Perry Desmond-Davies

Artist Information

Biography

Perry's original songs, ranging from contemporary ballads to folk to soft rock, relate experiences in life,relationships, work, and even serious illness. Her distinctive voice ties the words and music together: always tender, lyric and melodic, at times soaring, seductive or smoky.

Says a listener: "Pure and powerful, Perry's voice and songs touch unguarded parts of us, and fill us with joy, nostalgia and longing. Once you hear Perry Desmond-Davies, you will never confuse her with anyone else. "

Originally from Maine, now living near Boston, Perry began performing on the New England coffeehouse scene as a teenager, then stashed away the music to focus on career and family. After signing up for an open-mike performance a few years later, she finally returned to her musical roots, and has been sharing her voice and songs with happy listeners ever since.

Perry has been was a finalist in Portsmouth, NH’s first annual Prescott Park Arts and Acoustic Festival Emerging Singer-Songwriter competition, was also chosen as a finalist for the 2011 Susquehanna Music Fest in Havre de Grace, MD, and will be performing for the second consecutive year at Wachusett Valley Folk Festival's Showcase stage.
She has also hosted several successful coffeehouses and open mikes, including The Gathering Place(Nashua, NH), The Pleasant Café Open Mike(Maynard, MA), and her most recent venture, the Maynard Public Library “Unplugged” monthly music series.

Perry's first CD, "This One's for You", was a live performance from Nashua, New Hampshire's Simple Gifts Coffeehouse. In addition to her heartfelt original compositions, the audience joined Perry's unique tributes to John Prine’s "Angel From Montgomery", Gillian Welch’s "Orphan Girl", and a scorching rendition of the classic "House of the Rising Sun".

Her newest release, the full length studio album "Sweet Ride", has been described as: "...an inspired, addictive mix of folk, blues, bluegrass and a capella, all driven by an exceptionally beautiful voice."

"Sweet Ride" contains 12 new original songs in a variety of styles, and has received wide acclaim and constant airplay across the US, UK and Canada. The title track was featured on NPR Car Talk's Christmas 2010 show!!

Sweet Ride and This One's for You are available for purchase and digital download (per track or whole album) right on her website, and also at CDBaby, ITunes, Amazon MP3, CDFreedom and Rhapsody.

You can also view video clips from her recent CD release concert on YouTube...it's a sweet, SWEET ride 'round here!


VENUES:
Connecticut:
Vanilla Bean(Pomfret)
New York Pickle Deli (Rocky Hill)
Rhode Island:
Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House (Providence), On the Dock Grill (Warwick)

Massachusetts:
Amazing Things Arts Center(Framingham), The Pleasant Cafe(Maynard), The Center for Arts(Natick), Main Streets Market and Cafe(Concord), Mozaic Room(Avon), Pejamajo Cafe(Holliston),Emerson Umbrella(Concord), Tom's Gourmet(Northboro), Sweet Bites(Acton), Harvest Cafe(Hudson), Savoury Lane(Acton), Twice Told Tales(Concord),Bull Run Showcase Music Series(Shirley),Acton Jazz Cafe(Acton), Stagecoach Inn(Groton),Rose Room Revue(Upton),Club Passim(Cambridge)Sit N Bull Pub(Maynard),Nameless Coffeehouse(Cambridge),Nourish(Lexington),Great Brook Farms Music Series(Bolton),Moonshadow Cafe(Sudbury),Black and White Coffeehouse(Hingham),Colonial Inn(Concord),The Java Room(Chelmsford),The Chit Chat Lounge(Haverhill),Center for Arts at the Armory(Somerville),Tatnuck Book Sellers Cafe(Westboro),Johnny D's Uptown(Somerville),Wachusett Folk Festival(Westminster),The Seaward Inn(Gloucester),The G Studios(Boston),Acoustic Cafe(Groton),Acoustic Showcase(Lexington), Wachusett Music Series(Lancaster).

