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Steve Perry Walked Away From Journey. A Promise Finally Ended His Silence.

By Alex Pappademas

• Sept. 5, 2018

MALIBU, Calif. — On the back patio of a Greek restaurant, a white-haired man making his way to the exit paused for a second look at one of his fellow diners, a man with a prominent nose who wore his dark hair in a modest pompadour.

“You look a lot like Steve Perry,” the white-haired man said.

“I used to be Steve Perry,” Steve Perry said.

This is how it goes when you are Steve Perry. Everyone is excited to see you, and no one can quite believe it. Everyone wants to know where you’ve been.

In 1977, an ambitious but middlingly successful San Francisco jazz-rock band called Journey went looking for a new lead singer and found Mr. Perry, then a 28-year-old veteran of many unsigned bands. Mr. Perry and the band’s lead guitarist and co-founder, Neal Schon, began writing concise, uplifting hard rock songs that showcased Mr. Perry’s clean, powerful alto, as operatic an instrument as pop has ever seen. This new incarnation of Journey produced a string of hit singles, released eight multiplatinum albums and toured relentlessly — so relentlessly that in 1987, a road-worn Mr. Perry took a hiatus, effectively dissolving the band he’d helped make famous.

He did not disappear completely — there was a solo album in 1994, followed in 1996 by a Journey reunion album, “Trial by Fire.” But it wasn’t long before Mr. Perry walked away again, from Journey and from the spotlight. With his forthcoming album, “Traces,” due in early October, he’s breaking 20 years of radio silence.

Over the course of a long midafternoon lunch — well-done souvlaki, hold all the starches — Mr. Perry, now 69, explained why he left, and why he’s returned. He spoke of loving, and losing and opening himself to being loved again, including by people he’s never met, who know him only as a voice from the Top 40 past.

And when he detailed the personal tragedy that moved him to make music again, he talked about it in language as earnest and emotional as any Journey song:

“I thought I had a pretty good heart,” he said, “but a heart isn’t really complete until it’s completely broken.”

IN ITS ’80S heyday, Journey was a commercial powerhouse and a critical piñata. With Mr. Perry up front, slinging high notes like Frisbees into the stratosphere, Journey quickly became not just big but huge . When few public figures aside from Pac-Man and Donkey Kong had their own video game, Journey had two. The offices of the group’s management company received 600 pieces of Journey fan mail per day.

The group toured hard for nine years. Gradually, that punishing schedule began to take a toll on Journey’s lead singer.

“I never had any nodules or anything, and I never had polyps,” Mr. Perry said, referring to the state of his vocal cords. He looked around for some wood to knock, then settled for his own skull. The pain, he said, was more spiritual than physical.

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As a vocalist, Mr. Perry explained, “your instrument is you. It’s not just your throat, it’s you . If you’re burnt out, if you’re depressed, if you’re feeling weary and lost and paranoid, you’re a mess.”

“Frankly,” Mr. Schon said in a phone interview, “I don’t know how he lasted as long as he did without feeling burned out. He was so good, doing things that nobody else could do.”

On Feb. 1, 1987, Mr. Perry performed one last show with Journey, in Anchorage. Then he went home.

Mr. Perry was born in Hanford, Calif., in the San Joaquin Valley, about 45 minutes south of Fresno. His parents, who were both Portuguese immigrants, divorced when he was 8, and Mr. Perry and his mother moved in next door to her parents’. “I became invisible, emotionally,” Mr. Perry said. “And there were places I used to hide, to feel comfortable, to protect myself.”

Sometimes he’d crawl into a corner of his grandparents’ garage with a blanket and a flashlight. But he also found refuge in music. “I could get lost in these 45s that I had,” Mr. Perry said. “It turned on a passion for music in me that saved my life.”

As a teen, Mr. Perry moved to Lemoore, Calif., where he enjoyed an archetypally idyllic West Coast adolescence: “A lot of my writing, to this day, is based on my emotional attachment to Lemoore High School.”

There he discovered the Beatles and the Beach Boys, went on parked-car dates by the San Joaquin Valley’s many irrigation canals, and experienced a feeling of “freedom and teenage emotion and contact with the world” that he’s never forgotten. Even a song like “No Erasin’,” the buoyant lead single from his new LP has that down-by-the-old-canal spirit, Mr. Perry said.

