Interview by Paul Salfen
Paul Salfen sits down to talk with Richie Furay (Founding member of Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Souther Hillman Furay Band) and country superstar John Berry about their wild and storied careers, throat cancer, God, how Tanya Tucker nearly had the song that launched John Berry (Your Love Is Amazing, which has been covered by many other incredible superstars), and the wild moment of serendipity that led to a chance meeting with Richie Furay and Steven Stills and Neil Young that formed the legendary Buffalo Springfield..
Buffalo Springfield, POCO & Souther-Hillman-Furay comprise the illustrious musical career of Richie Furay. He is celebrated for pioneering Country-Rock with his unsurpassed soulful voice, powerful songwriting, and hard driving guitar playing. Furay has a few new projects under development which includes a new forthcoming studio album that was recorded in Nashville comprising all country classic songs, the release of a concert film & audio release from his 2018 DeLIVErin’ show at the legendary Troubadour which celebrated the 50th anniversary of POCO by performing the DeLIVERin’ album in its entirety along with a career retrospective of music, and a documentary currently in development on his life & career, with a working title Through It All, The Life and Influence of Richie Furay. Furay is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee for his work with BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD, a group he formed with Stephen Stills & Neil Young in 1966. In addition, he is inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame for his work with POCO. In 1968, after Buffalo Springfield disbanded, he formed the groundbreaking country-rock band POCO with Jim Messina. Joining them in various stages of the band’s lineup were Rusty Young, Randy Meisner, George Grantham, Timothy B. Schmit, and Paul Cotton. Despite the success of POCO with Richie’s signature songs and its influence on the genre, Furay departed POCO in 1974 and created the country-rock supergroup Souther-Hillman-Furay with Chris Hillman & J.D. Souther. He remained with the group until 1975 when each member parted ways to pursue their respective solo careers. Furay’s iconic songs include POCO’s A Good Feelin’ To Know, Pickin’ Up The Pieces, C’mon, A Man Like Me, and Just For Me & You. Additionally, Furay still performs classic Buffalo Springfield favorites like Kind Woman, A Child’s Claim To Fame, Sad Memory, Go And Say Goodbye, For What It’s Worth and On The Way Home along with Souther-Hillman-Furay’s hit song Fallin’ In Love and other beloved Furay songs spanning his entire career. “Richie Furay has long been at the forefront of musical history with work that lasts through the ages. From Buffalo Springfield and POCO to SHF Band, and his wonderful solo work, there are few who capture the soul and the beauty of what makes music matter like Richie Furay. His early work with POCO has never dimmed in its depth, exuberance and passion. The magic of his performance culminates with this generous return to an important early stage”. – CAMERON CROWE “Richie still sounds the same as he did in the late sixties – is still as fresh and vibrant today as he was then”. Greg Harris / CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
GRAMMY Award-winning country star John Berry celebrates 42 years as a Country music performer. In 2020 Grammy award-winning country star, John Berry took advantage of being off the road. Highlights include partnering with Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt for his weekly series, “Songs and Stories For Kids,” which charted multiple times on the Pollstar Live Stream Chart. He released a new video and re-recorded a new single for “The Graduation Song,” started his new podcast, Faith Family & Friends and is ending the year with his 24th annual Songs and Stories with John Berry Christmas. In 2019 John Berry celebrated the 28th anniversary since signing his first record deal with his most recent single “The Richest Man” from the new album Thomas Road. In 2019, Berry was diagnosed with throat cancer, requiring 35 treatments combined of radiation and chemotherapy. In 2018 charted at #30 on the Music Row Breakout Charts with the single, “Beautifully Broken,” which is featured in the soundtrack for the movie of the same name. The singer-songwriter rose to stardom on the country charts of the 1990s with such mega hits as Your Love Amazes Me, Standing on the Edge of Goodbye and She’s Taken a Shine. His annual Christmas tours brighten the holidays for thousands, as does his electrifying rendition of O’ Holy Night.
During the 90’s and early 2000’s, John placed 20 singles on the country charts, 6 of which went Top 5, with Your Love Amazes Me, scoring a #1 on the Billboard and Radio & Records Country Chart as well as Standing on the Edge of Goodbye and She’s Taken a Shine earning the #1 slot in Radio & Records. He has earned multiple Gold and Platinum records over the years. John was nominated for the ACM 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 smash hit Your Love Amazes Me and was nominated for the CMA Horizon Award and Top Male Vocalist Award in 1995. In 1997 he was nominated for Vocal Event of the Year (for Long Haired Country Boy with Charlie Daniels and Hal Ketchum) and in 2013 John was nominated for the Mainstream Country Male Artist by the ICM Awards. And thanks to the miracles of modern technology, he even sang a duet with the late, great Patsy Cline.
“I love what I do, with a passion not seen in quite some time. I’m hopeful and excited about the future. I love singing and always will. I have a bus, an incredible stage presentation, a great band, hands-on management team and I’m always all dressed up and ready to go.”
John’s enduringly powerful performances draw on a lifetime of making music and living life. Born in South Carolina and raised in Georgia, he began playing guitar at 13,
