Bill Perry

Veteran guitarist, singer, and songwriter Bill Perry was one of the most inventive storytellers in the modern blues idiom, yet sadly, he passed away from a heart attack in the summer of 2007. He was 50. He burst upon the national blues touring circuit in the mid-'90s with the short-lived Point Blank/Virgin Record label. Born and raised in Chester, NY, Perry got his first guitar at age five. He quickly learned the theme from "Batman" on it while growing up in a music-filled household. Perry's grandmother played organ in the church, but Perry was attracted to his father's Jimmy Smith albums, which featured jazz/blues guitarist Kenny Burrell. During his formative years, his favorite guitarists were Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman, and Johnny Winter. He also loved Albert Collins, B.B. King, and Freddie King.

Bill Perry's newest release, Don't Know Nothin' About Love, finds him reunited with producer extraordinaire Popa Chubby. Bill tears it up on a program consisting of eight new originals and three covers, including a rock-the-house version of "Hello Josephine." Once again, producer and artist have collaborated to craft a splendid showcase for Bill's incendiary guitar playing and songwriting prowess. Bill notes that "working with Chubby has really let me come into my own as a recording artist; the guy's a genius in the studio whose enthusiasm gets everybody going."

On his second album, Greycourtlightning, Bill Perry stakes out new territory by delivering a tight, focused effort where the songs are fleshed out by other instruments as much as his guitar. Perry's songs follow blues conventions, but twist them slightly, making them sound fresh and exciting. Furthermore, his playing is filled with unexpected turns, as he throws in jazz, folk and rock flourishes to his blistering solos. With its selection of great songs and great playing, Greycourtlightning proves that Perry's debut, Love Scars, was no fluke.

On stage, Perry earned a reputation as a mesmerizing performer who plays with passion and excitement. Perry's rousing, crowd-pleasing performance at the Bishopstock Blues Festival in England in 1999 sparked the interest of Blind Pig Records and eventually led to a recording contract. The first album for Blind Pig, Fire It Up, was co-produced by Jimmy Vivino of "The Conan O'Brien Show" and released in 2001. His next CD for Blind Pig, Crazy Kind Of Life, was released in October 2002. Perry and co-producer Vivino wrote all the songs, with the exception of the Rolling Stones chestnut "No Expectations," on which special guest Richie Havens interprets one of the best blues tunes ever to come out of the rock idiom. Billboard called it, "An exceptional outing for guitarist/vocalist Bill Perry. He has definitely hit his stride as a solo artist."

Like Blind Pig labelmate Jimmy Thackery, New Yorker Bill Perry churns out a rugged blend of electric blues-rock and the occasional ballad, infused with authority, class, and dogged dedication to his craft. While he's not breaking any stylistic barriers, Perry and his band – led by the Conan O'Brien Show's music director Jimmy Vivino (who also co-produced) – grind out a satisfying set of rough originals with a few obscure covers. As an adequate representation of his style, neither the songs nor Perry's gruffly serviceable vocals on his third studio album will shoot him into the blues-rock stratosphere. But Fire It Up is the souvenir you'll take home after experiencing his notoriously electrifying live act.

On his fourth outing for Blind Pig Records, Bill Perry takes his own brand of modern electric blues and turbocharges it. Perry's songwriting has been developing consistently from the 1990s during his tenure with Virgin's Point Blank label. And while it's true most blues fans only care about that fiery guitar playing of his, the real depth of his writing was revealed on the Blind Pig releases Crazy Kind of Life and Raw Deal. Here, combining tight, tough hooks on tunes like "My Baby Loves to Dance," and the National Steel-driven "I Don't Know Nothin' Bout Love" and "Waitin' for My Luck to Change," actually fall in line with a lyric sensibility that's clever and humorous.