And after he left Journey, it was Lemoore that Mr. Perry returned to, hoping to rediscover the person he’d been before subsuming his identity within an internationally famous rock band. In the beginning, he couldn’t even bear to listen to music on the radio: “A little PTSD, I think.”

Eventually, in 1994, he made that solo album, “For the Love of Strange Medicine,” and sported a windblown near-mullet and a dazed expression on the cover. The reviews were respectful, and the album wasn’t a flop. With alternative rock at its cultural peak, Mr. Perry was a man without a context — which suited him just fine.

“I was glad,” he said, “that I was just allowed to step back and go, O.K. — this is a good time to go ride my Harley.”

JOURNEY STAYED REUNITED after Mr. Perry left for the second time in 1997. Since December 2007, its frontman has been Arnel Pineda, a former cover-band vocalist from Manila, Philippines, who Mr. Schon discovered via YouTube . When Journey was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last April, Mr. Pineda sang the 1981 anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’,” not Mr. Perry. “I’m not in the band,” he said flatly, adding, “It’s Arnel’s gig — singers have to stick together.”

Around the time Mr. Pineda joined the band, something strange had happened — after being radioactively unhip for decades, Journey had crept back into the zeitgeist. David Chase used “Don’t Stop Believin’” to nerve-racking effect in the last scene of the 2007 series finale of “The Sopranos” ; when Mr. Perry refused to sign off on the show’s use of the song until he was told how it would be used, he briefly became one of the few people in America who knew in advance how the show ended.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” became a kind of pop standard, covered by everyone from the cast of “Glee” to the avant-shred guitarist Marnie Stern . Decades after they’d gone their separate ways, Journey and Mr. Perry found themselves discovering fans they never knew they had.

Mark Oliver Everett, the Los Angeles singer-songwriter who performs with his band Eels under the stage name E, was not one of them, at first.

“When I was young, living in Virginia,” Mr. Everett said, “Journey was always on the radio, and I wasn’t into it.”

So although Mr. Perry became a regular at Eels shows beginning around 2003, it took Mr. Everett five years to invite him backstage. He’d become acquainted with Patty Jenkins, the film director, who’d befriended Mr. Perry after contacting him for permission to use “Don’t Stop Believin’” in her 2003 film “Monster.” (“When he literally showed up on the mixing stage the next day and pulled up a chair next to me, saying, ‘Hey I really love your movie. How can I help you?’ it was the beginning of one of the greatest friendships of my life,” Ms. Jenkins wrote in an email.) Over lunch, Ms. Jenkins lobbied Mr. Everett to meet Mr. Perry.

They hit it off immediately. “At that time,” Mr. Everett said, “we had a very serious Eels croquet game in my backyard every Sunday.” He invited Mr. Perry to attend that week. Before long, Mr. Perry began showing up — uninvited and unannounced, but not unwelcome — at Eels rehearsals.

“They’d always bust my chops,” Mr. Perry said. “Like, ‘Well? Is this the year you come on and sing a couple songs with us?’”

At one point, the Eels guitarist Jeff Lyster managed to bait Mr. Perry into singing Journey’s “Lights” at one of these rehearsals, which Mr. Everett remembers as “this great moment — a guy who’s become like Howard Hughes, and just walked away from it all 25 years ago, and he’s finally doing it again.”

Eventually Mr. Perry decided to sing a few numbers at an Eels show, which would be his first public performance in decades. He made this decision known to the band, Mr. Everett said, not via phone or email but by showing up to tour rehearsals one day carrying his own microphone. “He moves in mysterious ways,” Mr. Everett observed.

For mysterious Steve Perry reasons, Mr. Perry chose to make his long-awaited return to the stage at a 2014 Eels show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minn. During a surprise encore, he sang three songs, including one of his favorite Eels tunes, whose profane title is rendered on an edited album as “It’s a Monstertrucker.”

“I walked out with no anticipation and they knew me and they responded, and it was really a thrill,” Mr. Perry said. “I missed it so much. I couldn’t believe it’d been so long.”

“It’s a Monstertrucker” is a spare song about struggling to get through a lonely Sunday in someone’s absence. For Mr. Perry, it was not an out-of-nowhere choice.

