Heidi Berry

{{Short description|American musician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Heidi Berry | image = | image_size =  | caption = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|12|08}} | birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, United States | origin = | death_date = | death_place = | genre = {{hlist|Folk|indie|alternative|dream pop}} | occupation = Musician | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|piano|guitar}} | years_active = 1987–present | label = {{hlist|Creation|4AD|3-Loop}} | website = }}

'''Heidi Berry''' (born December 8, 1958) is a British-American singer-songwriter. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she recorded and released four critically acclaimed solo albums on the British independent record labels Creation and 4AD, for which she is best known.

==Career== Her earliest release on Creation Records was the 1987 Folk-Rock styled mini-album, ''Firefly''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/firefly-mw0000994960|title=Firefly – Heidi Berry | Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Larkinindie">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-579-4|page=32}}</ref> A second Creation release, ''Below The Waves'' followed in 1989,<ref name="Larkinindie"/> which saw a more eclectic musical style emerging for Berry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/below-the-waves-mw0000204592|title=Below the Waves – Heidi Berry | Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> Her association with 4AD began with a guest vocal on ''Blood'' (This Mortal Coil album) in 1991, where she contributed to their reworking of a Rodney Crowell classic, "'Til I Gain Control Again". Berry eventually moved over to 4AD as a signed artist, releasing three solo albums, ''Love'' (1991),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Heidi-Berry-Love/master/56509|title=Heidi Berry – Love|website=Discogs.com|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> ''Heidi Berry'' (1993),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Heidi-Berry-Heidi-Berry/release/389682|title=Heidi Berry – Heidi Berry|website=Discogs.com|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> and ''Miracle'' (1995).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Heidi-Berry-Miracle/master/56551|title=Heidi Berry – Miracle|website=Discogs.com|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref><ref name="4ad.com">{{Cite web|url=http://4ad.com/|title=The official website for independent record label 4AD.|website=4ad.com|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> The album, Heidi Berry achieved a minor hit with the lovely "The Moon and the Sun" and subsequent albums yielded tours in the UK, Europe and USA. The albums achieved critical acclaim, and Berry's music garnered a devoted cult audience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/heidi-berry/175900590|title=Heidi Berry on Apple Music|website=Music.apple.com|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> Pomegranate: An Anthology was her final 4AD release in 2001. This featured the song, "Needle's Eye", a song written by Berry, and produced by Patrick Fitzgerald (Kitchens of Distinction, Stephen Hero) as part of their collaborative project, ''Lost Girls''.<ref>Lost Girls (2001) [CD] Producer: Patrick Fitzgerald. 3-Loop Music</ref>

==Biography== Berry was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1958, the third of four children.<ref name="Strong">Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, {{ISBN|1-84195-335-0}}, p. 221</ref> Her mother, Beth was a jazz singer with Québécois roots, and her father, Don Berry, worked in theatre and film, most notably appearing alongside Ed Harris in the George A Romero 1981 cult movie, Knightriders. The Berry family moved between New York City, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and after her parents' divorce, her mother met and married British anti-architect and Right Livelihood Award laureate, John F. C. Turner,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rightlivelihoodaward.org/laureates/frances-moore-lapp-institute-for-food-and-development-policy/|title=Frances Moore-Lappé / Institute for Food and Development Policy|website=Rightlivelihoodaward.org}}</ref> and the family took up residency in London in 1973.<ref>Ankeny, Jason "[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=heidi-berry-p56303/biography|pure_url=yes}} Heidi Berry Biography]", ''AllMusic'', retrieved October 16, 2010</ref>

