithfully.” He blamed the painkillers for the memory glitch.

The highlight of the night was probably his acapella rendition of “O Holy Night,” which was a request from the audience. The song really showcased his voice. He also sang several songs from his new album, which is nearly completed. I’ll be in line to buy it.

John’s web site is http://www.johnberry.com/