Temperance Road

by Kevin Kerfoot, 05/05/2004

Formed in Franklin, Ky. in the spring of 2001, Temperance Road - the road that five of the group’s original members live on - originated as a family bluegrass band consisting of Wayne Perry, his wife Judy, their daughter Vicki, their son Richard and his wife Laura, as well as some additional pickers.

In November of that year Richard and Laura’s nine-year-old daughter performed with the group for the first time and in early 2003 the group’s dynamics began to change. “Wayne and Judy wanted to spend more time in Florida and didn’t want to work the music as hard,” Richard Perry said. “We wanted to move forward with it so we set out to round up some pickers to complete the group. So in August of 2003, Temperance Road, as it now stands, performed for the first time.”

Today, the group consists of rhythm guitarist Richard Perry of Franklin, Ky.; upright bass player Laura Perry of Franklin, Ky.; fiddler Sydni Perry of Franklin, Ky.; Dobro player James Hunter of Franklin, Ky.; mandolin player Bernie Sullivan of Cottontown, Tenn.; and rhythm and lead guitarist Erik Sullivan of Goodlettsville, Tenn.

Bernie Sullivan has been performing bluegrass since the mid-sixties and has played on radio and television in Kentucky, Illinois, Alaska and California. With his group, The Dusty Road Boys, Bernie played festivals, state and county fairs in Illinois and California. Members of his band have played, toured and recorded with Bill Monroe, Larry Sparks, Earl Taylor, High Country and Jerry Garcia.

Erik Sullivan, who joined the group in July of 2003, has been playing guitar since he was nine years old. Spending most of his early time on stage with his Dad’s group, Erik performed with some of the best pickers around and eventually formed his own band that performed in California. “We are very fortunate that both Erik and Bernie decided to leave California and come to this part of the country,” Richard said. “Erik has recorded a number of solo instrumental CDs including one gospel and one Christmas and has done fill in work with various bluegrass artists and bands. Erik started and is still involved in ‘Songwriters Night’ at the Gibson Bluegrass Showcase at Opry Mills in Nashville where local musicians are given the chance to showcase their work every Tuesday night at 6 p.m.”

James Hunter has been playing music for about 40 years and has performed on numerous demos, and performed with the Hee Haw Gang and The Everly Brothers reunion. He sites watching Flatt & Scruggs on television as an early influence. He started playing the flat top, switched to electric and then steel and returned to the Dobro. James bought his Dobro about three years ago from a man out west. When James first met Erik, Erik noticed that the Dobro looked familiar and Erik had built James’ Dobro while working in the production department at Gibson.

Richard and Laura Perry have only been playing bluegrass music for a couple of years. Richard’s father and grandfather also played bluegrass, making Richard and his daughter Sydni third and fourth generation bluegrass musicians in the Perry family. Richard also handles the group’s bookings, management and public relations.

Laura Perry initially began playing the mandolin but switched to upright bass when the group personnel changed. She has sung on stage with Grand Ole Opry stars Ernie Ashworth, Charlie Louvin, Jan Howard and Gail Davies. “A few years ago you wouldn’t have caught Laura singing in public, but she has really come out,” Richard said. “She has a great voice and does a really good job on the bass. She also does double duty musically, playing keyboard and singing with a local country band.”

Sydni Perry began singing in the fall of 2001, singing in public for the first time on November 14, 2001, and has been working with Nashville voice coach Buzzy Orange for nearly two years. She has also been working on the fiddle with Cheryl Chunn at the Main Stage Studio in Springfield, Tenn. “We are very fortunate that Buzzy took an interest in Sydni early on,” Richard said. “She has exceptional natural talent and all we are doing is refining it,” Buzzy added.

Like her mother, she has performed on stage with the Opry stars previously mentioned as well as with The Chapmans. “She is very comfortable on stage and performing just comes naturally to her,” Richard said. “Sydni is one of those rare performers that can sing lead or harmony with equal effectiveness with little or no effort. The usual response when people see her is, ‘Oh, isn’t she cute.’ Then, when she sings, she blows people away with her strong voice.”

Kanin Perry, Richard and Laura’s 15-year-old son, manages the group’s equipment and runs the sound. “He doesn’t get the spotlight, but plays a vital role in the quality of our shows,” Richard said. “He is also working on the banjo but doesn’t have the desire to play on stage.”

Temperance Road describes its music as an interesting blend of traditional bluegrass, bringing some old country converts to bluegrass, as well as original material. “We don’t have a banjo so people don’t expect music that really drives,” Richard said. “At one recent show I was in the audience to check the sound levels during the first song. Just before the music started a gentleman who didn’t know I was with the band walked up beside me and said, ‘They need a banjo. It’s not bluegrass without a banjo.’ Not long after the song started he leaned over and said, ‘Well, maybe they’re okay without a banjo.’ Our pickers are so versatile; we can play it soft and mellow or as hard as you want it.”

Temperance Road recently completed its new project with the new members entitled Repaved. “Our latest CD - our fourth - was completed in April 2004 with 11 cuts,” Richard said. “It was recorded with Danny Ramsey at Little Hollywood Studio in Nashville. Danny is great to work with. He’s very patient and laid back, yet uncompromising professionally. We’ll definitely work with him again.”

The songs on Repaved are Don’t Laugh by Rebe Gosdin, Big Black Train by S. Johnson, Pickaway by Vic Jordan, Jolene by Dolly Parton, Are You From Dixie by Grandpa Jones, Backup and Push by Bud Landress, Oh Lonesome You by Jamie O’Hara and Kieran Kane, Autumn Bridge by Buzzy Orange, and I Want To Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart by Patsy Montana. “We try to get way back in the archives and find really good material that’s not been done to death,” Richard said. “It’s not that we can’t play all the old standards, we just choose not too. We try to play music that’s fresh and entertaining. It’s not always easy to find age-appropriate material for an 11 year old. Fortunately, a lot of the songs are not age specific. Bernie has a tremendous collection of music that we’ve spent hours listening to, trying to find the best material. Having access to that has been a huge asset to the development of the group.”

The project also includes a few originals: Nothing Else To Think About by Richard Perry and Goin’ Down by Richard and Sydni Perry.

Richard has written several songs over the past few years including four that have been recorded. Erik and James have also written many songs . Erik wrote Lonesome Dark Highway, a song that was recorded by Chad Cline and has been on the bluegrass charts for almost a year.

Sydni Perry has also begun writing songs. Goin’ Down is one she had the idea for and started writing. After Richard added verse lyrics, Erik arranged it. “Sydni keeps a notebook with her all the time to write down ideas and lines as they come to her,” Richard said. “She has written some good songs that don’t sound like an 11 year old. She is working on some of them in Nashville with Buzzy.”

Temperance Road plans to continue playing good music for good shows.“It’s just fun, and when it stops being fun, that’s when it’s time to hush,” James Hunter said. “We’d like to keep adding more and better dates to our schedule,” Richard added. “We are playing some good dates this year and hope to add to the number in 2005. Sydni is planning on a career in music and that is certainly an achievable goal for her as well. Our main goal as a group is to do something we really enjoy and entertain a few folks in the process.”

reprinted with permission from
May/June 04 Bluegrass Music Profiles Magazine

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