Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry is a fiery electric blues guitarist creating an impact with his fresh take on the blues. A Mississippi native, Bill has performed over 60 years and shared the stage with the likes of Johnnie Taylor, Little Johnnie Taylor, and Freddie King. Bill's music has been featured in movies, airlines, tv shows, radio/internet stations in the US and Internationally. Howl-N-Madd's musical style adds “color and depth” to an energetic sound. Howl-N-Madd's albums, Perry Music Heals the Soul and Thankful for the Blues, succinctly demonstrates the breadth of his original blues compositions. Howl-N-Madd has headlined performances at the International Jazz Fest in Angola, Africa, the Mississippi Delta Blues Festival in Brazil, and many more festivals in the US and Internationally.
**And please make sure you get your Perry Music Heals the Soul and Thankful for the Blues CDs, t-shirts, and hats and wear it like a Rockstar or Bluesstar. Thank you again for all of your support. My family and I truly appreciate you!**
https://billhowl-n-maddperry.godaddysites.com/
Howl-N-Madd is considered a blues legend and his music and talent shows it.
**Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry's History**
Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry had over 60 years of being in the music industry, writing, producing and recording his own music, and performing live shows. He traveled around the USA and the world performing his music to sold-out crowds. His last show was in Angola, Africa where he and his family received a standing ovation after playing the International Jazz Fest. He has an amazing history with many fantastic stories to tell. Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry and his guitar go hand in hand. Where you see one, you will see the other. Howl-N-Madd has played many kinds of guitars but the main guitars are His 3 Fender Stratocasters' all named Bessie. It started with his father winning his guitar in a crap game on to becoming a bluesman with a world-wide name and songs played across the globe.
Billy Joe Perry (better known as) Howl-N-Madd was born August 20th, 1947 in Tula, MS, in a shack with only a coal light to illuminate his mother's, grandmother's, and the mid-wife's surroundings. Howl-N-Madd's slave ancestors lived in the same shack that he was born in. His mother always worked and she carried him on her cotton sack while she picked cotton in the fields long before he could walk. He later worked in those same fields picking and chopping cotton. His father was a sharecropper and pulp wood hauler. But his dad's real job was moon-shining. Making moonshine was a tradition in Howl-N-Madd's family. His dad, granddad, and great grandfather made whiskey. That's how Howl-N-Madd got the first guitar he ever owned. His dad won it from a man named Ned Bowles who Howl-N-Madd was fascinated with and learned from. Howl-N-Madd disciplined himself so he could really play. He never learned how to read music, but did learn how to follow chord charts.
Like many African-American's, Howl-N-Madd's family moved up north, to Chicago to be exact, and that's where he really began to cut his teeth in music. Howl-N-Madd played the guitar every chance he got and they lived behind a club and one block over from Madison street so he could sit on his front stoop and listen to music until the early morning. At only 14 years old, he got the opportunity to play and record with gospel greats like the Clefs Of Calvary and The Salem Travelers. Howl-N-Madd recorded many gospel albums. He recorded with the Clefs of Calvary- Keep On Marching (HOB Records 268) and The Salem Travelers-“Wait On The Lord” with Chess Records. The Salem Travelers played at The Apollo Theatre for 12 days. He worked with Mildred Clark and the Melodyaires on ABC Records (Changing The World), Rev. Columbus Mann, Rev Earnest Franklin, The Violenaires, Albertina Walker.
Howl-N-Madd was recording a session with Fontella Bass the day his son, Bill Perry Jr. was born. (I'm Leaving The Choice To You and It sure Is Good- Jewel Paula Records)
After 3 years of extensive travel across America, Howl-N-Madd decided to let the music take him in a different direction. The Blues.
Little Milton Campbell gave the young Howl-N-Madd his first opportunity to sing when he asked him to play guitar in his band. Milton offered Howl-N-Madd the opportunity to sing a few songs for 15 minutes before Milton himself came on stage. Milton also paid him to tune his guitar and drive to different shows. Howl-N-Madd had an extremely impressive career working with musicians like Johnnie Taylor, Little Johnnie Taylor, Freddie King, Cash McCall, and T-Bone Walker to name a few.
Howl-N-Madd went by the name Billy Easton and had a song that got major airplay called “I Was A Fool” with a label called Dispo. Howl-N-Madd was one of the first people to be on Soul Train as Billy Easton. Howl-N-Madd led his own bands like Bill Perry and Rammit with Fantasy Records and he recorded a song called “Funky Like A Donkey” which received major airplay across the nation.
