Out of the sweaty and mosquito filled summers of Mobile, Alabama, Perry siblings, Kimberly (lead vocals/guitar/piano), Reid (bass/vocals), and Neil (mandolin/drums/accordion/vocals) make up The Band Perry. Put to bed with the Rolling Stones and woken up to Loretta Lynn, they inherited the love of a variety of music from their parents. While big sister, Kimberly fronted her first band at 15, Reid and Neil, then 10 and 8, worked as her roadies. Eventually the boys started their own band, serving as an opening act for their sister. At home they would spend nights playing together, harmonizing old hits of Hank Williams and Bobbie Gentry and writing originals. In 2005, they finally realized what their bands were missing and joined forces as The Band Perry. In 2009, after ten years of writing new tunes and touring in roadhouses, churches, and malls, the band signed with Republic Nashville, releasing their first single, Hip To My Heart, followed by their self title debut record and recently their sophomore album, Pioneer.
Even with the same background in music, The Band Perry accessorizes their own craft, merging country, pop, and rock, In their first album, the blend of instruments, carefully crafted lyrics, and Kimberly’s expressive and fiery voice create a sharp and contemporary sound. The guitar solos are ingeniously crafted, allowing the focus to be on the acoustics. The angry, heartbreaking Postcards from Paris and the word play in You Lie showcase the passion in Kimberly’s determined voice and how she can put a guy in his place, “You lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store. It just comes way too natural to you the way you lie.” Pioneer reflects the uncharted territory of the band’s future, letting go of fear and trusting in themselves which led to more romantic mystique and even more electric guitars, hard-hitting drums, and vocals, to capture the aggressiveness of their live performances. In addition to revealing a few layers of the siblings’ personal lives, the album’s boldness is complete with big ballads and attitude and defiance, even in the quiet moments. With hits like the Southern Gothic Better Dig Two, a tale of a committed women who wears her heart on her sleeve, and DONE, a country rock stomping empowerment anthem about how you feel when you have had enough. It also includes a softer side, with Mother Like Mine, an emotional tribute to the siblings’ mother, and maybe the most real and tear jerking, Back To Me Without You, written in real time while Kimberly was dealing with the loss of a friendship, “Get back to what you know. Get back to what you do,” the advice see received from her brothers. If you are ready for a high energy, Perry concoction, you must see this band live! Be part of the family Sunday on the Main Stage!
