Remembering Jan Berry

By David M. Beard

On the 50th anniversary of Jan & Dean, and the fifth year since Jan's passing I felt it was necessary to honor Jan's memory.

Whether it was the humor, doo-wop, folk, extra-syrupy ballads, surfing music, skateboards… It didn't matter, it was all great. There isn't a moment in my life that I don't think about Jan Berry and his unmistakable studio presence.

If you're a Jan & Dean fan cruise on over to: http://endlessskyvideo.blogspot.com. There's a great DVD I put together where I interviewed Dean at his house. Watch the promo trailers (there's two). It's an incredibly insightful interview on his career with Jan.

Be sure to purchase, Jan & Dean — The Complete Liberty Singles from Collector's Choice. Also visit Jan's official site (www.jananddean-janberry.com) and pick up the Jan Berry tribute CD Encomium In Memoriam Vol. 1, assembled by Cameron Michael Parkes and Mark A. Moore.

Be sure to pick up Jan's 1968 album "Carnival Of Sound" now available over at Rhino Handmade http://www.rhino.com/shop/product/jan-dean-carnival-of-sound?CMPID=ESQ, and seek out the Jan & Dean 50th Anniversary CD/DVD set "Hang 50" featuring the TV 1963 TV pilot "Surf Scene," the 1966 TV pilot "On The Run," and an entire CD of rare session recordings and acetates from the duo's catalogue.