Overton Berry, Artistic Director

Overton Berry, who will host the documentary, began his musical career over fifty years ago at the age of 16 when he played USO shows at military bases on the west coast with the first Overton Berry Trio. Since those early beginnings the music has never stopped. He is described in the Pacific Northwest as “a living legend”, and his wealth of experience and generations of fans bear witness to this affectionate accolade.

His credits include Music Director for the Peggy Lee Concert at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair; Music Director for the House of Entertainment during the Seattle World’s Fair; Music Director for the Canadian tour La Hora de Jazz Concerts; Music Director of the Gene Stridel Show, Hollywood Overseas Committee - Viet Nam; and Music Director of the Overton Berry Trio and the TOBE School of Music. He has played extensively in venues around the world including Sans Souci in Tokyo, the Marriott in Cairo, the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok, the China Hotel in Guangzhou, China and the Sheraton Hotel in Hong Kong.

Overton has performed at numerous venues in and around Seattle including Jazz Alley, the Double Tree Hotel, the Alexis Hotel, and the Sorrento Hotel where he can still be heard playing periodically in the Fireside Room. Recent concert dates include the P.E.A.C.E concerts in 2002 and 2003, An Evening with Overton Berry at the Admiral Theater in Bremerton in 2003 and the Jazz Sunday Concert the Admiral Congregational Church in 2005. Mr. Berry is a voting member of the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (The Grammy’s) and is a member of the American Federation of Musicians.

You can learn more about Overton at http://www.overtonberry.com/.