Wayne Berry was in L.A. in the mid to late 60’s, attempting to put together a singer/songwriter deal. A&M signed him for some demos, at least one of which was released, but evidently that deal didn’t last. He hung out with a few songwriters and attempted some collaborations, the one of note being with the post-We The People and pre-Cowboy Tommy Talton. They shopped a few songs and had songs cut, but nothing ever came of that.
Berry ran into a bunch of people in L.A. (Notably George S. Clinton) and formed Timber, who released two albums, the first, Part of What You Hear, on Kapp (co-produced by Joni Mitchell’s ace producer Henry Lewy) and Bring America Home on Elektra (produced by ex-Don & The Goodtimes and Touch guru Don Galucci. Neither album went anywhere, though Berry’s touch as songwriter led to the solo contract with RCA.
This album, Home At Last, received praise among critics but fell flat on its face commercially. Even with airplay, no one bought it outside of Colorado (thanks to massive airplay of Snowbound on at least one Colorado radio station), which was typical of the era in the music industry. Breaking unknowns seemed a crap shoot in those days and, having worked with many of the promo and A&R people during those times, it was no wonder.
He did have his option for a second album picked up and test pressings exist. One made it into the hands of a critic for either Phonograph Record or BAM and he raved but, alas, the record was not released.
Berry formed another band with George S. Clinton that went by the name of Volunteers. The band released one eponymous album in 1976.
Berry is reportedly in Nashville and is in the ministry, in some capacity. (source)
Tracks
1 All I Needed (Wayne Berry) 3:08
2 Another’s Lifetime (Wayne Berry) 3:18
3 Indian Woman From Wichita (Wayne Berry) 3:15
4 Snowbound (Wayne Berry) 3:38
5 Welcome Home (Wayne Berry) 4:03
6 Dixie’s Pride (Wayne Berry) 3:27
7 Black Magic Gun (Wayne Berry) 4:13
8 Ballad Of Jonah (Wayne Berry) 3:26
9 Gene’s Tune (Blonde Guitar) (Wayne Berry) 4:09
10 Lover’s Moon (Wayne Berry) 4:12
Musicians
1 All I Needed
Bass | James Rolleston |
Drums | Jim Gordon |
Guitar | Jesse Ed Davis |
Guitar | Jeff Baxter |
12 String Guitar | Wayne Berry |
Organ | William Smith |
Piano | David Paich |
Background Vocals | James Rolleston |
Background Vocals | Ginger Holladay |
Background Vocals | Mary Holladay |
Background Vocals | Ned Doheny |
2 Another’s Lifetime
Bass | David Hood |
Drums | Roger Hawkins |
Guitar | Jimmy Johnson |
Guitar | Peter Carr |
Guitar | Reggie Young |
Organ | Barry Beckett |
Piano | Barry Beckett |
Flugelhorn | Ben Cauley |
Sax | Ronald Eades |
Sax | Harvey Thompson |
Trombone | Charles Rose |
Trumpet | Harrison Calloway |
3 Indian Woman From Wichita
Bass | James Rolleston |
Drums | Jim Gordon |
Slide Guitar | Jesse Ed Davis |
Acoustic Guitar | Wayne Berry |
Piano | David Briggs |
Percussion | Jim Gordon |
Background Vocals | James Rolleston |
4 Snowbound
Bass | James Rolleston |
Drums | Roger Hawkins |
Guitar | Peter Carr |
Acoustic Guitar | Wayne Berry |
Organ | Barry Beckett |
Piano | Barry Beckett |
Percussion | Roger Hawkins |
5 Welcome Home
Bass | Joe Osborn |
Drums | Jim Gordon |
Steel Guitar | Jeff Baxter |
Steel Guitar | Weldon Myrick |
Organ | William Smith |
Piano | David Paich |
Background Vocals | Jackson Browne |
Background Vocals | James Rolleston |
Background Vocals | Ned Doheny |
6 Dixie’s Pride
Bass | David Hood |
Drums | Roger Hawkins |
Guitar | Peter Carr |
Guitar | Wayne Berry |
Organ | Barry Beckett |
Piano | Barry Beckett |
Sax | Ronald Eades |
Sax | Harvey Thompson |
Trombone | Charles Rose |
Trombone | Harrison Calloway |
Trumpet | Ben Cauley |
Background Vocals | Ginger Holladay |
Background Vocals | Mary Holladay |
Background Vocals | Jeanie Greene |
7 Black Magic Gun
Bass | James Rolleston |
Drums | Jim Gordon |
Slide Guitar | Jesse Ed Davis |
Acoustic Guitar | Wayne Berry |
12 String Guitar | Wayne Berry |
8 Ballad Of Jonah
Bass | Norbert Putnam |
Drums | Kenny Buttrey |
Acoustic Guitar | Billy Sanford |
Acoustic Guitar | Wayne Berry |
Dobro | Weldon Myrick |
Fiddle | Johnny Gimble |
Harp | Charlie McCoy |
Background Vocals | Ginger Holladay |
Background Vocals | Mary Holladay |
Background Vocals | Jeanie Greene |
9 Gene’s Tune (Blonde Guitar)
Bass | Norbert Putnam |
Drums | Kenny Buttrey |
Guitar | Billy Sanford |
Acoustic Guitar | Wayne Berry |
Fiddle | Johnny Gimble |
10 Lover’s Moon
Bass | Norbert Putnam |
Drums | Kenny Buttrey |
Piano | Norbert Putnam |
Synthesizer | Shane Keister |
Cello | Norbert Putnam |
Liner Notes
Producer – Norbert Putnam
Arranged By (Strings) – Glen Spreen (Tracks 3, 5)
Conductor (Strings) – Sidney Sharp (Tracks 3, 5)
Engineer (A&M Studios) – Henry Lewy
Engineer (Muscle Shoals Sound Studios) – Jerry Masters, Steve Melton
Engineer (Quadrafonic Sound Studios) – Marty Lewis
Engineer (Quadrafonic Sound Studios), Engineer (Remix/Quadrafonic Sound Studios) – Gene Eichelberger
Engineer (Sound Labs, Hollywood) – Linda Tyler, Ned Forsyth, Tommy Vicari
Mastered By – Arnie Acosta
Created By (Cover) – Tom Wilkes Productions, Inc.
Photography By (Cover/Front) – Ken Marcus
Photography By (Rear Jacket) – Ken Kim
Phonographic Copyright (p) – RCA Records
Copyright (c) – RCA Records
Produced For – Code 615 Productions
Recorded At – Muscle Shoals Sound Studios
Recorded At – Sound Labs, Hollywood
Recorded At – A&M Studios
Recorded At – Quadrafonic Sound Studios
Remixed At – Quadrafonic Sound Studios
Mastered At – The Mastering Lab
Pressed By – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis