Lou & Peter Berryman

Lou and Peter Berryman (born 1947) are American folk singers-songwriters and longtime residents of Madison, Wisconsin.Lou (for Louise) and Peter were married at one time—hence the common last name. They divorced, but remained friends and musical partners. (And, subsequently, they married again to new spouses.) Mostly, guitarist Peter writes the lyrics and accordionist Lou writes the music, but all their songs are collaborations. They specialize in songs that make humorous observations about the human condition. For example, "A Chat With Your Mother" is about a parent horrified by her child's cursing. And "Orange Cocoa Cake" presents another mother attempting, on the phone, to tell a friend a recipe while her children demand her attention. The Berrymans release their work on their own label, Cornbelt. In 2004, a musical revue Love is the Weirdest of All: The Music of Lou and Peter Berryman premiered at the Madison Repertory Theatre. Valdy's single "A Chorus For Peter and Lou" was written about them by Craig Wood when the two had a sojourn in Canada during the Vietnam War. The duo announced in 2017 that they would no longer tour nationally.