In 2011, Ms. Jenkins directed one segment of “Five,” a Lifetime anthology film about women and breast cancer. Mr. Perry visited her one day in the cutting room while she was at work on a scene featuring real cancer patients as extras. A woman named Kellie Nash caught Mr. Perry’s eye. Instantly smitten, he asked Ms. Jenkins if she would introduce them by email.

“And she says ‘O.K., I’ll send the email,’ ” Mr. Perry said, “but there’s one thing I should tell you first. She was in remission, but it came back, and it’s in her bones and her lungs. She’s fighting for her life.”

“My head said, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Mr. Perry remembered, “but my heart said, ‘Send the email.’”

“That was extremely unlike Steve, as he is just not that guy,” Ms. Jenkins said. “I have never seen him hit on, or even show interest in anyone before. He was always so conservative about opening up to anyone.”

A few weeks later, Ms. Nash and Mr. Perry connected by phone and ended up talking for nearly five hours. Their friendship soon blossomed into romance. Mr. Perry described Ms. Nash as the greatest thing that ever happened to him.

“I was loved by a lot of people, but I didn’t really feel it as much as I did when Kellie said it,” he said. “Because she’s got better things to do than waste her time with those words.”

They were together for a year and a half. They made each other laugh and talked each other to sleep at night.

In the fall of 2012, Ms. Nash began experiencing headaches. An MRI revealed that the cancer had spread to her brain. One night not long afterward, Ms. Nash asked Mr. Perry to make her a promise.

“She said, ‘If something were to happen to me, promise me you won’t go back into isolation,’ ” Mr. Perry said, “because that would make this all for naught.”

At this point in the story, Mr. Perry asked for a moment and began to cry.

Ms. Nash died on Dec. 14, 2012, at 40. Two years later, Mr. Perry showed up to Eels rehearsal with his own microphone, ready to make good on a promise.

TIME HAS ADDED a husky edge to Mr. Perry’s angelic voice; on “Traces,” he hits some trembling high notes that bring to mind the otherworldly jazz countertenor “Little” Jimmy Scott. The tone suits the songs, which occasionally rock, but mostly feel close to their origins as solo demos Mr. Perry cut with only loops and click tracks backing him up.

The idea that the album might kick-start a comeback for Mr. Perry is one that its maker inevitably has to hem and haw about.

“I don’t even know if ‘coming back’ is a good word,” he said. “I’m in touch with the honest emotion, the love of the music I’ve just made. And all the neurosis that used to come with it, too. All the fears and joys. I had to put my arms around all of it. And walking back into it has been an experience, of all of the above.”

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Steve Perry: The Legendary Voice of Journey

• by history tools
• November 19, 2023

With his towering vocals and magnetic stage presence, Steve Perry is one of the greatest rock frontmen of all time. He is best known as the lead singer for Journey during their arena rock heyday. Perry‘s soaring tenor and passion helped define Journey‘s melodic power ballad sound on hits like "Don‘t Stop Believin‘." After leaving Journey, Perry went on to have a successful solo career. His new music in recent years proves his voice remains as captivating as ever decades later.

Humble Beginnings in Central California

Steve Perry was born on January 22, 1949 in the small central California town of Hanford. Music was always central in his family – his mother was a vocal coach who nurtured his singing talent from a young age. As a teen, Perry formed his first band and performed at local venues before leaving Hanford for greater opportunities.

Joining Journey and Rise to Fame

After stints in other bands, Perry became the lead singer for Journey in 1977, bringing his soaring tenor voice to their sound. His arrival came just as Journey was transitioning to a more melodic, pop-oriented style. Perry‘s vocals helped rocket Journey to the top – their 1981 album Escape, featuring "Don‘t Stop Believin‘," was their biggest success.

As Journey‘s frontman, Perry delivered powerful performances like raising his arms triumphantly while hitting the iconic high notes in "Don‘t Stop Believin‘." His charisma and connection with audiences cemented his status as one of rock‘s all-time great frontmen.

Life After Journey and Triumphant Return

Exhaustion from tour life led Perry to leave Journey in 1987. He continued writing and recording as a solo artist. Health issues in the 1990s made singing difficult for Perry, but he emerged in 2018 with Traces, his first album in 25 years. His voice had lost none of its emotion and splendor.

