NORTH AUGUSTA - A concert by the up-and-coming country sensation, The Band Perry, was the place to be on Memorial Day.

In spite of a steady rainfall, 130 people showed up for the band’s performance at Fox Creek High School as part of a fundraiser for the FFE (Future Farmers of Edgefield). Three local groups performed, as well, and organizer Keith Champion reported a “sellout” on barbecue sandwiches and hotdogs.

“It was wonderful,” he said. “The Band Perry stayed afterwards and signed autographs and talked to the kids. The students all said the band members were so friendly and they really loved it. They (the band members) were all good role models.”

Champion said the school was able to obtain the band because a father of one of the students works for Kicks 99 Radio Station, which helped to sponsor the event.

The Band Perry is a country music band composed of siblings Kimberly Perry (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano), Reid Perry (bass guitar, background vocals) and Neil Perry (mandolin, drums, accordion and background vocals). Originally from Mobile, Ala., the three have always felt the drive to perform and create music.

“Daddy rocked us to sleep with the Rolling Stones; Mama woke us up with Loretta Lynn,” says Kimberly in an article on their Web site. “So we get it honest.”

They call it “bleeding the bright red blood of American music.”

She said she strapped on her first Gibson and formed her first high school band at age 15.
In the same article, Reid says he and his bass have been attached at the hip since he was 10 years old.

“While most of my friends were playing little league, I was sitting in my room learning Rolling Stones’ and Beatles’ bass lines. It’s really all I’ve ever known.”

They received their first break when they were invited by the Coco-Cola Bottling Company to open all of the dates on their “New Faces of Country” Tour in 2005.

In the summer of 2008, they met longtime Garth Brooks manager Bob Doyle. They spent the fall and winter of 2008 writing in Nashville and collecting songs for their first country recording session.

The group signed to Republic Nashville (Taylor Swift’s label) in August 2009 and released its debut single, “Hip to My Heart” that month, which was a Top 20 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. “If I Die Young” is the trio’s second single, to be released in June.

The band donated their time and talent for the fundraiser Monday.

“It was a great concert,” said Jamey Gregory, one of the students involved in the fundraiser. It was to help the FFE build a greenhouse for plants for next year. I didn’t expect as big a crowd because of the weather, but they really turned out.”