Phil Perry

Vocalist Phil Perry developed his craft across pop, R&B, and jazz over many years, first gaining notice as part of the soul vocal group the Montclairs after being born in East St. Louis, Illinois in 1952. He stayed with the ensemble from 1971 through 1975, contributing to tracks such as "Dreaming's Out of Season," "Prelude to a Heartbreak," and "Begging's Hard to Do." Once the Montclairs disbanded, he teamed with Richard Sanlin to issue the Capitol single "Just to Make You Happy" in 1980. Throughout the decade he built a thriving sideline as a songwriter, producer, and session vocalist, lending his voice to projects by Anita Baker, Peabo Bryson, Chaka Khan, and numerous other artists.

Perry stepped out as a solo act in 1991 with the Capitol album The Heart of the Man. Subsequent releases arrived regularly, many of them shaped by contributions from his wife, vocalist Lillian Tynes Perry: Pure Pleasure in 1994, One Heart, One Love in 1998 (which reached the Top Five of Billboard's contemporary jazz chart), and My Book of Love in 2000. Promotion for his fifth studio effort, 2001's Magic, had placed him on the schedule for a lunchtime concert at the World Trade Center on September 11th. Although circumstances kept him away that day, the aftermath brought a period of depression and several years without new recordings.

Producer Chris "Big Dog" Davis eventually persuaded Perry back into the studio, resulting in the 2006 Shanachie album Classic Love Songs. He maintained the partnership with the label on further well-received projects, among them 2007's A Mighty Love, 2009's Gift of Love, and 2013's Say Yes. A Better Man entered the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart at number one upon its 2015 release. Two years later Perry returned with Breathless, offering fresh interpretations of Lee Ritenour's "Is It You?," the Jackson 5's "You Never Can Say Goodbye," the 5th Dimension's "One Less Bell to Answer," and additional selections.