by senior contributor Brendan Kownacki
Photo credit: Brendan Kownacki
This week hosted a musical welcome for the new 114th Congress as The Band Perry, the GRAMMY nominated powerhouse trio, came to DC to advocate for musicians rights and stopped by the Capitol building for a special concert. The family band, composed of brothers Neil and Reid along with sister Kimberly shared both old music and new to a captivated crowd of more than 20 members of Congress, staffers, and esteemed guests of The Recording Academy.
As often when musicians make it up the hill, issues like copyright and fair wages were front-and-center to many. Rep Kevin McCarthy who serves as a co-chair for the Recording Arts & Sciences Congressional Caucus pointed out that music can “inspire us or define a decade” but along with that nostalgia, comes the need that “someone has to be the voice for the people who write those words or sing that vocal or that tune.” McCarthy encouraged new members of Congress to join the cause along with himself, Rep. Steny Hoyer and other outspoken advocates for music.
Rep. Hoyer praised the band for their harmonies and couldn’t pass up the chance to joke (semi-seriously) “what a lesson that is for the Congress of these United States. If we could sing together and create the kind of harmony, that would be important for us.” Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi was on hand to echo her colleague but point out that music isn’t about partisanship and that the need for creative expression is truly about America.
Kimberly Perry
The band shared memories of humble beginnings singing together as kids and playing their first gig in a Walmart, and now jolting forward to learning about their GRAMMY nominations. They sang hits “Better Dig Two,” “Done,” and crowd favorite “If I Die Young.” Kimberly Perry shared that despite the name, the song is actually a reflection of life and that as a songwriter it brings her great joy to see the way it can bring both smiles and tears, depending on what the listener needs.
Neil Perry
Music truly can take you up and down and all over, but it’s not about politics–it’s about listening in that moment, tapping your toe to the beat and letting it take you in whatever direction you need. DC could use a bit more of that sometimes, so this was a big success.
Reid Perry
