The Perrys

Formed in Dawsonville, Georgia in 1970, the Perrys are a Southern gospel group originated by siblings Randy, Libbi, and Debbie Perry. After over a decade of singing together as a trio, they signed with Morning Star Records in the mid-'80s, and brought bass Tracy Stuffle into the group along with soprano Denise Helton. She replaced Debbie Perry, who left to focus on raising a family, and Stuffle and Libbi Perry soon married. As a quartet, the Perrys released their first album, the live recording God's Little People, in 1988. Their second album, Grace, followed in 1993. In 1994, Randy Perry and Denise Helton left the group for other professions and were replaced by Nicole Watts and Barry Scott, with Mike Bowling soon taking over for Scott. With the rejiggered lineup, Center Stage Live arrived in 1996. The Perrys moved to Daywind Records in 1997. Their debut for the label was Crossings, which they followed with 1998's Come to the Fountain. Bowling then left the group to join the Crabb Family, and Watts retired after getting married. David Hill and Loren Harris joined in their place, and when Hill left after 2000's Absolutely Positively Live!, baritone Curt Davis gave the Perrys a different arrangement of vocal ranges. The album Changed Forever saw release in 2001, followed by 2003's This Is the Day and 2004's Life of Love. In the summer of 2004, Davis left and was replaced by Joseph Habedank, and Matthew Holt came aboard as pianist. Still with Daywind, a tribute to gospel group the Happy Goodmans, Remembering the Happy Goodmans, arrived in 2005, and a year later Harris parted ways with the group. Nick Trammell took his place. That membership released Come Thirsty in 2006, followed by 2007's Look No Further. In 2008, pianist Bryan Elliott replaced Holt, and early in 2009, Troy Peach took over for Trammell. The album Almost Morning was issued later that year. Elliott left the group in 2010, and the Perrys offered Blue Skies Coming in 2011. Through the Night arrived the following year. After 15 years with Daywind, the group signed with Stowtown Records in time for 2014's Into His Presence. By 2015's Sing, the then-45-year-old gospel outfit had settled into the lineup of Libbi Perry Stuffle, Tracy Stuffle, their son Jared Stuffle, baritone Troy Peach, and lead singer Andrew Goldman. Their next album was Testament, released by Provident in 2017. ~ Marcy Donelson