Now in his 70s, Steve Perry continues to inspire generations of music fans with his unbelievable vocals. His journey from small town singer to global rock god is a true American success story.

Fun Facts About Steve Perry

• Got the Journey gig by giving them a demo tape on which he sang in various voices
• Once took out a full page personal ad in Billboard to find a girl he met at a Journey concert
• Co-wrote the Journey hits "Open Arms" and "Faithfully" about his girlfriend at the time
• His mother coined the nickname "The Voice" because of his remarkable singing ability
• Steve Perry‘s trademark look included big hair, a headband, and aviator sunglasses

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Steve Perry

Who Is Steve Perry?

Steve Perry played in several bands before joining Journey in 1977. The band achieved tremendous pop rock success with its 1981 album Escape , which featured the now-classic "Don't Stop Believin'." As the group's lead singer, Perry became one of the era's most famous singers. He also had some hits on his own, including "Oh Sherrie." Perry left Journey in 1987, and except for a brief reunion, he remains a solo artist.

While attending high school in Lemoore, California, Perry played drums in the marching band. He tried college for a while, performing in the choir, but eventually abandoned school for his musical dreams. Hoping to break into the business, he moved to Los Angeles for a time. There, he worked a number of jobs, including singing on commercials and serving as an engineer in a recording studio. All the while, Perry played with a number of different groups as a vocalist and drummer. He seemed to be on the edge of a breakthrough with the group Alien Project, when it suddenly disbanded — tragically, one of its members was killed in a car crash.

Journey: "Oh Sherrie" and "Don't Stop Believin'"

In 1977, Perry caught his big break, landing a gig as the vocalist for Journey, which began performing as a jazz rock group in the early 1970s, in San Francisco. With Perry on board, the band moved more toward mainstream rock, and began to see some chart success with the first album with Perry, 1978's Infinity . The band's ode to San Francisco, "Lights," became a minor hit as did "Wheel in the Sky" and "Anytime."

Journey broken into the Top 20 with "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" on their next album, Evolution (1979). Buoyed by such hits as "Open Arms," "Who's Crying Now" and "Don't Stop Believin'," Escape (1981) became the band's first No. 1 album, selling more than 7 million copies. While the band was hugely popular with music fans, many critics were less than kind.

By the early 1980s, Journey had emerged as one of rock's top acts. Perry proved that while he may have been short in stature, he possessed one of the era's biggest and most versatile voices. He was equally adept at ballads, such as "Open Arms," and at rock anthems, such as "Any Way You Want It." Behind the scenes, Perry helped write these songs and many of the band's other hits. He penned their most enduring song, "Don't Stop Believin'," with guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain.

Journey continued to be one of the era's top-selling acts, with 1983's Frontiers . The album featured such songs as "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully." To support the recording, the band undertook an extensive world tour. Around that time, Journey also became the first band to license their music and likenesses for a video game.

With 1986's Raised on Radio , Journey enjoyed another wave of success. However, Perry was ready to part ways with his bandmates. Perry left the band in 1987 after the album tour. In a statement to People magazine, Perry explained: "I had a job burnout after 10 years in Journey. I had to let my feet hit the ground, and I had to find a passion for singing again." Perry was also struggling with some personal issues at the time; his mother had become very sick, and he spent much of his time caring for her before her death.

Perry reunited with Journey in 1996, for the reunion album Trial By Fire , which reached as high as the No. 3 on the album charts. But health problems soon sidelined the famous singer—a hip condition, which led to hip replacement surgery—and his bandmates decided to continue on without him.

Solo Projects

While still with Journey, Perry released his first solo album, Street Talk (1984). The recording sold more than 2 million copies, helped along by the hit single, "Oh Sherrie." Burnt out after splitting with Journey, Perry took some time out before working on his next project.

Nearly a decade later, Perry re-emerged on the pop-rock scene with 1994's For the Love of Strange Medicine . While the album was well-received—one ballad, "You Better Wait," was a Top 10 hit—Perry failed to reach the same level of success that he had previously enjoyed. In 1998, he provided two songs for the soundtrack of Quest for Camelot , an animated film. Perry also released Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased that same year.

Recent Years

While he has largely stayed out of the spotlight, Perry continues to be heard in movies and on television. His songs are often chosen for soundtracks, and Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" even played during the closing moments of the hit crime-drama series The Sopranos in 2007. In 2009, a cover version of the song was done for the hit high school musical show Glee , which introduced a new generation to Perry's work.

