- published: 08 Sep 2009
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William Thomas "Bill" Berry (born July 31, 1958 in Duluth, Minnesota) is a retired American musician, multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. In addition to his drumming duties, Berry played many other instruments including guitar, bass guitar, and piano, both for songwriting and on R.E.M. records. After 17 years with the band, Berry retired to become a farmer, and has since maintained a low profile, making sporadic reunions with R.E.M. and appearing on other artists' records.
Berry was born in Duluth, the fifth child of Don and Anna. At three years old, Berry moved with his family to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, where they would remain for the next seven years. In 1968, they were on the move again, this time to Sandusky, Ohio, on the banks of Lake Erie.
In 1972, the Berry family made their final move, to Macon, Georgia, literally just in time to start high school at Mount de Sales Academy. It was there that he met bassist Mike Mills, and they played together in several different bands. Their first attempt at a career in music was short-lived. He and Mills decided to make money by getting day jobs. They rented an apartment on Arlington Street in Macon and Bill landed a job at the Paragon booking agency next door.
"Begin the Begin" is the first song on R.E.M.'s fourth album, Lifes Rich Pageant. Lead singer Michael Stipe has called it "a song of personal, political activism." Though never released as a single, it still appears frequently in the band's live performances as a song early in the set. It was even used as an opening song in the live performances at their inductions into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The song was also included as the first track on their 2006 compilation And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987.
As the opening track on Lifes Rich Pageant, the song heralded a new clarity in Stipe's vocals. Written on acoustic guitars in Stipe's home, the original version of the song was a minute longer, with five different choruses, lacking melody and a bridge. Replete with references to Americana and revolution, the title is a pun on Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine".
Actors: Chad S. Taylor (actor), Tim Kelly (producer), Bob Mendelsohn (producer), Tim Kelly (director), Bob Mendelsohn (director), Tim Kelly (actor), Mark Nizer (actor), Dave Capurro (actor), Frank Olivier (actor), Robert Damours (actor), Dan Holzman (actor), Sean McKinney (actor), Bill Berry (actor), Jonathan Root (actor),
Genres: Sport,Actors: Dick Clark (actor), Bruce Davison (actor), George Wallace (actor), Susan Sullivan (actress), Dalene Young (writer), Aaron Stell (editor), Gary Grubbs (actor), Richard Hatch (actor), Jimmy Williams (actor), Fred Karlin (composer), Kelly Ward (actor), Roger Gimbel (producer), Mike Love (actor), Kristine DeBell (actress), David Byrd (actor),
Genres: Biography, Drama,Eyes
Holdin' back the tears
That they've held for years
How can I tell you?
I don't want to make you cry
Why should I even try?
Why should I even try?
Days
Where'd you go so fast
Fin'lly lost at last
How can I tell you?
I don't want to let you down
Why should I even try?
Why should I even try?
How can I tell you?
I don't want to let you down
Why should I even try?