While studying for a Fine Art Degree in London, she recorded a demo tape in 1985, which eventually found its way to Creation Records boss Alan McGee via her then boyfriend Pete Astor. She signed to Creation in 1987, releasing ''Firefly'', a six-song mini-album, recorded with Martin Duffy of Felt on keyboards and members of Astor's band The Weather Prophets.<ref name="Larkin">Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave'', Virgin Books, {{ISBN|0-7535-0231-3}}, p. 41</ref><ref name="Anderson">Anderson, Lydia "[http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=heidi_berry Heidi Berry]", ''Trouser Press'', retrieved October 16, 2010</ref> An album, ''Below the Waves'', followed in 1989, featuring her brother Christopher on acoustic guitar (who also played on her later albums).<ref name="Strong" /><ref name="Raggett">Raggett, Ned "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=below-the-waves-r180515/review|pure_url=yes}} ''Below the Waves'' Review]", ''AllMusic'', retrieved October 16, 2010</ref> Her relationship with Creation broke down, and she left, stating "I simply felt that they didn't understand me".<ref name="Sexton">Sexton, Paul (1996) "[https://books.google.com/books?id=wwkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22heidi+berry%22&pg=PA9 4AD's Heidi Berry Spawns a Miracle]", ''Billboard'', September 21, 1996, pp. 9, 79, retrieved October 16, 2010</ref>

It was during her support set for Felt in London's Camden Town in 1991, that Berry's performance caught the eye of Ivo Watts-Russell. He recalled being drawn in by her "Dusty Springfield hand movements".<ref>Aston, Martin. (2013) ''Facing The Wrong Way: The Story of 4AD''. HarperCollins. pp. 360–2 {{ISBN|978-0007564125}}</ref> This led to him asking Berry to perform the song "'Til I Gain Control Again" on the third album by This Mortal Coil (''Blood'').<ref name="Larkinindie"/> Heidi Berry went on to record three solo albums for 4AD,<ref name="Strong" /> ''Love'', ''Heidi Berry'' and ''Miracle''. ''Love'' featured an array of musicians, including Martin McCarrick (of Siouxsie & the Banshees), Terry Bickers and Laurence O'Keefe (of Levitation), Ian Kearey (Oysterband) and Lol Coxhill.<ref name="Strong" /> The self-titled ''Heidi Berry'' album focused on "being unlucky in love and in life."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Semon|first1=Craig S.|title=When Heidi Berry gets down, she really gets down|work=Telegram & Gazette|publisher=Globe Newspaper Company|date=August 15, 1993|id={{ProQuest|268527741}}}}</ref>

Berry toured extensively during 1991–1993 in the UK, Europe and the US. Highlights included tours with Red House Painters, Mazzy Star, Indigo Girls, Everything But The Girl. She also toured with Brendan Perry<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brendanperry.com/|title=Brendan Perry|website=Brendanperry.com|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> (of Dead Can Dance) – and recorded several songs including ‘The Devil’, which he produced at his studio in Ireland. This was released on the 4AD label promo CD, "Shaving The Pavement"<ref>''Shaving The Pavement'' (1996) Song:‘The Devil’. Producer: Brendan Perry 4AD (PRO-C-8096)</ref>

In 1999, she formed Lost Girls, a collaboration with Patrick Fitzgerald of Kitchens of Distinction, releasing the single "Needle's Eye".<ref name="Strong" /> Lost Girls' long-awaited album was released in October 2014 by 3 Loop Music on vinyl, download and as a 2CD expanded edition (featuring demos and extra tracks).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://3loopmusic.tmstor.es/cart/product.php?id=18618 |title=Lost Girls – Lost Girls – TM Stores |website=3loopmusic.tmstor.es |date=October 20, 2014 |access-date=May 5, 2016}}</ref> Berry has also contributed harmony vocals to a number of alternative, indie and dream pop artists, notably Pete Astor,<ref>Submarine (1990) [CD] Song: ‘Submarine’. Peter Astor. Producer: Peter Astor. Rough Trade</ref> Breathless,<ref>Green To Blue, 2012. [CD] Breathless. Song: ‘Just For Today’. Tennor Vossa Records</ref> Spear of Destiny,<ref>Thirty One (2014) [CD] Spear of Destiny. Song: ‘Just For Today’. Producers Christophe Bride/Kirk Brandon. Eastersnow Recording Company</ref> and Stephen Hero.<ref>Deciduous Eccentric (2019) [CD] Stephen Hero. Song:’Stripping Oliver’. Producer: Patrick Fitzgerald. Ragoona Records.</ref> In the early 2000s, she collaborated with soundtrack composer, Andy Cowton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.andycowtonmusic.com/biog|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101125344/https://www.andycowtonmusic.com/biog|url-status=usurped|archive-date=November 1, 2019|title=CREDITS|website=Andycowtonmusic.com|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> on two BBC TV documentary soundtracks.

