abouttonyperry
Be sure to catch Tony Perry during the national tour of "Ain't Misbehavin," the lively revue and Tony-award winning musical based on the music of jazz great Fats Waller. The tour is being produced by the Downstairs Cabaret, a Rochester, NY-based theater company that gave the world such musical theater classics as "Nunsense" and "Forever Plaid."
Perry has appeared on stage in a range of musical theater roles: the sinister but self-deluded Alfred Garner of "The Bloody Eighth," the effete and kooky family solicitor Parchester of "Me and My Girl," the irascible space ghoul of "The Rocky Horror Show," the cowardly urban lion of "The Wiz," the runaway slave with the heart of gold Jim of "Big River," the tap-dancing nun-with-an-attitude Sister Hubert of "Nunsense Ah-Men." He's also appeared in "Show Boat," "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "A Grand Night for Singing," "South Pacific" and "Jingle Bell Rock."
He's been connected with the Harrisburg, PA-based Capitol Dinner Theater and Performing Arts Center for four years, studies acting with George DiCenzo at Philadelphia's Triangle Theater, and has appeared in commercials, training films and one independent motion picture.
His history as a singer-songwriter goes on even longer.
Since his youth, Perry has been singing in church. He studied classical voice for years, but rock and roll, modern pop, and classic soul -- those were his musical fuel. Pairing up with friend Glen Smith, formerly of Hope Chest, Perry helped launch Tony Perry 3, a band that combined acoustic harmonies and hook-filled guitar tracks with passionate songwriting and vibrant singing.
The band produced two critically acclaimed CDs: the acoustic Honest Weight and roots rock On the Innocent Side. They toured the northeast, winning fans from Washington to New York, and amassing a mailing list of more than 500 fans with their songs of love and loss, of spiritual frustration and revival. Perry also did session work, recording backing vocals for Earth to Bob and Jason Timoll. In his solo performances, anything goes, from lively percussive acoustic guitar work to soulful piano performances.
tonyperrychristmas marked his solo debut, focusing on Perry's powerful vocals in a 14-song cycle about the meaning of Christmas. The audaciousness of
tonyperrychristmas lies in its refusal to limit itself. After years of switching from venue to venue, singer songwriter Tony Perry insisted on bringing the musical pieces of his life into one place. There are hints of soulfulness in piano/voice simplicity. There’s an earthy power in a gospel-influenced roots rock romp. There’s a delicate rawness in an acoustic guitar setting.Of course, it wasn’t enough for him just to record a collection of carols. Tony spent time digging up his favorite songs, melodies and lyrics that had moved him, and found new, creative ways to share them with others. He reinterpreted songs by the likes of Michael Card, Bruce Cockburn and Dave Matthews. He penned five new songs, each one pushing further at musical boundaries no longer in the way of his creative spirit. He took charge in the studio, bringing his vision to life with a clear sense of direction and a newfound sense of purpose.
Give a listen to tonyperrychristmas, then seek out the rest of the music listed on the discography page. Then drop Tony a line and tell him what you think!