Bill Perry is just the opposite. He’s a stud guitarist who is so good it’s almost scary. Listening to his CD’s he’ll actually sing through his solos. "That’s the way I play live," said Bill during a recent phone interview. "I sing while I’m soloing live, not just on record. I’m trying to come up with my own style of blues so I have a distinct sound like an Albert Collins, you could always tell it was him."

Perry is one of a handful of young blues guitarists who are redefining the genre as we approach the new century. This is an elite group that includes people like Lucky Peterson, Bernard Allison, Chico Banks, Michael Hill, Jimmy King, Vaan Shaw, Carl Weathersby, and even Deborah Coleman. They are aggressive, progressive, dynamic musicians who are as exciting in concert as anyone who has ever come before them. "I agree with that totally," said Bill when considering this. "I think it’s real good for the blues because more people are listening to blues now than before and the blues needed a shot in the arm. Now we got this urban style that has some funky beats in there and some rock beats too but still grounded in the blues and soul."

Born in Chester, New York, Bill Perry first started playing the guitar at the age of six. By the time he was in high school he was already entertaining his friends at dances and parties. He left New York for a time during his twenties living in California and then Colorado. During this time he continued to develop his musical persona. Perry eventually returned to New York settling in his current home base of Middletown.

Perry’s first break came one night when the legendary Richie Havens came out to see him play. "Yeah he came out to hear me one time in New Jersey and he took my phone number," said Bill. "Three years later when his guitar player left he gave me a call. I played with him for four years. Actually I’m playing with him tonight (July 16th) in Schenectady and doing the Bethel show up in the original site of Woodstock with him on August 15th."

In 1994 Perry finally formed his own band and released a new CD on Rave On Records called "Love Scars." The disc showcased Bill’s diverse musical styles from acoustic delta blues to blistering urban funk-blues. But Rave-On Records is just a little independant label and Perry’s next break came when Virgin Records’ Pointblank subsidiary reissued the disc. "One of the guys from Pointblank was at Manny’s Car Wash one time when I was playing," Perry recalled. "I was actually playing acoustic that night too. He thought I was an acoustic guitarist but I told him I was just doing this acoustic gig for money, I have my own band. Anyway he heard the band and was blown away. He wanted to do a couple of albums with me."

"Love Scars" was followed up in 1998 with one of the strongest blues releases of the year called "Greycourt Lighting." Perry expanded his sound to include a horn section along with piano and B3 organ.

But it was his live shows that became the talk of the industry. Perry is the unofficial house band at Manhatten’s Manny’s Car Wash blues club. The high energy of his band matches the intensity of the big city.

It was probably inevitable that Perry would release a live CD. "High Octane" was recorded at Manny’s this past November and contains songs from his two previous records. It also contains two mighty Hendrix anthems, "All Along The Watchtower," and "Little Wing." The extended jam in "Little Wing" would make the Grateful Dead proud. You have to hear it to believe it. "High Octane" was released on Car Wash Records, a label created by the people at Manny’s for the sole purpose of recording Bill Perry.

So as Bill looks to the future he knows he’ll be shopping around for a new label. "It’s definately not going to be with Pointblank," he said. "There’s nothing wrong with that label, it’s just that they’re not really good at breaking in a new artist. I mean if you got five albums out already and you join Pointblank it’s great. But I’m considered a new artist, so I think a smaller label where I would be more of a priority and heard more in the States would be better."

"I’m not really going to rush into it," said Perry still on the same topic. "If we have to we could put a CD out ourselves. I don’t want to do that though. The next album is going to be real good. Jimmy Vivino from the Conan O’Brien Show is producing it. And I’m having Garth Hudson and Rick Danko from the Band on it. Richie will be on it too. So I’m really taking my time trying to publish some cool stuff."

Bill Perry’s current tour will bring him to Mystic for a very special show at the German club on Saturday, August 14th. "I’m out on the road with a three piece now," said Bill when asked what his fans should expect this time around. "Obviously alot of guitar. I’ll be playing songs from all three records. Alot of jamming, that’s what it will be."