Martin Aston's definitive story of the 4AD label, ''Facing The Wrong Way'' includes numerous entries about Heidi Berry.<ref>Aston, M. (2013), ''Facing The Wrong Way: The Story of 4AD''. HarperCollins</ref> There is also a short entry in The Creation Records Story: My Magpie Eyes are Hungry for the Prize.<ref>Cavanagh, D. (2001), ''My Magpie Eyes are Hungry for the Prize''. Virgin Books. pp. 172, 284 {{ISBN|978-0753506455}}</ref> A filmed interview with Heidi Berry features in the documentary feature film, 'Upside Down: The Creation Records Story' <ref>Upside Down: The Creation Records Story. 2011. [DVD]Dir. Danny O’Connor. Document Productions Ltd</ref>

==Musical style== If Berry's music has proved difficult to classify, Ivo Watts-Russell, considered this a strength. He said of her work in 2013, "Music often has to do with the time when [it was] made, but Heidi's three albums transcend that for me. Her albums are at the core of what I hoped I was doing with 4AD, to represent people who could express themselves in music that has nothing to do with the flow and flavour of the decade in which they were made. It's the same reasons why Nick Drake's music works for people. Heidi's music is not about where she fitted in. Instead, it has great lasting value." .<ref>Aston, Martin (2013), ''Facing The Wrong Way: The Story of 4AD''. HarperCollins. p. 361</ref>

Berry's early music garnered comparisons to early Marianne Faithfull, Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, Sarah McLachlan and Beth Orton, and was described as "highly orchestrated folk-rock"<ref name="Mason">Mason, Stewart "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=heidi-berry-r185236/review|pure_url=yes}} ''Heidi Berry'' Review]", AllMusic, retrieved October 16, 2010</ref> The ''Boston Globe'' described her as sounding "like a majestic cross between Sandy Denny, Enya and Sade".<ref name="Morse">Morse, Steve (1991) "Heidi Berry Love 4AD", ''Boston Globe'', December 12, 1991, p. 6</ref> Charlotte Robinson of PopMatters described her styles as essentially "folk", with "dark...instrumental flourishes and layered vocals".<ref name="Robinson">Robinson, Charlotte (2001) "[http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/b/berryheidi-pomegranate.shtml Heidi Berry ''Pomegranate'']", PopMatters, retrieved October 16, 2010</ref> Barry Didcock of the ''Sunday Herald'' argues that Berry might be "the great overlooked voice of acoustic rock."

While the album,''Miracle'' has an acoustic band basis for much of the music, Berry never returned to the straightforward folk/rock of Firefly, instead letting the ghostly arrangements of 'Below the Waves' be her guide for future work.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-mw0000503436|title=Love – Heidi Berry | Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref>

''NME'' said of the song, "Needle’s Eye" on its initial 4AD release, "Over a wasted, civil war-style landscape comes a vocal that sounds like some daughter of Tim Buckley intoning a lament for the dead. I know nothing about Lost Girls; all I know is the world should know more about them."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.3loopmusic.com/shop-the-long-lost-lost-girls-albums/|title=Lost Girls long lost album re-issued|website=3loopmusic.com|date=January 10, 2015}}</ref>

Martin Aston of Mojo commented on the sleevenotes for ''Pomegranate'', "Given how many singer-songwriters have ploughed the folk-fusion field since Heidi, her influence is doubtless greater than people realise."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shopusa.4ad.com/artists/view/name/heidi-berry|title=Heidi Berry at 4AD Shop USA|website=Shopusa.4ad.com|access-date=January 29, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>

==Music educator== Heidi Berry is currently a Senior Lecturer at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute, where she teaches on the Masters programme. She holds a Master's degree in Songwriting from Bath Spa University. Berry joined BIMM Brighton as a lecturer in the second year of its existence and has contributed extensively to curriculum development across the college, specialising in Songwriting and Creativity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bimm.ac.uk/study/tutors/brighton/heidi-berry/|title=Heidi Berry|website=Bimm.ac.uk|access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref>

==Visual artist== Before embarking on her musical career, Berry attended Chelsea School of Art and London's Goldsmiths College and gained a BA (hons) in Fine Art from Middlesex University (formerly Hornsey School of Art). She continues to create visual art, concentrating on painting and printmaking.

