Kimberly Perry

Kimberly Marie Perry (born July 12, 1983) is an American singer and songwriter best known as a member of The Band Perry alongside her brothers Neil and Reid.

The group signed to Republic Nashville in 2009 and released two studio albums with the label, achieving three number one singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, as well as three additional top ten singles. As a member of the band, Perry received a Grammy Award, three Country Music Association Awards and four Academy of Country Music Awards.

The band transitioned to pop in 2017 and attained limited success before officially announcing a hiatus in 2023. Following this, Kimberly returned to her country roots and launched a career as a solo artist.

Career

Beginnings

Perry sang in her own band as a teenager with her brothers Neil and Reid working as roadies and eventually as her opening act. Kimberly released an EP entitled "Carry On" with a song of the same name inspiring two songs on "Pioneer". Once they had united to form as "the Band Perry", they joined a New Faces of Country tour in 2005.

The Band Perry

In 2008, they were discovered by Garth Brooks' manager Bob Doyle, who helped them make recordings that were sent to Scott Borchetta, head of the newly established Republic Nashville label and were subsequently signed the following year, releasing their debut single " Hip to My Heart" in November 2009. Their five track self-tiled extended play was released on April 6, 2010, and was later expanded into their debut album, which was released on October 12 that same year. The album included "Hip to My Heart", which reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and four additional singles which all reached the top 10. The album's second single "If I Die Young", was a breakthrough for the band, becoming their first number one and being certified 6x platinum and sold 1.6 million copies. The band subsequently won the Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year and Single of the Year, with Kimberly, the sole writer of "If I Die Young", also winning Song of the Year and becoming just the fourth woman to win the award with a solo composition. Perry was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Song at the 53rd Grammy Awards, while The Band Perry won New Vocal Duo/Group and Top New Artist at the 2011 Academy of Country Music Awards. Additional singles from their self-titled debut included " You Lie", which reached number two, " All Your Life", which became the group's second number one, and " Postcard from Paris", which reached number six.

Beginning in 2012, The Band Perry started working on their follow-up album, releasing the lead single "Better Dig Two" on October 29 of that year. The song became their third number one and was certified 2× platinum. The second single, " Done", was released in March 2013, with the album, ''Pioneer'' being released on April 2, 2013, and becoming their first number one album on the Top Country Albums chart. The album also featured the top ten singles "Don't Let Me Be Lonely" and "Chainsaw". The Band Perry won Top Vocal Group at the 2013 Academy of Country Music Awards based on the strength of the album. In 2014, they recorded a cover of "Gentle on My Mind" for the documentary '' Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me'', which won them the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance in 2015.

On August 14, 2015, the band released " Live Forever" off their planned third studio album and subsequently signed with Interscope Records with the plan to release more pop-oriented material. They released several singles, including " Comeback Kid" and " Stay in the Dark" on Interscope to limited success and a third album, tentatively titled ''Heart + Beat'' and later ''My Bad Imagination'', never materialized and they left the label in mid-2018. The group self-released a five track extended play in September 2018 titled ''Coordinates''.

Solo career

The Band Perry announced that they were officially going on hiatus on March 27, 2023, to focus on solo projects. Kimberly was the first to reveal plans and signed with RECORDS, a subsidiary of Columbia to release her debut solo single "If I Die Young Pt. 2" on May 5, 2023, the first track from ''Bloom'', an extended play which was released on June 9. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Perry stated that she was hoping to have her debut solo album completed by the fall of 2023.

A longer version of the ''Bloom'' EP, titled ''Superbloom'', was released on October 27, including several new songs, such as "Fool's Gold", "Black Corvette", and "Monsters".

Personal life

Perry announced her engagement to Toronto Blue Jays catcher J. P. Arencibia on September 30, 2013, and married him in Greeneville, Tennessee, on June 12, 2014. The pair divorced in March 2018. Perry married Johnny Costello in June 2021 and announced that the couple were expecting their first child in April 2023. On June 1, Perry revealed that she had previously suffered a miscarriage prior to recording "If I Die Young Pt. 2".

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

with The Band Perry
*''The Band Perry'' (2010)
*''Pioneer'' (2013)

Awards and nominations

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Kimberly
Living people
1983 births
American acoustic guitarists
American women singers
American country guitarists
American country singer-songwriters
American women guitarists
American women country singers
Country pop musicians
Grammy Award winners
21st-century American singer-songwriters
21st-century American women singers
Musicians from Jackson, Mississippi
Singer-songwriters from Mississippi