- Berry Brothers
The Berry Brothers were an
African-American "exotic, acrobaticsoft shoe dance" trio, active in the entertainment business for over 30 years. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0306806355&id=4hIcqfTXMsMC&pg=PP1&lpg=PP1&ots=YVM9P44rYJ&dq=tap!&sig=ewwP_HtlVW2eoNOwVLSuqZba7tg Tap, the Greatest Tap Dance Stars and Their Stories, 1900-1955 by Rusty E. Frank] p.153-160] The trio was comprised of Ananias (Nyas, "King of the Strut"), James and Warren Berry.In 1938, at the
Cotton Club there was a face-off dance competition between theNicholas Brothers and the Berry Brothers. It has become a legendary confrontation, a sort of dance-fight for supremacy. By some accounts the Berry Brothers were more athletic but the Nicholas brothers were better overall performers - better at pleasing the crowd. [http://books.google.com/books?id=VvYv0Sr05FAC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=%22berry+brothers%22+1938+%22cotton+club%22&source=web&ots=uoTQWQ2UQW&sig=5VnIPk9k2yB9kTHEx2MfzJcpHTc That's the Joint!: the hip-hop studies reader By Mark Anthony Neal, Murray Forman] p.34-5]Their film credits include Lady Be Good (1941),
Panama Hattie (1942),Boarding House Blues (1948), andYou're My Everything (1949).The Berry Brothers have been involved in
gospel music since childhood. Their family has a rich history of ministry. Their father, Clyde Berry, has been a pastor for over 40 years. He was a member of the Berry Quartet, a popular quartet from Fredericktown, Missouri in the 1950's and 1960's. The Berry Quartet was made up of Clyde and his brothers.The mother of the Berry Brothers, Phyllis (Rogers) Berry, is a talented pianist who comes from a singing family. Her father was a member of the Rogers Quartet from Fredericktown, Missouri. Phyllis, her father, uncle, and sister were a part of this well-known quartet in the 1950's and 1960's. Out of these diverse talented families have emerged several preachers, music ministers, and gospel groups.
The older brothers, Alan and Steve, were part of a popular quartet, The young Messengers, in the mid 1970's. This group of young men recorded two albums of quartet music and traveled the Midwest doing concerts and revivals. After the Young Messengers dissolved, Alan and Steve started a new group known as The Berry Singers. Doug later joined The Berry Singers and the group quickly became a favorite gospel group in the Midwest. Their album Jesus, How I Love You, included the song, Hallelujah Meeting which reached number 15 on the Midwest Gospel Music charts in 1976. Both the Young Messenger and The Berry Brothers performed in concert with such groups as The Oak Ridge Boys, The Imperials, and The Blackwood Brothers. They appeared on several television and radio programs throughout the South and Midwest. After The Berry Singers disbanded, the brothers became involved in individual ministries.
Notes and references
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