==Discography== ===Solo albums=== * ''Firefly'' (1987) Producer: Pete Astor. [LP/CD] Creation (CAD1012CD) * ''Below the Waves'' (1989) Producer: Heidi Berry/Christian Lunch [LP/CD] Creation(CRELP048) * ''Love'' (1991) Producer: Pete Walsh. [LP/CD] 4AD (CAD1012CD) * ''Heidi Berry'' (1993) Producer: Hugh Jones. [LP/CD] 4AD (CAD 3009 CD;US /CD: 45301

* ''Miracle'' (1996) Producer: Hugh Jones. [LP/CD] 4AD (CAD 1011 CD;US CD: 46020)

===Singles, EPs, compilations=== * ''Distant Thunder'' (1992), Warner Bros. USA (CD PRO- CD) * "Lilliput" (1992), 4AD US (2 CD+hardcover book) (LILLIPUT 1/2) * "The 13 Year Itch" (1993), 4AD UK (CD Limited Ed.) * "The Moon and the Sun" (1993), 4AD (CD single BAD-3010) * ''Soil Samples 13'' (1993), Warner Bros. USA (PRO-CD-6107) * ''All Virgos Are Mad'' (1994), Warner Bros. USA (CD 9362 45789-2) * ''Facing the Wrong Way'' (1995), 4AD UK (CD FTWW 1) * ''Think I’m Getting the Hang of It'' (1995) 4AD US (CD PRO-CD-7625) * ''No Balls'' (1995) 4AD US (CD PRO-CD-7300) * ''Shaving the Pavement'' (1996) (C PRO-C-8096) * ''Dr. Martens: Shoe Pie'' (1996) 4AD US/UK (CD SHOE-1-CD)

* ''Pomegranate: an Anthology'' (2001) Producer: Various. 4AD [LP/CD] (EAD2K10A)

===Collaborations=== * ''Lost Girls'' (2014) Producer: Patrick Fitzgerald. [LP/CD]3-Loop Records * ''Aeroplane'' (1996) Producer: Aeroplane (John Ross / Rob Fitzpatrick). [EP] Detox

===Guest vocals=== * "Deciduous Eccentric" (2019) Song, 'Stripping Oliver’. Stephen Hero (Ragoora Records CD) * ''Lost Girls'' (2014) Collaborative album with Patrick Fitzgerald. (Bad Parents CD) * "Thirty-one" (2014) Song, 'Hurry Home'. Speak of Destiny (Easter Snow Music CD) * "Green to Blue" (2012) Song,'Just For Today'. Breathless (Tenor Vossa CD) * "Aeroplane" (1996) Producer: Aeroplane (John Ross / Rob Fitzpatrick). [EP] Detox * "Blood" (1991) Song,'Til I Gain Control Again'. This Mortal Coil. 4AD CD

===Film and television=== * ''Hyper Normalisation'' (2016) BBC trailer. Dir. Adam Curtis. (TV) * ''Generations; Naked'' (2000) BBC- Soundtrack collab. With Andy Cowton (TV) * ''Dawson's Creek'' (2002) S05-E08. Song: ‘The Moon And The Sun’ Dir. Lev L Spiro. (TV) * ''Baywatch'' (1998) Song: ‘Miracle’. Pearson Television / The Baywatch Company (TV) * ''Up in the Air'' (1991) Promo. Dir. Miles Aldridge.<ref name="4ad.com"/> (VID/DVD) * ''The Moon and the Sun'' (1993) Promo. Dir. Angela Conway.<ref>{{YouTube |KN7OYgoaX9M |Heidi Berry – "The Moon And The Sun"}}</ref> (VID/DVD) * ''Northshore Train'' (1980) Promo. Dir. Mehdi Norowzian. (VID)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://4ad.com/artists/heidiberry Heidi Berry at 4AD] * Heidi Berry Music [https://www.heidiberrymusic.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berry, Heidi}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Bath Spa University Category:Musicians from Boston Category:Folk musicians from Massachusetts Category:American women singer-songwriters Category:4AD artists Category:Creation Records artists Category:21st-century American women Category:Singer-songwriters from Massachusetts