Instrumentation

Perry Desmond-Davies:vocals,guitar,piano

Discography

Current release:
SWEET RIDE:
"an inspired, addictive mix of folk, blues, soft rock, bluegrass and a capella, all driven by an exceptionally beautiful voice"

SWEET RIDE continues to ride the airwaves! Here's a partial list of stations currently playing tracks from *Sweet Ride*:

103.5 FM Tampa Bay
KSSK 92.3 FM/590 AM Hawaii
WJRR Orlando
WMZQ 98.7 Washington DC
KBCO 97.3
WGIR-AM Manchester NH
Z100 NYC
98.3 KISS FM Winchester VA
BIG 98 Country Nashville
WRWD 107.3 Country Hudson Valley NY
KOLT 100.7 Cheyenne WY
KASE Country 101 FM Austin TX
TWISTER 93.3 Omaha NE
KVET 98.1 Austin TX
KASH 107.5 Country ALASKA
KIAK Country 102.5
94.9 "The Bull" Country, Atlanta GA
K102 Country Minneapolis MN
IR Country Internet Radio
y969 Country Colorado Springs, CO
99.9 KISS Country Asheville NC
94.9 TNT Tallahassee FLA
KHVH 830 AM Honolulu HI
KSSN 96 Arkansas
Hank 1450 Classic Country
FM 106.1 Milwaukee Wisconsin
99.5 The River
SportsTalk 790 AM
Magic 101.3 FM
96.1 WSRS Paxton MA
Y100 Ft Lauderdale FLA
KSDF 93.7 St.Louis MO
WICN The Folk Revival, Worcester MA



Previously released:
"This One's For You": a full length CD recorded LIVE, including six of Perry's original songs and her most-requested covers: House of the Rising Sun(Traditional), Angel from Montgomery(Prine) and Orphan Girl(Welch).

"The Short Set"
Four-song EP, available upon request.

Links

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Sweet Ride CD Review:Wildy's World
• NIMBIT: Buy Perry's CD's or single tracks!
• Bill Copeland Music News: CD Review of Sweet Ride
• See Perry performing live on YouTube...
• Listen and buy on CD Baby!

Audio

• Irresponsible
  Listen  
• Sweet Ride
  Listen  
• Nobody Cares
  Listen  
• Perry Desmond Davies - Longer Than You Know
  Listen  
• The *Happy* Folk Song!
  Listen  
• Hey Dad
  Listen  
• Everything is Hard
  Listen  
• Eyes Wide Open
  Listen  
• Beautiful Child
  Listen  
• Never Forget
  Listen  

Lyrics

• The Happy Folk Song
• Longer Than You Know
• Never Forget
• All I Want

Video

ATSweetRide.mov

HouseOTRS.mov

Photo Gallery

Press

• Review of Sweet Ride [+ Show ]
  

  The songwriting of Perry Desmond-Davies never stands on ceremony. The Massachusetts-based singer/so...The songwriting of Perry Desmond-Davies never stands on ceremony. The Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter writes from the heart and mind, songs about the ups and downs of everyday life that carry the weight of honest experience. Desmond-Davies has been a coffeehouse and café staple through New England since her debut back in 1998, and has appeared on New England Cable News and Wake Up And Smell The Poetry on Hopkington's HCAM-TV. Her most recent effort, Sweet Ride, features 14 musical soliloquies on the joys and pains of day-to-day life.
  Desmond-Davies' voice is unadulterated and pure, cut from the same working class cloth as artists such as Pete Seeger, Tom Waits and even a bit of early Janis Joplin.
  Perry Desmond-Davies plays working class hero on Sweet Ride, sticking to the basics of everyday life and the human condition; drawing the joy and pain of small victories and subtle defeats out into the open in song. Desmond-Davies is a story-teller who writes songs, or a songwriter who tells-stories. It's hard to say which comes first, as the two talents blend thoroughly throughout Sweet Ride. A Sweet Ride it is.

• Listener Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Pure and powerful, Perry's voice and songs touch unguarded parts of us, and fill us with joy, nost... "Pure and powerful, Perry's voice and songs touch unguarded parts of us, and fill us with joy, nostalgia and longing. Once you hear Perry Desmond-Davies, you will never confuse her with anyone else. "

• Review for "Sweet Ride" [+ Show ]
  

  Perry Desmond-Davies' CD "Sweet Ride" is a beautifully written, performed and recorded paean to the ...Perry Desmond-Davies' CD "Sweet Ride" is a beautifully written, performed and recorded paean to the joys and miseries of everyday life.
  Favorite moments were the good time feel of "Sweet Ride", the gorgous, heartfelt, vocal performance of "Beautiful Child", the spooky lyric of "Eyes Wide Open" and the uplifting sentiment of "New Beginnings".
  Other favorites were the intimate, live piano version of "Nobody Cares" and the honky-tonk joy of the live "One Hot Mama". Perry's plaintive vocalizations on her bluesy and darker lyrics are chilling and real and sometimes remind the listener of early Janis Joplin and Billie Holiday.
  Seth Connelly's production and arrangement work is stunningly passionate and musically articulate and perfectly supports and compliments each tune and lyric.
  All in all, "Sweet Ride" is an aptly titled and thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.
  
