Bill Berry Net Worth: Lifestyle & Career
A retired American musician, Bill Berry’s net worth is a staggering $40 million of December 2024.
He is best known as the drummer of the rock band R.E.M.
Further, he was in the post-punk era’s most important and influential American rock band.
Bill is well renowned for his economical drumming style.
Bill Berry | Quick Facts
Let’s reveal some quick facts about the successful singer and songwriter Bill Berry.
Full Name | William Thomas Berry |
Net Worth | $40 Million |
Birth Date | July 31, 1958 |
Known For | Economical Drumming Style |
Age | 66 Years Old |
Birth Place | Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. |
Religion | Christain |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Education | Mount de Sales Academy (High School)
University of Georgia (College) |
Zodiac Sign | Leo |
Father’s Name | Donald Naphtali Berry |
Mother’s Name | Anna Jane |
Siblings | Unknown |
Height | 5′ 7″ (1.7 m) |
Weight | 75 Kg |
Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Hair Color | Grey |
Eye Color | Brown |
Gender | Male |
Build | Slim |
Profession | Musician
Drummer Songwriter Farmer |
Active Years | 1980–1997, 1997–present (sporadic) |
Marital Status | Divorced |
Spouse | Mari Lou Burgi (divorced) |
Children | Owen |
Genres | Alternative Rock, Folk-Rock, College Rock, Jangle Pop |
Instruments | Drums |
Labels | R.E.M. |
Last Update | December 2024 |
Bill Berry | Net Worth and Income
Bill earned a significant amount of money during his time in the rock band R.E.M.
R.E.M. has 15 studio albums under their name and has sold over 85 million copies worldwide. Two of their albums have reached #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and three of their albums have been certified 4x Platinum.
“The One I Love,” “Orange Crush,” “Stand,” “Losing My Religion,” “Drive,” “Man on the Moon,” “Everybody Hurts,” “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” and “The Great Beyond,” are among their many hits.
Bill Berry’s Net Worth in Different Currencies
The successful drummer and songwriter Bill Berry’s net worth is around $40 million. Here is his net worth in different currencies, including bitcoin.
Currency | Net Worth |
Euro | € 35,484,000 |
Pound Sterling | £ 29,848,520 |
Australian Dollar | A$ 55,357,200 |
Canadian Dollar | C$ 50,853,800 |
Indian Rupee | ₹ 3,002,216,000 |
BitCoin | ฿ 1021.03 |
Bill Berry | House and Cars
Berry has a stunning home in Watkinsville, Georgia. Nonetheless, not much information about the house has been revealed.
Similarly, there is no information regarding Bill’s car either.
Bill Berry | Lifestyle and Vacation
Lifestyle
As of December 2024, Bill Berry’s net worth is a staggering $40 million.
William Thomas Berry, the fifth child of Don and Anna Berry, was born on July 31, 1958, in Duluth, Minnesota. When he was three years old, Berry and his family relocated to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee.
He stayed there for the following seven years. They relocated once more in 1968 to Sandusky, Ohio.
The Berry family relocated to Macon, Georgia, in 1972, just in time for Bill to begin high school at Mount de Sales Academy.
Berry married Mari, his then-girlfriend, in 1986. When crack spread across Athens in the early 1990s, the couple relocated to Farmington, a nearby town. However, the couple got divorced in 1997.
Berry and his girlfriend Cybele Lange welcomed their son Owen in 2003.
Besides, Berry claims that he has never enjoyed playing the drums.
Further, his favorite instrument is the acoustic guitar, which he plays every day (as of 2019).
He did most of his practicing after he retired and has progressed to the point where he is a competent guitarist.
Vacation
In a 2019 interview, Berry revealed that he would never take a vacation. For him, vacation is right around the corner.
During his musical career days, he already spent enough time at airports, vans, and buses. He finds it relaxing to sit still for a time.
Further, he stated that staying at home hasn’t been enough for him. However, the retired musician travels to Athens to watch shows he wants to see but doesn’t just go out and hang out at bars.
Bill Berry | Charity
Bill involved himself in several charities during his career.
At the Morton Theatre, Berry drummed with friends for a charity event for Tourette Syndrome. He auctioned off his drum set after the show.
In 2000, Berry and Athenian Davis Causey contributed “Riviera Nap” to the Welcome Companions Tourette Syndrome charity compilation. He also played drums on three Sherry Joyce recordings.
Bill Berry | Music and Investments
Music
R.E.M. was formed in 1980. Berry played guitar, bass, mandolin, vocals, keyboards, and piano on studio songs in addition to his duties as a drummer.
He occasionally played bass in concerts and provided regular backing vocals. Berry was a drummer for Hindu Love Gods in 1984.
Due to a ruptured brain aneurysm, the hard-working drummer collapsed on stage during a R.E.M. show on March 1, 1995, at the Patinoire Auditorium in Lausanne, Switzerland.
He recovered and rejoined the band but quit in October 1997, claiming he no longer had the motivation or enthusiasm to remain in the band and did not want to travel.
After quitting R.E.M., he has had an irregular musical career.
However, Bill performed with Mayor Ferrelle and the Councilmen, a quintet founded by the band’s frontman and lead guitarist, Winterville city mayor Dodd Ferrelle, at the Winterville Auditorium in Winterville, Georgia, on May 11, 2018.
Similarly, Berry featured in the 2020 Song Exploder documentary about the band’s song “Losing My Religion.” He even performed a segment of the song’s drumline.
Investment
Bill is also a song producer. He produced Day She Went Away,” “[Love It] Automatic,” “Not So Mopso,” “Ring in the Sand,” and “So Long Edgewood” for a band named New Jersey.
Reportedly, he also invests in real estate.
Bill Berry | Career
Bill met bass guitarist Mike Mills in his high school, and they went on to play in various bands together, including Shadowfax.
Their first effort at a musical career failed miserably. Bill and Mills opted to work day jobs to supplement their income.
Bill got a job at the Paragon booking agency next door, and they rented an apartment on Arlington Place in Macon.
Later, he formed a band, R.E.M., which became successful. They released several songs and did concerts around the world.
After being sick, Berry quit the music industry to work on his hay farm in Farmington, Georgia, near Athens.
Bill has kept a low profile since then, only reuniting with R.E.M. on rare occasions and performing on other artists’ records.
Unknown Facts About Bill Berry
Here are a few interesting and unknown information about the retired drummer, Bill Berry:
- During Bill’s high school days, he and Mills performed in a lounge act with their high school music teacher. They would dress up for weddings and play at country clubs.
- R.E.M., like other struggling bands, toured extensively in their early years. Bill traveled with his band from show to show in an outdated van driven by their manager, who provided $2 per day in food allowance.
- It was not easy for R.E.M. to replace a drummer like Bill Berry. When he left in 1997, the band decided not to attempt again to bring a new drummer; instead, they used a drum machine to add drum sound.
FAQs
Is Bill Berry a good drummer?
Bill is an excellent drummer. He was capable of slow tempos and innovative passages, such as the stop-start part on ‘9–9’ and the rumbling 6/8 part in ‘Fireplace,’ which was one of the fan’s favorite.
How did Bill Berry quit R.E.M.?
After Bill collapsed on the stage, he recovered and rejoined the band. However, he quit the band in October 1997, claiming that he no longer had the motivation or enthusiasm to remain in the band.
What does Bill Berry do now?
Bill works on his farm in Georgia. Occasionally, he meets up with his band members to perform gigs together.
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