Erica Berry and Four Grain

Thursday December 11, 2008

Entertainment In The Tri State

By Lee Ward
The Independant
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The band Four Grain is a kind of throw back to the 1960s, when folk music experienced it's heyday and coffee houses filled with music lovers who came to sip java and hear the dulcet tones of acoustic music.
While lead singer Erica Berry hesitates to call her groups music folk, she admits there is a similarity in style.
"We listen to Norah Jones, that type of feel would be the best sound I could describe," she said. "It's acoustic coffee house music, ...very mellow, not bluegrass at all or country." She said they also listen to a group called Iron and Wine, and a variety of singer-songwriters. "Michael and I cover some Simon and Garfunkle and The Beatles."
The group consists of Berry, who sings and plays piano; her husband Michael, who plays guitar and sings; Terra Davis, percussionist; and her husband Matt, who plays upright bass.
The Ashlanders began getting together about a year and a half ago and continue Wednesday and Saturday night get-togethers to practice.
"It's kind of hard because we all work full time," Berry said. She said she is the relative newcomer to the group; her husband and the Davises had already played together for a while and were looking for a singer. She had been friends with the Davises and joined them as a singer; after a few short months she was not only in the group, but married Michael Berry.
Four Grain has a CD, available at The Upstairs Gallery, Pendleton Art Center, Ashland Guitar shop, Chris's Guitar shop, Borders at the Huntington Mall, and Tri State Liquidation in Ashland. The band has had a few public performances in town-at the Pendleton Art Center's open mic night and at The Upstairs Gallery's First Friday events and at the V Club in Huntington-but members have focused on recording more then "playing out."
"We have so many more songs written now," Berry said, adding the group has plans to start making a new recording in January or February using 12 songs instead of eight, like their current CD. More information about Four Grain is available at myspace.com/fourgrain.

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Lee Ward can be reached at lward@dailyindependant.com or (606)326-2661 - Ashland Daily Independant