According to several reports, Perry began working on new material around 2010. He even built a studio in his home, which is located north of San Diego, California. "I'm finishing that room up and I've written a whole bunch of ideas and directions, all over the map, in the last two, three years," Perry told Billboard in 2012.

In 2014, Perry broke from his self-imposed exile from the concert stage. He appeared with the Eels at several of their shows. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Perry explained that "I've done the 20-year hermit thing, and it's overrated." His return to performing "has to do with a lot of changes in my life, including losing my girlfriend a year ago and her wish to hear me sing again" — referring to his romance with Kellie Nash, who died in late 2012 from cancer.

Although Perry and his old bandmates had long since ventured in separate directions, the group did reunite for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2017.

In the meantime, the singer began recording again. On August 15, 2018, he released his first new song in 20 years, the ballad "No Erasin." The track arrived ahead of his new album, Traces , his first full-length studio recording since For the Love of Strange Medicine in 1994.

Regardless of what the future holds, Perry has already earned a place in rock history. Rolling Stone magazine named him one of music's top 100 singers. According to American Idol judge and former Journey bassist, Randy Jackson, Perry's voice is one of kind. "Other than Robert Plant, there's no singer in rock that even came close to Steve Perry," Jackson said. "The power, the range, the tone—he created his own style. He mixed a little Motown, a little Everly Brothers, a little Zeppelin."

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Steve Perry
• Birth Year: 1949
• Birth date: January 22, 1949
• Birth State: California
• Birth City: Hanford
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Steve Perry was the lead singer of pop rock band Journey from 1977 to 1987. He is known for having a wide vocal range, which can be heard on such popular hits as "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Oh Sherrie."
• Astrological Sign: Aquarius

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Steve Perry Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/steve-perry
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: July 23, 2020
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

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The stories behind Journey's Infinity album - by Steve Perry

Singer Steve Perry goes through his debut album with Journey, track by track.

Steve Perry talks us through the songs that made up his debut album with Journey, Infinity .

“I was standing in Griffith Park Observatory as the sun was coming up, and I could see the lights going down. It came to me like that. When I got together with Neal to write the bridge, it dawned on me that it was really about San Francisco, a city by the bay. I always wanted to live there but I couldn’t afford it.”

Feeling That Way

“Written by myself and Gregg [Rolie] as a song we could both share vocals on. Back then, they would do 25 minutes of their fusion stuff and then I would walk out on to the stage and sing the second verse after Gregg’s intro.”

“They had that intro/bridge when I joined them. Gregg and I did the layered vocals and it became a beautiful segue from the ending of the Feeling That Way a cappella line. Those two songs were played back to back on radio and became sort of hit records.”

“I do have a bit of a knack for the obvious, and maybe that was just a little too obvious. It’s not a save the world track. I guess it worked in the scope of the whole record.”

“The first song I ever wrote with the band. Herbie had flown me out to see the band in Denver, Colorado. After the show, Neal and I went back to the hotel room and we sketched out that idea. The lyrics explain that I was waiting for their [Journey’s] light to shine on me. It’s about me waiting and ready to walk out there and become part of the band.”

Wheel In The Sky

“The way they did that song with Robert [Fleischman] was different from how I was going to interpret it. In the studio in LA with Roy I sang real high falsetto notes with echo in the background while Neal was playing a beautiful solo. Roy spent hours with Neal doing what we called ‘violin guitars’ – root notes, harmonies, doubling, sustaining and providing a thick texture to it all.”

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Something To Hide

“One of my favourites. When I first heard Coldplay, they had that same unique feeling and emotional promise that I felt on Something To Hide . Some people felt it didn’t belong on that record. But I loved what it was doing and the vocal/guitar stuff, singing higher harmonies than Neal. After you’ve been on tour for a while that high falsetto can wreak hell, though. That’s why that song really never made it live much.”

Winds Of March

“We were in the south and I had never experienced massive thunderstorms before – it was amazing. I had just gotten a cassette tape recorder; I opened the window and taped the rain and the incredible thunder and we used that recording at our live shows to start the song.”

“It’s funny, but I don’t really remember that song apart from the title. It’s not one that has stuck in my mind.”

