Terri Nunn

Terri Kathleen Nunn (born June 26, 1961[1]) is an American singer and actress. She is best known as the vocalist for the new wave/synthpop band she fronts, Berlin, and is also known by that band name.

Terri Nunn
Terri Nunn performing at Oracle OpenWorld 2010
Background information
Birth nameTerri Kathleen Nunn
Also known asBerlin
Born (1961-06-26) June 26, 1961
Baldwin Hills, California United States
OriginLos Angeles, California, United States
GenresRock, new wave, industrial rock, post-punk, dance, synthpop
Occupation(s)Singer, actress
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1974–present
LabelsDGC Records
Purple Pyramid
Associated actsBerlin
The Sisters of Mercy

Biography

Nunn was born in Los Angeles, California. Her father Larry Nunn (1925–1974) was a painter and a former contract child actor for MGM (Men of Boys Town, The Major and the Minor). He was an alcoholic and died from suicide when she was 13 years old.[2][3]

In 1976, Nunn auditioned for the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars,[4] but the role went to Carrie Fisher.[5]

In late 1976, she posed nude for Penthouse magazine, with the pictorial appearing in February 1977 under the name Betsy Harris.[6] For many years, Nunn denied her participation, because the photos were taken when she was only fifteen and still legally a minor.[7]

She joined Berlin in 1978 and temporarily left the group the following year to pursue an acting career. Nunn acted in numerous television shows in the 1970s and 1980s, including T.J. Hooker, Lou Grant, Vega$ and James at 15.

In 1981, she rejoined Berlin as the lead vocalist and soon forged her recording career in the band. Her greatest success in Berlin was the top-selling 1986 single "Take My Breath Away", the theme song for the film Top Gun. It reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. She sang other popular songs with Berlin, including "Sex (I'm A...)", "The Metro", "You Don't Know", "No More Words", “Love Life” and "Masquerade".

In 1985, Nunn briefly dated Michael Hutchence, whom she met at an INXS concert in London while Berlin were recording the album Count Three & Pray. The relationship ended when INXS returned to Australia.[8]

In 1985, Nunn left Berlin[9] and recorded the song "Dancing in Isolation" for the film Better Off Dead. In 1989, she performed a duet with Paul Carrack called "Romance", which was included on the soundtrack to the film Sing.

In 1991, she recorded and released a solo album entitled Moment of Truth, in association with David Z, Prince's Paisley Park producer.

In 1993, she approached lead singer Andrew Eldritch of The Sisters of Mercy with a recording of her vocal on a Billie Hughes song which led to their collaboration and ultimately became The Sisters of Mercy single "Under the Gun".[10]

Nunn obtained usage rights to the band name "Berlin" in 1996,[11] and reformed that band with new members, who began recording and touring. Berlin released two EPs Fall into Heaven and Fall into Heaven 2 in 1999, followed by Live: Sacred and Profane in 2000, their first live album. Voyeur hit shelves in 2002. 4Play (2005) contains original songs and cover versions of some of the band's songs.

In 2003, Berlin’s original lineup reunited for the VH1 series "Bands Reunited".[12]

In 2008, Nunn contributed sex and dating advice to Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna's book Cherry Bomb.[13][14]

Nunn sang across the United States on the 2009 Regeneration Tour,[15] which also featured Martin Fry of ABC, Wang Chung, and Cutting Crew.

In 2010, Nunn appeared as a guest judge on season two of RuPaul's Drag Race, mentoring the contestants in a rock-themed singing challenge.[16]

Nunn co-hosts Between the Sheets, a popular podcast on webcast media station Hottalkla.com.[17]

In January 2012, Nunn debuted her radio show on KCSN-FM. It features interviews and live performances.[18]

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Nunn among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[19]

Nunn performed at a 2020 New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago.[20]

Personal life

Nunn is married to attorney Paul Spear. She has one daughter and two stepsons.[21] The family has lived in Santa Rosa Valley, California, since 2012.[18] Pamela Moore, also a singer, is Nunn's cousin.[22]

Nunn is a vegan, formerly a vegetarian, since the age of 19.[23][24]

Discography

Studio albums

with Berlin

References

  1. Gale, "Nunn, Terri", Biography in Context
  2. "At home with Terri Nunn, a soccer mom and rock star with a new album". Vcstar.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  3. "Larry Nunn". IMDb.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  4. Rinzer, JW (2007), The Making of Star Wars, NY: Ballantine Books, pp. 103–105, ISBN 978-0-345-47761-3.
  5. Bickel, Britt (July 8, 2014). "Berlin's Terri Nunn On Posing For Penthouse, Auditioning For 'Star Wars'". K-EARTH 101. Archived from the original on 2018-01-08. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  6. Boxer, Robert (October 7, 2015). "Terri Nunn—Lead Vocalist of New Wave Band Berlin—Guest 12/03/2015". Ken Boxer Live. Santa Barbara, CA.
  7. "Interview with Terri Nunn of the 80's band Berlin,". San Francisco Herald.
  8. Murphy, Tom (16 June 2015). "Berlin's Terri Nunn on Working With Sisters of Mercy and Her B-52's Fandom". Westword.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  9. "Obtained Berlin Trademark". US: PTO. August 13, 1996.
  10. "VH1 struggles to get Bands Reunited". EW.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  11. "Cherry bomb: Carrie Borzillo‐Vrenna's ultimate how‐to for budding rock chicks". LA Weekly. July 30, 2008.
  12. "Who says coolness can't be taught?". Skope. 2008-05-07. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
  13. "Regeneration Tour". 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
  14. "RuPaul's Drag Race Rocker Chicks". IMDb.com. 2009.
  15. "INXS Announce North American Tour, Select Dates With Berlin". Pop in stereo. May 26, 2011. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012.
  16. "Berlin's Terri Nunn: An Agoura Girl at Heart", Augora Hills Patch, Agoura Hills, CA, US, November 23, 2011.
  17. Rosen, Jody (June 25, 2019). "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  18. Crowley, Michael (2021-01-01). "Without Trump, or Masks, Mar-a-Lago Partied On". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  19. Luther Orrick-Guzman. ""Terri Nunn, Lead Singer of Berlin, Speaks to QV"". QVMagazine.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  20. Moore, Pamela. "Sister Mary Breaks Her Silence". FREE! Magazine (Interview). Interviewed by Eric Remec. EricRemec.com.
  21. Nunn, Terri (October 2, 2008). "An interview with Terri Nunn (of "Berlin")". Girlie Girl Army (Interview).
  22. Nunn, Terri (December 17, 2013). "Veg celeb: Q&A with Terri Nunn". Vegetarian Times (Interview).
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