Story & Lesson Highlights with Rich Berry of Kansas City North

Rich Berry shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Rich, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I would say my music. Every morning I take my parrot, Jackie, with me up into my private room and play guitar for about an hour or more. I play and she sings along. She never notices my mistakes or music selection. What I play in that privacy with one of my best friends always starts my day on the right track.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I serve 2 masters. I am a life long musician, starting at 15 year old. In 2011, getting off the road playing my music, I wanted to get away from it for a while. I started playing with art and came to the realization that I was a decent artist also. I gravitated toward pen and ink. That was in the fall of 2011. Therefore, the curse which follows me is serving 2 masters. But, I must say, it is not a bad curse to have. Both endeavors help make me feel complete.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a typically curious child playing with my friends in a million different pretend games.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I would say the worst of it for me was my time as a Naval Advisor for 2 years in Viet Nam. I have Agent Orange Syndrome and PTSD. Those are thing that really never heal, you just learn to work with them. I think PTSD makes my mind work overtime and that is probably how I am able to divide my time with music and art and be active in both areas.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If they are really a close friend and know me I think they would say them and their feelings. I would rather give than take. Maybe that is a flaw, but I am glad I am who I am, and I love my friends.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace at the end of a 3-4 hour gig, or when a piece of my art finds its home. Touching people with my creativity is everything to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.richberrypenandink.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.berry.1829/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@artphony