HEARTLAND TO AIR "SONGS AND STORIES WITH JOHN BERRY" CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Luken Communications, LLC and The Heartland Network, LLC have announced the network's first original Christmas special. Christmas Songs and Stories, starring GRAMMY Award-winning country star John Berry, will air nationally on Heartland this Christmas Eve (Sunday, December 24) at 7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT and 8:00 PM MT/7:00 PM PT. The special caps the network's annual "Twelve Days of Christmas" lineup of classic and contemporary holiday specials and Christmas episodes.

Currently celebrating the 21st year of his popular Christmas tour, Berry recorded the special in front of a live audience in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the newly renovated Robert Kirk Walker Theatre. Christmas Songs and Stories also features other popular Chattanooga area locations, including the Chattanooga Choo Choo and Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights. 

Berry appears regularly on Heartland with his television series, Songs and Stories with John Berry. Both the series and the Christmas special were produced by Jeff Moseley and CJM Productions. 

"I'm so excited to be partnering with Heartland to present our Christmas concert as a network television special," says Berry. "What a wonderful way to bring my music of Christmas to a broader audience. I hope you and your family will tune in to enjoy Christmas Songs and Stories."

Matt Winn, Executive Vice President of Luken Communications, said, "Celebrating a country Christmas is a favorite annual tradition at Heartland. As we mark five successful years of Heartland, we felt it would be the perfect time to add our own Christmas special to the incredible lineup of holiday programs in our library. We couldn't think of a better gift for our viewers than John Berry sharing his stories and performing some of the most cherished and heartwarming Christmas songs."

While this is Heartland's first original Christmas special, it's not their first leap into original production. Their new series, More Than the Music, will premiere on Tuesday, January 9.

Heartland, currently reaching more than 26 million TV homes, features programming comprised of syndicated and first run shows along with digitally restored content pulled from the vaults of Music Row, creating a country music and lifestyle experience that brings delight to lovers of every generation and genre. The program lineup includes WSM Radio's Coffee, Country & Cody, Reflections with host Keith Bilbrey, Songs and Stories with John Berry, Positively Paula starring Paula Deen, Bluegrass Ridge, Country Standard Time, Music City Tonight, Texas Music Scene, Gaither Gospel Hour, Larry's Country Diner, Country's Family Reunion and several popular video blocks. The network also recently launched its own Roku® channel. 

For more information about Heartland and the network's current availability in your area, visit www.watchheartlandtv.com or www.facebook.com/WatchHeartlandTV.

JOHN BERRY TO LAUNCH NEW NATIONAL TV SHOW "SONGS AND STORIES WITH JOHN BERRY"

30-minute Show to Air on Heartland TV, The Family Channel, The Country Network, the Angel Two Network, AMG TV, and the VTN Network

First Season's Guests Include Billy Ray Cyrus, Craig Morgan, Clay Walker, 

Suzy Bogguss, Mo Pitney, Neal McCoy, Billy Dean, and More

Grammy Award-winning country music star John Berry will launch his own national television show this summer. "Songs And Stories with John Berry" will debut in July on Heartland TV, The Family Channel, The Country Network, the Angel Two Network, AMG TV, and the VTN Network. The 30-minute TV program will be taped this May at Nashville's historic Douglas Corner, the same venue where Berry originally showcased to receive his first major record deal.
"As an artist whose life and career direction was profoundly changed by a song, I am thrilled to bring the world an opportunity to see and hear firsthand from some of my friends and fellow artists the stories surrounding the importance of some of their favorite and most meaningful songs," says Berry.  "For me and so many others, songs help us express what we feel inside and stories are the inspiration for the song that lies within."

The show will focus on the singer and the song— the music that changed his guests' lives and inspired them to be the artists they have become.  The first season will feature Berry and special guests Billy Ray Cyrus, Craig Morgan, Clay Walker, Suzy Bogguss, Mo Pitney, Neal McCoy, Billy Dean, and more.

Berry adds, "'Songs And Stories' began in 2001. It started as a two week run of shows that turned into two years of tour dates, which resulted in a two-disc CD set in 2003, then a short story book in 2012, and now in 2017 a TV show with some of my favorite artists singing and telling their songs and stories. This series allows the artists to share their unique stories and their fans the opportunity to see that behind every song is a story waiting to be told and within every story is a song waiting to be sung."

Admission to the live show tapings is free and first-come, first-serve.  Seating is limited.  For ticket requests, fans are encouraged to call: 615-513-1388.  See below for full taping schedule.  Food and drink will be available for purchase, as well as souvenir merchandise.  Douglas Corner is located in Nashville at 2106 8th Avenue South.

"Songs And Stories with John Berry" is sponsored by Freedom Trailers and Quieti Apparel.  This show is being produced by Jeff Moseley / CJM Productions.

"Songs And Stories with John Berry" Taping Schedule:

Monday, May 15

5:00 pm: Billy Dean
7:00 pm: Mo Pitney
9:00 pm: Neal McCoy

Tuesday, May 16

5:00 pm: Suzy Bogguss
7:00 pm: Collin Raye
9:00 pm: Craig Morgan

Wednesday, May 17

5:00 pm: Mark Wills
7:00 pm: Delbert McClinton
9:00 pm: Billy Ray Cyrus

Thursday, May 18

5:00 pm: Jason Crabb
7:00 pm: Clay Walker
9:00 pm: Lee Roy Parnell

For more information on John Berry, visit johnberry.com