Open The Door

“I always thought that there was something very Cream about it. The China Cymbal that Aynsley was playing gave it that feel and Neal did a bunch of violin guitar over it. It had a Middle Eastern edge to it, and a spiritual lyric.”

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Watch Steve Perry’s First Official Music Video in 25 Years

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Former Journey frontman Steve Perry has released what he’s calling his “first official music video in nearly 25 years” for the song “We’re Still Here” from his 2018 comeback album, Traces. He did release a series of live performances videos of Traces songs last year, but this is a legit video where he drives around Los Angeles in a black ’70 Chevelle SS and reflects on the passage of time. His last solo video was “Missing You” in 1994, though he did appear along with Journey in a video for their 1996 hit, “When You Love a Woman.”

“[Perry collaborator] Brian [West] and I had just started writing the song and were sketching it out in the studio,” Perry said in a statement, recounting the inspiration for “We’re Still Here.” “When we broke for dinner, I went to this place down the street, and that was the first time I’d been in Hollywood in a long time. There I was on Sunset Blvd. and Hollywood and Vine just walking around. I saw a whole new generation of 16- and 17-year-olds running around just … alive. And through these kids I felt a kinship. We’re still here doing the same thing.”

The video was created to promote the new deluxe edition of Traces, which features five bonus tracks from the album sessions. As he told Rolling Stone last year, Perry was inspired to record Traces – his first release after a two-decade departure from the music world – after losing his girlfriend, Kellie Nash, to cancer in 2012. She turned to him near the end of her life and presented him with something very serious. “She said, ‘If something ever happens to me, I want you to make one promise,’” he said. “‘Promise me you won’t go back into isolation. If you do, I fear this would all be for naught.’”

Perry’s return hasn’t led him back to the concert stage, at least as of yet. Besides a handful of brief appearances with the Eels a few years back, Perry hasn’t performed a show since the end of his last solo tour in 1995. He did show up to Journey’s 2017 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he didn’t sing that night. Fans keep hoping he’ll announce a Traces tour, but so far no dates have surfaced and there’s no indication anything is even in the planning stages. “I don’t know if a tour will happen,” he told Rolling Stone last year. “Right now it’s premature to even guess.”

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Former Journey Frontman Steve Perry Performs for First Time in 19 Years (Video)

The singer performed Journey classic “Open Arms” with indie rock band Eels

Former Journey frontman Steve Perry took the stage for the first time since 1995 on Sunday night when he sang with indie rock band Eels during a concert in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The 65-year-old elusive rock star surprised the audience at the Fitgerzald Theater during Eels second encore, and sang the band’s 2000 cult hit “It’s a Motherf—er.”

Also read:   The Long Journey to Making ‘Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey’

“I love that song. When I first heard it, someday I wanted to sing it. Tonight was the first time I ever sang it,” Perry said during the performance ( above ). “I don’t know why the Eels don’t do my music.”

That was the cue for the band to launch into classic Journey tune “Open Arms,” followed by “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’.”

See video:   Miley Cyrus Takes Billboard Music Awards Viewers on a Beatles Trip

Perry left Journey in 1987, but reunited with the band in 1996 to record “Trial By Fire.” A hip injury, however, prevented Perry from touring after the album’s release. He eventually left the band again after putting off a hip replacement surgery for two years, and singer Steve Augeri filled in for the band’s delayed tour.

These days, the arena rock band is fronted by Arnel Pineda, a former cover band singer whose rise from anonymity to rock star is captured in 2012 documentary “Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey.”

How did Steve Perry achieve his unique vocal sound in Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"?

Steve Perry achieved his unique vocal sound in Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" through a combination of vocal techniques and stylistic choices. Here are some key factors that contributed to his distinctive sound:

Belting Technique: One of the standout vocal techniques in "Don't Stop Believin'" is belting. Belting is a powerful singing technique that allows singers to project their voice with intensity and resonance. Steve Perry showcases his belting skills in the chorus, particularly in the climactic line, "Don't stop believin'!" [2]

Breath Support: Perry's ability to maintain control and sustain long notes is attributed to his excellent breath support. Deep breaths and engaging the diaphragm are essential for proper breath support. This technique helps singers maintain control and power throughout the song [2] .

