Grammy-winning country artist John Berry coming to Danville

Anna Wiest, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·3 min read
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Jun. 30—John Berry, country chart topper of the 90s, will perform at 6 p.m. on Saturday at The Venue at Liberty Valley in Danville. Berry said he is excited to finally visit Pennsylvania and meet fans.

Jim Kadryna, owner of The Venue at Liberty Valley, said Berry will be the first major country act at the venue. Southern Barbecue, new to Sunbury, will offer food and there will be a cash bar, Kadryna said.

The Venue at Liberty Valley will be an intimate setting for the performance, according to the owner. "We will only have around 150 people, so it will be a personal event," Kadryna said. "He will be able to intermix with fans."

Berry said he is excited to perform in Danville. "I'm very excited about this venue. It looks like a beautiful place," he said. "The owners have been wonderful to work with and it just seems like a great place for a show."

Having not spent a lot of time in Pennsylvania, Berry said he looks forward to meeting with fans in their home state.

"We always have folks that travel from Pa. to come see us," Berry said. "It's always great to see them, but I'm glad we are making it to their state."

Berry said he hopes even people who don't recognize his name will come out for the show Saturday. "Those who are not familiar with me, come and be with us anyway," he said. "You will probably hear songs and think 'I always wondered who sang that.'"

During the 90s, Berry made waves placing 20 singles on country charts. "Your Love Amazes Me" scored #1 on the Billboard and Radio & Records Country Chart while "Standing on the Edge of Goodbye" and "She's Taken a Shine" earned a #1 slot in Radio & Records.

A nominee and winner of several prestigious awards, Berry was nominated for the Academy of Country Music 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 chart-topper "Your Love Amazes Me" and was nominated for the Country Music Awards Horizon Award and Top Male Vocalist Award in 1995.

Throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, Berry released smash hits including "Change My Mind" and "She's Taken a Shine," both of which ranked high on country music charts.

Since then, Berry has been involved in many projects and faced a few tough battles.

In 2017, Berry launched "Songs and Stories with John Berry," a weekly television show on which he hosted guests and discussed their life-changing songs and stories. Over the course of two years, the show welcomed many stars including Billy Ray Cyrus, Billy Dean, Collin Raye, Craig Morgan, Terri Clark, Tracy Lawrence and others.

In January 2019, Berry was diagnosed with cancer of his tonsils. After having them removed, he underwent seven rounds of chemo and 35 rounds of radiation.

In 2020, he recorded his latest album Find My Joy. After struggling with his health, the timing felt right, Berry said.

"The album includes some classic hymns and four new songs of faith and is a lovely record," he said. "I had been waiting to record it for many years, but after battling cancer, the timing felt right."

Tickets for Saturday's event in Danville are available for purchase through the "Meetings and Events" tab on venuelibertyvalley.com or through the ticket tailor link at The Venue at Liberty Valley's Facebook page.