Bill Berry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Berry
Berry in 2011
Background information
Birth name	William Thomas Berry
Born	(1958-07-31) July 31, 1958 (age 66) Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock folk rock college rock jangle pop
Instruments	Drums percussion vocals guitar bass guitar piano keyboards
Years active	1980–1997, 2022–present

William Thomas Berry (born July 31, 1958) is an American musician. He is best known as the drummer for the famous alternative rock band R.E.M.. Bill Berry was known for his simple yet powerful drumming style.

Besides playing drums, he also played other instruments like guitar, bass guitar, and piano. He used these skills for writing songs and on R.E.M. albums. In 1995, Bill had a health scare on stage. After recovering, he left the band two years later to live a quieter life. He has since made a few special appearances with R.E.M. and played on other artists' music. In 2022, he returned to the music world.

Early Years and Starting Music (1958–1980)

Bill Berry was born on July 31, 1958, in Duluth, Minnesota. He was the fifth child in his family. When he was three, his family moved to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. They lived there for seven years before moving to Sandusky, Ohio, in 1968.

In 1972, Bill's family moved one last time to Macon, Georgia. This was just in time for him to start high school. There, he met bass guitarist Mike Mills. They played in several bands together, including one called Shadowfax.

Their first try at a music career didn't last long. Bill and Mike decided to get regular jobs to earn money. They moved to Athens, Georgia, in 1978. In Athens, they met Michael Stipe and Peter Buck, who would later become their bandmates.

R.E.M. Years (1980–1997)

R.E.M. was formed in 1980. As the drummer, Bill Berry also played other instruments. He sometimes played guitar, bass, mandolin, and piano on their studio recordings. During live concerts, he sometimes played bass and often sang backing vocals.

Bill also helped write many songs. He made important contributions to popular songs like "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon." Both of these songs are from the album Automatic for the People. Other songs he helped write include "Perfect Circle" and "Driver 8." The song "Leave" was also written by Bill for R.E.M.'s 1996 album, New Adventures in Hi-Fi. This was his last album with the band.

Bill also helped change a lyric in the song "Welcome to the Occupation." The original line was "hang your freedom fighters." Bill felt this sounded too strong. So, the line was changed to "hang your freedom higher."

In 1984, Bill also played drums for a band called Hindu Love Gods. This band included his R.E.M. bandmates Peter Buck and Mike Mills.

On-stage Health Scare and Leaving R.E.M.

On March 1, 1995, Bill Berry had a serious health issue on stage. He collapsed during an R.E.M. concert in Switzerland. He recovered well and rejoined the band. However, in October 1997, he decided to leave. He explained that he no longer had the same passion or desire to be in the band. He also wanted to stop traveling so much.

R.E.M. understood Bill's decision and continued as a three-person band. They toured with other musicians who helped them, including drummers like Joey Waronker and Bill Rieflin.

Life After R.E.M. (1997–2022)

After leaving R.E.M., Bill Berry stepped away from the music business. He became a farmer on his hay farm in Farmington, Georgia. This was near Athens, where the band started.

Before R.E.M. was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bill gave an interview. He talked about his life after leaving the band. He said, "It's a great chance to get back together and perform with R.E.M., which I always loved doing."

In 2019, Bill said he never takes vacations. He explained, "Vacation for me is right here." He had spent enough time traveling for music. He enjoys staying home. He still goes to Athens sometimes to see shows he likes.

Bill has said he never really enjoyed being a drummer. He felt it wasn't the most "musical" instrument. His favorite instrument is the acoustic guitar. He plays it every day. He wished he had played it more before he stopped touring.

His musical activities after R.E.M. were not very frequent. He recorded for a charity album in 2000. In 2018, he performed with a group called Mayor Ferrelle and the Councilmen.

In 2020, Bill appeared in a documentary about R.E.M.'s song "Losing My Religion." He even played part of his drum line from the song. In the documentary, Peter Buck said there was no other drummer like Bill Berry.

Return to Music (2022–Present)

In 2022, twenty-five years after leaving R.E.M., Bill Berry formed a new band. It's called The Bad Ends. He joined other musicians from Athens and Atlanta. Bill plays drums and sings backing vocals in the band.

The band released a single and video called "All Your Friends Are Dying." They also played a show in Athens in November 2022. Their first album, The Power and the Glory, came out on January 20, 2023.

On February 8, 2024, Bill Berry joined another band on stage. He played the piano part in "Perfect Circle." This was a song R.E.M. had dedicated to him after he left the band.

Personal Life

Bill Berry bought his farm in 1988. He said it was an investment. The land was cheaper back then. His farm has sheep. A caretaker now works on the farm and in his garden. Bill enjoys the benefits of the farm, but the caretaker does the work.

Bill Berry has a son, born in 2003.

Discography

With R.E.M.

Without Members of R.E.M.

With Peter Buck and Mike Mills

With Peter Buck

Reunions with R.E.M.

Performances of the three-piece R.E.M. reunited with their original drummer.

Images for kids

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  A robot for kids.

See also

• Albums produced by Bill Berry
• Songs written by Bill Berry