Vocal Warm-ups: Prior to attempting to belt high notes, it is crucial to warm up the voice. Perry likely engaged in vocal warm-up exercises to prepare his voice for the demanding vocal range of "Don't Stop Believin'." Exercises such as the How to Twang exercise and Mixed Voice exercise can help develop belting skills [2] .

Open Mouth and Throat: Maintaining an open mouth and relaxed throat is important for achieving a clearer and more resonant sound. This technique allows for better projection and control. Perry likely focused on keeping his mouth open and throat relaxed to achieve his signature vocal sound [2] .

Vibrato and Harmonies: In an analysis of Steve Perry's isolated vocals, his vibrato and harmonies were noted to be perfectly in sync with the lead vocal. Perry's controlled vibrato added depth and emotion to his singing, while his harmonies complemented the overall sound of the song [3] .

Stylistic Choices: Perry's vocal style in "Don't Stop Believin'" also involved elements of rock and pop singing. He incorporated a mix of power and emotion, delivering the lyrics with conviction and passion. These stylistic choices contributed to the overall impact of his vocal performance [2] .

Learn more:

• Don't Stop Believin' | Journey | How To Sing Like Steve Perry
• How to Learn Singing "Don't Stop Believin'" from Journey - Singing Carrots Blog
• Journey - Don't Stop Believin' - Steve Perry - Isolated Vocals - Analysis and Tutorial - KenTamplinVocalAcademy.com

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Steve Perry Has Recorded a Deep Cut Journey Cover with the Sons of Toto and Genesis Members

J ourney fans soon will get the chance to hear an updated version of one of the band’s deep cuts sung by none other than Steve Perry himself! The ex-Journey frontman has revealed that he’s recorded a new rendition of his old group’s 1986 song “It Could Have Been You” with the new group The Effect.

The track will be released as a digital single on Tuesday, May 7, and can be pre-saved now. The Effect is band that features guitarist Trevor Lukather, son of Toto’s Steve Lukather, as well as Phil Collins’ son Nic on drums, Toto keyboardist Steve Maggiora, and vocalist Emmett Stang.

[RELATED: The Effect Featuring Sons of Phil Collins and Toto’s Steve Lukather Come Closer to Releasing Debut Album]

Perry explained in a social media post how the collaboration came to be.

“In 1986 the Journey Raised on Radio record was released and in it was a song I’ve always felt was a diamond in the rough,” he noted. “I’ve known Trevor Lukather since he was 9 years old and he is a very gifted musician. One day we were talking about his new band, The Effect… He surprisingly mentioned ‘It Could Have Been You’ is one of his favorite tracks from that record, I told him I felt the same.”

Perry continued, “I then said, why don’t you record it? He asked if I would sing on it if they did, I said… ‘Of course my most precious!’ I must say, singing on their powerful track brought out a vocal experience in me from years ago!”

[RELATED: Former Journey Singer Steve Perry Shocked by Recent “Don’t Stop Believin” Milestone]

The legendary singer then noted that the “very powerful reimagined version” of “It Could Have Been You” will be available on May 7 via “all [socials] and streaming.”

Trevor Lukather Also Posted About the Collaboration

Trevor Lukather also told the story about how his band came to work with Perry on the track in his own social media post .

“Steve and I go way back. Other than my Pop, SP has been a mentor to me,” Trevor wrote. “When he heard The Effect, he called me and expressed how much he really loved what we were doing. It meant the world. On that same call, I started raving about a deep cut Journey tune ‘It Could Have Been You.’”

Lukather then explained that he asked Perry if he would sing on a version of the song if The Effect recorded it, “and he said yes.” The guitarist said the band then hit the studio to record the track with Stang laying down a lead vocal to “present to [Perry] our vision of what we had in mind.”

Lukather said he was thrilled at Perry’s enthusiastic reaction to hearing the playback of the track.

“His excitement that we could resurrect an overlooked Journey song with new life obviously connected to the pipes because Steve came in the next day and shook the house with his vocal performance,” he shared. “I think our neighbors thought it was the Northridge earthquake all over again.”

Lukather added, “The power of Steve’s vocals is on another level. One of a kind. That’s why he’s the GOAT.”

He concluded his note by thanking Perry “for not only for the honor, but for your belief in us and what we do. That is never taken for granted!”

