1974 Wayne Berry – Home At Last

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

Media

Musicians

1 All I Needed

BassJames Rolleston
DrumsJim Gordon
GuitarJesse Ed Davis
GuitarJeff Baxter
12 String GuitarWayne Berry
OrganWilliam Smith
PianoDavid Paich
Background VocalsJames Rolleston
Background VocalsGinger Holladay
Background VocalsMary Holladay
Background VocalsNed Doheny


2 Another’s Lifetime

BassDavid Hood
DrumsRoger Hawkins
GuitarJimmy Johnson
GuitarPeter Carr
GuitarReggie Young
OrganBarry Beckett
PianoBarry Beckett
FlugelhornBen Cauley
SaxRonald Eades
SaxHarvey Thompson
TromboneCharles Rose
TrumpetHarrison Calloway


3 Indian Woman From Wichita

BassJames Rolleston
DrumsJim Gordon
Slide GuitarJesse Ed Davis
Acoustic GuitarWayne Berry
PianoDavid Briggs
PercussionJim Gordon
Background VocalsJames Rolleston


4 Snowbound

BassJames Rolleston
DrumsRoger Hawkins
GuitarPeter Carr
Acoustic GuitarWayne Berry
OrganBarry Beckett
PianoBarry Beckett
PercussionRoger Hawkins


5 Welcome Home

BassJoe Osborn
DrumsJim Gordon
Steel GuitarJeff Baxter
Steel GuitarWeldon Myrick
OrganWilliam Smith
PianoDavid Paich
Background VocalsJackson Browne
Background VocalsJames Rolleston
Background VocalsNed Doheny


6 Dixie’s Pride

BassDavid Hood
DrumsRoger Hawkins
GuitarPeter Carr
GuitarWayne Berry
OrganBarry Beckett
PianoBarry Beckett
SaxRonald Eades
SaxHarvey Thompson
TromboneCharles Rose
TromboneHarrison Calloway
TrumpetBen Cauley
Background VocalsGinger Holladay
Background VocalsMary Holladay
Background VocalsJeanie Greene


7 Black Magic Gun

BassJames Rolleston
DrumsJim Gordon
Slide GuitarJesse Ed Davis
Acoustic GuitarWayne Berry
12 String GuitarWayne Berry


8 Ballad Of Jonah

BassNorbert Putnam
DrumsKenny Buttrey
Acoustic GuitarBilly Sanford
Acoustic GuitarWayne Berry
DobroWeldon Myrick
FiddleJohnny Gimble
HarpCharlie McCoy
Background VocalsGinger Holladay
Background VocalsMary Holladay
Background VocalsJeanie Greene


9 Gene’s Tune (Blonde Guitar)

BassNorbert Putnam
DrumsKenny Buttrey
GuitarBilly Sanford
Acoustic GuitarWayne Berry
FiddleJohnny Gimble


10 Lover’s Moon

BassNorbert Putnam
DrumsKenny Buttrey
PianoNorbert Putnam
SynthesizerShane Keister
CelloNorbert 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