  

• Going on a Sweet Ride with Perry Desmond-Davies [+ Show ]
  

  "Her latest release, “Sweet Ride” has been called an addictive mix of folk, blues, bluegrass and eve..."Her latest release, “Sweet Ride” has been called an addictive mix of folk, blues, bluegrass and even a Capella. Her beautiful clear voice enhances all the genres she loves."

• Performance Review [+ Show ]
  

  "There are few people I know that have a voice that can hush the loudest room and the songs to back ..."There are few people I know that have a voice that can hush the loudest room and the songs to back it up. Perry Desmond-Davies is one of those talents. She's one of my favorite people to see on stage live, and you'd do yourself a favor to check her out too."
  

• Listener Review:Sweet Ride [+ Show ]
  

  "I count myself fortunate to have become acquainted with your outstanding musical gift via a Faceboo..."I count myself fortunate to have become acquainted with your outstanding musical gift via a Facebook acquaintance...I received a copy of "Sweet Ride" today. All I can say is "Wow!"
  Your deft skill with words and musical interchange is soul gripping - brings tears at one moment,giggles the next. It is always thought-provoking, though: you have a powerful energy that is at once enchanting as it is entrancing. I am thoroughly enjoying "Sweet Ride", and am hot on the trail of doing all I can to ensure as many people as possible get to enjoy your special gifts, too.

• Review: Sweet Ride [+ Show ]
  

  I've been working with Perry Desmond Davies for so many years and now can finally say she has her ow...I've been working with Perry Desmond Davies for so many years and now can finally say she has her own studio CD out. We've put together a fine collection of songs that really show Perry at her best as a writer, player and singer... and boy can she sing! I have to say one of my personal favorites is her cover of Lose Again by Karla Bonoff. We both share the same kind of admiration of this great talent. But it's really a toss up between that and "Nobody Cares",her great song about the real people in health care that hits you right in the heart.
  OK then there's One Way Out, a remake of the Sonny Boy Williamson song (also made famous by the Allman Brothers)
  that she knocks out of the park... in a head wind! Great job Perry!
  

• Performance Review [+ Show ]
  

  Perry Desmond-Davies writes emotional songs which she delivers in her powerful, yet sensitive voice....Perry Desmond-Davies writes emotional songs which she delivers in her powerful, yet sensitive voice. She makes you want to hear more, whether it is her beautifully-crafted, honest, heartfelt songs, or her carefully-selected covers. Even though I’ve heard her songs many times, I never tire of them. It’s her winning combination of writing and performance that wins her many fans!
  
  Perry is equally at home playing piano or guitar, always providing strong accompaniment to what she is singing. She is also great at performing backup vocals, whether in concert or in the studio. I’ve experienced both first-hand.
  
  Don’t miss a Perry Desmond-Davies show!
  
  

• Performance Review [+ Show ]
  

  " Over the course of a single song, Perry’s soaring, emotive voice will weave in and out of differen..." Over the course of a single song, Perry’s soaring, emotive voice will weave in and out of different styles (Country, R&B, Folk), which lend the song the dynamics that are so difficult for solo acoustic performers to achieve."

• Review of The Short Set-EP [+ Show ]
  

  " Perry Desmond-Davies has shared her emotive voice and chiming guitar chops with folkie folks from ..." Perry Desmond-Davies has shared her emotive voice and chiming guitar chops with folkie folks from Massachusetts to Maine." From "the echoey heart-piercer ‘Hey Dad’…(and) the repetitive, hard-strummed choral call" of ‘Falling’, to the deep lyrics of ‘Now I Guess You Know’…on this very (a)live EP, she carries the listener along on wings of music. Perry should be able to use these wings to fly through the ranks of the singer/songwriter world."
  

Setlist

Typical set list includes mostly original compositions as well as selective covers*:

Sweet Ride
The Happy Song
Nobody Cares
Beautiful Child
Longer Than You Know
Hey Dad
Eyes Wide Open(a capella)
Everything is Hard
All I Want
Lost Time
Falling Hard

and more...

*Covers include:
Lose Again(Karla Bonoff)
Beautiful Loser(Bob Seger)
One Way Out(S.Williamson)
Orphan Girl (Gillian Welch)
Angel from Montgomery (John Prine)
House of the Rising Sun (Traditional)
I Believe in You (Neil Young)
You Can Close Your Eyes(JT)
and many more...

Basic Requirements

Calendar