For the past five decades, soul singer Phil Perry has made women swoon with his hypnotic and romantic ballads.
“Expressing myself musically was what I could do when I was younger but now it’s who I am. I strive for perfection and to take the music between my ears and put it out for the audience,” said Perry, 63, who hails from Springfield but has resided in Los Angeles since the 1980s.
Perry had his biggest radio success in 1991 with his first solo release, “The Heart of a Man,” which spawned the number one R & B hits, “Call Me,” which was previously written and recorded by Aretha Franklin; “Amazing Love,” and the Brenda Russell-penned “Forever.”
Other hits include “Love Don’t Love Nobody,” and “One Heart, One Love.” Perry’s voice has also been featured on numerous film tracks including “Bebe’s Kids,” “Captain Ron,” “Roots” and “pretty in Pink.”
In 1985 he married the love of his life, fellow singer Lillian “Tang” Tynes. The couple, who celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on Easter Sunday this year, have performed together on several TV and radio jingles and also in a duet titled “Do Not Disturb” on Perry’s 1998 release “One Heart, One Love. Lillian is also the featured background vocalist on Perry’s first five solo records.
“For a marriage to work, my dad told me that you have to learn to live with compromise,” said Perry who is the proud father of four children. “Just like your body changes over time, so does your mind. Know that life is going to give you changes and you will go through them.
The maestro of music has also been featured vocalist on Najee, Johnny Mathis, Pittsburgh’s own George Benson, Chaka Khan, and Will Downing to name a few.
“I always try to put myself in the position of someone who’s never heard of me. I allow the audience be inclusive in the material that I write,” Perry said. “If I don’t believe it I’m not singing it. I have four minutes to make the audience believe the story I’m telling.”
And with his latest Shanachie Records effort, “A Better Man,” Perry has weaved a love story that will take his fans on an unforgettable romantic ride.
“People are not interested in the flavor of the month but the flavor every month,” Perry said. “I want to make the music sound real.”
And in that endeavor, Perry has succeeded in spades.
The 10-song set, which was produced by Chris “Big Dog” Davis,” features revisited gems like “Dreaming’s Out of Season,” which he recorded with the Montclair’s on the Paula record label in 1972. The late Curtis Mayfield’s “Gypsy Woman,” “Let it Rain,” “Beautiful Girls” and the title track, “A Better Man.”
“A Better Man “was number one on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts during the first week it was released. Perry enlisted the help of musical powerhouses Howard Hewett, James Ingram, Rick Braun and Kim Waters to make the album extra special.
“James, Howard and I did the background vocals for ‘She’s a Bad Mama Jama’ by Carl Carlton and we’ve been working together for over 30 years. We’ve also done a lot of collaborative things with the late George Duke,” Perry said.
Perry will be bringing his dreamy brand of music to the 25th annual Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest in Reading on Friday, April 17. He will perform along with friend and fellow singer, Will Downing. Other heavy hitters on the bill include saxophonist Joe Lovano and an all-star Jazz Jam dedicated to late guitarist Jeff Golub.
The 25th annual Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest is presented by the Berks Arts Council. The 10-day musical extravaganza brings together the best and brightest in the music game.
“There’s no scene in America like the Berks Jazz Fest,” Perry said, “This is an indoor thing and there’s a close proximity between the artist and the audience. The audience will get to see the ‘me’ that they don’t know. They want to feel like I have an investment in them with my music.
The Pittsburgh audience or any other audience will hear the music they remember us doing and Will and I will be doing “Baby I’m For Real” together at the festival.”
(For more information about Phil Perry and his music visit www.philperrymusic.com. For information on the Berks Jazz Fest visit www.berksjazzfest.com.)
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