Biography

RADIO PROMOTION BY Art Menius Radio
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With their fourth record in 5 years, Jefferson Berry & the UAC continue tell stories in the Urban Folk tradition. With the intricacies of JamBand and Roots instrumentation, these songs are performed by a cadre of unique players: The Urban Acoustic Coalition. The record features big harmonies from Theresa Ratliff and Meaghan Kyle. As with the band’s previous efforts, the virtuosity of Bud Burroughs and Dave Brown comes through with a variety of folk-rock instruments. And while acoustic by nature, not-to-be-overlooked is the locked-in bass/drums drive of Uncle Mike and Adam Stranburg. Complementing all this with a variety of guitar styles, Berry brings a danceable style and contemporary point of view to a unique wing of Folk/Americana-Jam genre.

Coming off Jefferson’s 5th Philadelphia Folk Festival appearance, Born on Payday is a collection of songs mixed and mastered for radio airplay. Jefferson Berry is a singer songwriter with a musical vision. It involves taking tales of modern living, coming up with well-produced arrangements for the Urban Acoustic Coalition to play. The songs are a vehicle for telling stories about urban situations. With award winning music videos and the release of Jefferson Berry & the UAC’s fourth album in five years, this reputation is spreading nationally.

Berry’s lyrics are informed by his years in corporate media followed by a dozen years teaching history, economics, and government to inner-city Philadelphia high school students. Symeer Woods (aka Lil Uzi Vert) and the late Rasheen Jones (aka Runup Rico) were students in Mr. Berry’s African American History and Social Science classes. Jefferson performs at the best venues in Philadelphia and this year will produce 50 shows for the Philadelphia Folksong Society’s Musical Artist Cooperative (PFS/MAC). He is known at Folk Alliance for hosting “Covering Your Friends,” a Private Showcase that features the stories and songs of the friends of FAI, NERFA, SERFA, and FAR West conference attendees.

March 2020’s offering from the band, Double Deadbolt Logic, broke just as everything was shutting down, but still received national Americana and Folk Radio play. The video of Locks and Guns was a worldwide film festival finalist. The April 2021 release of Soon! was the band’s next collection of songs. WFUV- New York’s John Platt named the album’s single, “We’ll Soon Be Together” as one of the top 5 Songs of the year. The animated video for the song was named Folk Music Video of the Year at the California Music Awards in 2022. Spring 2023’s album of Americana Jam, Prairie Fire, help define the UAC. The AI video for First Purple Light was Folk Music Video of the Year at the Jersey Shore Film Festival and a finalist at a dozen others.

“Singing about the good love, the bad love and these strange times’, Berry and company craft a fun, thoughtful and unpredictable listen that anyone with an ear for folk and Americana will have no trouble enjoying.” Target Magazine

"It’s been said that Jefferson Berry is “an interesting character”. He and his band the Urban Acoustic Coalition (UAC) tend to prove that time and again." - The Rock Doctor