Dennis Berry
| Dennis Berry | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Peter Dennis, Frank Sterling, Jack Sharp |
| Born | 21 August 1921 |
| Died | 21 June 1994 (aged 72) |
| Genres | Light music, classical, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Composer/arranger, producer |
| Years active | 1939–1992 |
Dennis Alfred Berry (21 August 1921 – 21 June 1994) was an English musician, composer, arranger, and producer. His work has been used in filmmaking and television productions.
Born in London, England, Berry was involved in music from the age of fourteen. He played bass, guitar, and saxophone. He also taught himself French, Dutch, Afrikaans, and German.
In 1949 he married Netherlands-born Aaltje Wolschryn, and they had one child. He had lived in London until his marriage. Then he and his wife moved to the new town of Stevenage, before building a house on a plot of land (which they bought from Peter Sellers) in the centre of Welwyn Garden City.
In 1939 Berry joined Francis, Day, and Hunter as a copyist before going on to Boosey & Hawkes as a staff arranger, then to Lawrence Wright and Paxton Music, and finally Peer-Southern. He arranged for Carroll Gibbons, The Squadronaires, and Ted Heath. As Paxton's representative he was based in Amsterdam, and became staff arranger for the Skymasters Dance Orchestra and freelanced for The Ramblers and the Metropole.
He was a correspondent for Variety and Melody Maker.
In 1949 he returned to Paxton's offices in England, where he worked in their music library, producing background music for films, television, radio, and worldwide distribution. During the 1950s he became the head of the library and published one of his most successful pieces, a composition of his own called Holiday in Hollywood. During this time he was also a representative of the Dutch Songwriter's Guild.
Berry had started composing some years earlier, and his early works included "Apple Honey", "Boston Bounce", and "You Couldn't Be Sweeter". Some of these can now be found on the iTunes Store, as part of compilations of light classical music.
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