After a few years away from music while living in California, Howl-N-Madd decided to go back to his roots. He packed his family and they moved to Mississippi where Howl-N-Madd joined a group called The Relaxations for 3 years. Howl-N-Madd inspired his kids to play music and he started a family band called The Perry's. Howl-N-Madd was on lead guitar, his son Bill was on lead keys, and his daughter, Sharo, played bass keyboard and lead/background vocals, and they had a drummer. They performed for 5 months in Hong Kong, China and 3 months in Jakarta, Indonesia. They toured across America and played at Black Eyed Sally's in Connecticut, many festivals, and they toured through Texas and Florida. They have had the pleasure of performing and participating in numerous weddings receptions. The Perry's have entertained many through-out the years at the Sunflower Festival, Dodgeville Blues Fest, Chicago Blues Festival, King Biscuit Blues Festival, MS Valley Fest in Davenport, music festivals through-out the Mid-South. They traveled to France, Italy, Brazil, Canada, and Angola Africa.
Howl-N-Madd was in the movie thriller “Way Of War” starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. His album called Way Of Blues reached #2 at Radio Blues Intense in France. And the song won “The Coolest Blues Song of The Year Award”. He was also in an episode of The Gene Simmons Family Jewels where he played the devil at the crossroads. Howl-N-Madd, his son Bill Perry, Jr., and daughter had the honor of performing at Lincoln Center after the documentary film "True Delta", by Erickson Blakney and Lee Quinby. You can view the True Delta Macaulay Promo at https://vimeo.com/55111095.
Howl-N-Madd and Shy Perry were the headline act for "An Evening With The Blues" festival in Bolzano, Italy. They performed to sold out shows and had rave reviews on many radio, newspaper, and television stations like RAI. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfyIsGUNCPw
Howl-N-Madd is noted on 3 Mississippi Blues Markers. One is on the Oxford Square, the second is in front of the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, and the third is in front of Po' Monkey's located in Merigold, MS. He is also the subject of an exhibit at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale. Howl-N-Madd was a music teacher at the Delta Blues museum for 5 years and he help educate many young children about the blues and they learned to play many different instruments like the guitar, bass and drums.
Howl-N-Madd made sure to share his knowledge of music and taught the guitar to children especially, but also to anyone who wanted to learn. Bill not only left a musical legacy, but he also helped raise money for cancer research, where Bill and his family band, The Perry's, helped raise over $5 million over 5 or 6 years. Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry also helped raised money for childrens education and veterans.
Howl-N-Madd produced, wrote, and arranged all of his music and albums except The Clarksdale Sessions. Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry received two grants from MAC, Mississippi Arts Commission totaling $6500 for a folks art fellowship and apprentice and to help promote Shy Perry's album. His album Thankful for the Blues has beautiful songs that explain exactly how his life was and how he felt about the blues, hence the title. His last album Perry Music Heals the Soul is a collection of all of his greatest hits going back 30+ years.
*HNM Discography*
Perry Music Heals the Soul
Thankful For The Blues
Reason I Sing The Blues
Got What It Takes
The Clarksdale Sessions
HNM Revisited
The Way Of Blues
Voodoo Charm
Casino Dreams
Wake Up
Guitar Man
As long as I'm playing, I'm happy- Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry
The Blues ain't nothing but a good man or woman having a bad day- Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry
Perry's guitar gives off a sharp hollow metallic ring like a National on steriods as he brings up all the classic stories of blues, giving each of them a new life and sense of reality. (Back To The Crossroads)
-Big City Rhythm and Blues
https://www.sympla.com.br/bill-howlnmadd-perry--shy-perry-mississippi-ao-vivo-no-gravador-pub__400406
https://www.taosnews.com/stories/the-real-deal,48035?
Bill How-N-Madd Perry and Shy Perry were interviewed by Lamont Jack Pearley for Jack Dappa Blues Radio & TV.
By M. Scott Morris Daily Journal
Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry and Shy Perry were interviewed by Drew Verbis for Blues America 97.
https://beta.prx.org/stories/208554
By Joe Atkins, Professor of Journalism, Meek School of Journalism and New Media
http://hottytoddy.com/2013/04/08/howlin-the-blues-in-mississippi/
Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry performed 3 shows at the 11th Mississippi Delta Blues Festival in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil. Bill had a 6 date tour in Caxias Do Sul, Lajeado, Santa Maria, and Porto Alegre.
Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry performed at the King Biscuit Blues Festival and many more festivals through-out the year.
Clarksdale, MS
Clarksdale, MS
Ridgeland, MS
Angola, Africa