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Terri Nunn

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Terri Nunn
Nunn performing at Oracle OpenWorld 2010
Nunn performing at Oracle OpenWorld 2010
Background information
Birth nameTerri Kathleen Nunn
Also known asBerlin
Born (1961-06-26) June 26, 1961 (age 63)
Baldwin Hills, California, U.S.
OriginLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
Years active1974–present
Labels
Member ofBerlin

Terri Kathleen Nunn (born June 26, 1961) is an American singer and actress. She is known as the vocalist of the 1980s new wave and synth-pop band Berlin.

Biography

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Nunn was born in Los Angeles, California on June 26, 1961.[1] 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 by suicide in 1974 when she was 13 years old.[2] Her mother Joy appeared in her music video for "Sex (I'm a ...)".[3]

In 1976, Nunn auditioned for the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars.[4] Later that year, Nunn posed nude for Penthouse magazine, convincing the magazine that she was legally an adult, with the pictorial appearing in 1977 under a pseudonym.[5] For many years, Nunn denied her participation as the photos were taken when she was a minor.[6]

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 Family, T.J. Hooker, Lou Grant, Vega$ and James at 15. Nunn also appeared in the 1978 ensemble film Thank God It's Friday.

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," 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.[7]

In 1985, Nunn left Berlin[8] 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."[9]

Nunn obtained usage rights to the band name "Berlin" in 1996,[10] 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.[citation needed] Voyeur hit shelves in 2002. 4Play (2005) contains original songs and cover versions of some of the band's songs.[citation needed]

In 2003, Berlin’s original lineup reunited for the VH1 series "Bands Reunited".[11]

In 2008, Nunn contributed sex and dating advice to Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna's book Cherry Bomb.[12][13]

Nunn sang across the United States on the 2009 Regeneration Tour,[14] 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.

Nunn co-hosts Between the Sheets, a popular podcast on webcast media station Hottalkla.com.[15]

In January 2012, Nunn debuted her radio show on KCSN-FM. It features interviews and live performances.[16]

Nunn performed at a 2020 New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago,[17] later expressing regret for performing at the event. Some fans expressed loud discontent towards her (including ex band members) after this performance. They stated that it was outrageous to perform at a Trump-owned resort, and that his blatant disregard for mask mandates should have been taken into account and should have been grounds for her to refuse playing the show.[18]

Film (as actress)

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Year Title Role Type
1978 Thank God It's Friday Jeannie Feature film

Television (as actress)

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Year Title Role Type
1976 Police Story Guest role: Julie Mitchell TV series, 1 episode
1977 James at 15 Guest role: Pam TV series, 1 episode
1977 Rafferty Guest role: Toni Power TV series, 1 episode
1978 Family Guest role: Jessica Millington TV series, 1 episode
1978 Having Babies III Ellie Miles TV movie
1978 The Runaways Guest role: Cathy/Barbara TV series, 1 episode
1978 Katie: Portrait of a Centrefold Cindy Holland TV movie
1978 Barnaby Jones Guest role: Olivia Hamilton TV series, 1 episode
1979; 1981 Lou Grant Guest role: Kitty Larsen TV series, 1 episode
1979 Time Express Guest role: Jill Martin TV series, 1 episode
1979 Vega$ Guest role: Ally TV series, 1 episode
1980 Haven Guest role: Eileen Malone TV series, 1 episode
1980 Scared Straight! Another Story Lucy TV movie
1980 The Georgia Peaches Sue Lynn TV movie/pilot
1981 Lou Grant Guest role: Wendy TV series, 2 episodes
1982 Trapper John, M.D. Guest role: Diane TV series, 1 episode
1982 Making the Grade Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1982 T.J. Hooker Guest role: Sue Anne TV series, 1 episode

Personal life

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Nunn is married to attorney Paul Spear. In 2004, she adopted a baby who had been born in Russia and named her Natalie Joy. She also has two stepsons from her husband.[19] The family has lived in Santa Rosa Valley, California, since 2012.[16] Her cousin is Pamela Moore, also a singer, who has performed with Queensrÿche.[20]

Nunn is a vegan. She became a vegetarian at age 19, then began eating fish in her 20s, before becoming a vegan in her 40s.[21][22]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Studio albums (with synth-pop band Berlin)

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Live albums

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References

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  1. ^ Larkin, Colin (1995). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. I. London, United Kingdom: Guinness Publishing. p. 368. ISBN 978-0-8511-2662-3 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "At home with Terri Nunn, a soccer mom and rock star with a new album". Vcstar.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  3. ^ Berlin: Intimate DVD (2003). Terri Nunn: "...made an appearance in Berlin's Sex video ...my mother, Joy.")
  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. ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "Obtained Berlin Trademark". US: PTO. August 13, 1996.
  11. ^ "VH1 struggles to get Bands Reunited". EW.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Cherry bomb: Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna's ultimate how-to for budding rock chicks". LA Weekly. July 30, 2008.
  13. ^ "Who says coolness can't be taught?". Skope. 2008-05-07. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
  14. ^ "Regeneration Tour". 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
  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. ^ a b "Berlin's Terri Nunn: An Agoura Girl at Heart", Augora Hills Patch, Agoura Hills, CA, US, November 23, 2011.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ Willman, Chris (2021). "Berlin’s Terri Nunn Apologizes for Playing Mar-a-Lago Gig, Slams ‘Lack of Regard for the Pandemic’ at Trump Resort." Variety, 4 January 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  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).
  23. ^ "Berlin – 4play". Discogs.
  24. ^ "Berlin – Animal (2013, Digipak, CD)". Discogs.
  25. ^ "Berlin – Transcendance". Cleopatra Records. May 16, 2023.
  26. ^ "Strings Attached". Spotify. November 27, 2020.
  27. ^ "Berlin – Live: Sacred and Profane". Discogs.
  28. ^ "Terri Nunn & Berlin – All the Way in". Discogs.
  29. ^ "Sweet Surrender (Live 1984) by Berlin". November 14, 2019.
  30. ^ "Sweet Surrender (Live 1984)". Spotify. November 14, 2019.
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