Incidentally, Lukather also has a familial connection to Journey—he’s married to Jonathan Cain’s daughter Madison.

More About The Effect

The Effect has already released a few singles, and are in the process of preparing its debut album. The band will be opening a series of U.S. concerts for Billy Idol in May, and also will be supporting Toto for a run of European shows in June and July.

Tickets for The Effect’s concerts are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The post Steve Perry Has Recorded a Deep Cut Journey Cover with the Sons of Toto and Genesis Members appeared first on American Songwriter .

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The Day Steve Perry Played His Last Show With Journey

Steve Perry performed his last show with Journey on Nov. 3, 1991, at an all-star concert to honor late promoter Bill Graham. The show came almost five years after Perry's  last full concert with the band , on Feb. 1, 1987.

The reunited group got together to pay tribute – along with other artists who got their start in the San Francisco scene, including  Carlos Santana , the Grateful Dead  and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young  – in Golden Gate Park. Graham died in a  helicopter crash  on Oct. 25.

Journey hadn't played together since the end of their Raised on Radio  tour, and even though their performance at the Graham tribute was brief – less than 10 minutes, and featuring "Faithfully," "Lonely Road Without You" and "Lights" – it was a welcome return for fans who had been waiting for the moment since Perry retired from the group, which broke up following the singer's departure.

Following a 1994 solo album, Perry reunited on record with Journey for 1996's Trial by Fire album, which reached the Top 20 and spawned a trio of hit singles. The band was all set to tour in support of the record, but after Perry injured himself in a hiking accident, the tour was canceled and Perry left for a second and final time .

Watch Steve Perry's Final Performance With Journey

Journey continued with new singers, while Perry remained mostly quiet over the next 20 years, only making occasional appearances to sing "Don't Stop Believin'" with San Francisco Giants fans or onstage with the indie-rock band Eels .

Journey were among the artists inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, but Perry declined to perform with the group onstage. He finally returned to solo work a year later with Traces .

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The Last Performance Of Steve Perry With Journey

via Journey on MV/YouTube

For Bill Graham and The San Francisco Crowd

Steve Perry performed with Journey for the last time on November 3, 1991 in Golden Gate Park at a memorial concert for the late rock promoter Bill Graham who was killed in a helicopter crash. Perry’s final full concert with the band was on February 1, 1987.

Graham helped Journey get their start by giving them their first gig at Winterland Arena in San Francisco, CA on December 31, 1973.

As for the tribute, Journey’s set was only less than ten minutes but they powered through three songs – Faithfully , Lonely Road Without You , and Lights . It was short but sweet especially for those who have long wanted to see The Voice reunite with his bandmates. ( hikeaddicts.com )

After a few years, Perry went back to the recording studio with Journey for their 1996 album Trial by Fire . It was a commercial success and peaked at #3 on the US Billboard 200.

In an interview earlier this year, Perry said: “As much I missed the lights, as much as I missed the stage, the applause and the adoration of people who were loving the music I was participating in, I had to walk away from it to be okay emotionally on my own without it. And that took time. That doesn’t mean I didn’t miss it, it means I had to keep walking the other way. There was some personal work to be done within myself, to be honest with you.”

Check out their performance below.

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Journey’s Steve Perry Re-Records ’It Could Have Been You’ With The Effect

Steve Perry  has collaborated with the band, The Effect to record a new version of Journey ’s “It Could Have Been You.” The Effect features Trevor Lukather – son of Toto ‘s Steve Lukather on guitars, Nic Collins – son of Phil Collins on drums, and Steve Maggiora of Toto on keyboards.

Perry has known Trevor Lukather since he was about 9 years old. Blabbermouth.net quoted him to say: “One day we were talking about his new band, The Effect… He surprisingly mentioned ‘It Could Have Been You’ is one of his favorite tracks from that record, I told him I felt the same. I then said, why don’t you record it? He asked if I would sing on it if they did, I said… ‘Of course my most precious!'”

Perry says he always felt the song was “a diamond in the rough.” He posted on his socials: “I must say, singing on their powerful track brought out a vocal experience in me from years ago!”

The Effect replied back to him on Instagram : “We can’t wait for the world to hear this! It’s an honor Steve. You brought the power pipes!”

The song will be released on May 7.

More Info Here

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