E-mail a friendThe Homemade Jamz Blues Band
airdate July 7, 2009
Ryan Perry, age 16, sings and plays guitar. His brother Kyle, age 14, plays bass; and sister Taya, age 10, plays drums. Together, they're the Homemade Jamz Blues Band—one of today's hottest groups, electrifying crowds around the country. The Tupelo, MS-based trio is the youngest blues band to sign with a major record label (Toronto-based NorthernBlues Music) and to ever be nominated for a Blues Music Award (for their debut CD, "Pay Me No Mind," which was recorded over three days). "I Got Blues for You" is their latest CD.
The Homemade Jamz Blues Band performs. (3:08)
Full interview and performances. (14:34)
The Homemade Jamz Blues Band
Tavis: So tonight I want to introduce you to an amazing young blues group, the Homemade Jamz Blues Band from Mississippi. They are three siblings -- Ryan, Kyle and Taya -- ages 17, 15, and 10. Their new CD is called "I've Got Blues for You" and tonight they're making their late night TV debut.
In just a moment we'll talk to the family, but first here is the Homemade Jamz Blues Band performing "Voodoo Woman."
[Performance]
Tavis: So I hope you enjoyed that as much as we did. The Homemade Jamz Blues Band, Ryan, Kyle, and Taya. The new CD is called "I've Got Blues for You," and it's so happy to see y'all. I'm happy to see all y'all, man, glad to see you here.
Ryan Perry: Thank you.
Kyle Perry: Thank you.
Taya Perry: Thank you.
Ryan Perry: Thank you very much.
Tavis: So I've got to tell you -- I had these young folk on my radio program on public radio, and I was so blown away by them on the radio show I called Neal Kendall, our producer; I said, "We have got to make room to get these kids on the show."
So I'm delighted tonight that they have made their late night national TV debut right here on our program, and I want to start, Ryan, by asking you to -- they're seated in their age of order; well, declining age. But Ryan, hold that guitar up because I want to explain this. They just saw you play this thing, but I want you to explain what this is, what you call it, who made it, show me how it lights up again. Just tell me the story of how these guitars get made.
Ryan Perry: Well, this is -- we call it a muffler guitar, made from a car muffler, and this is the newest one that we've built. As you can see it's got two necks; it's a double-neck guitar. And we first started building these about three years ago and the story behind it is I was building -- me and my dad were building our first vehicle, and --
Tavis: Wait, wait, wait -- y'all were building a vehicle?
Ryan Perry: Yeah.
Tavis: As in something to drive?
Ryan Perry: Oh, not building it from the ground up; just restoring it.
Tavis: Oh, okay. (Laughter.) Your dad's a bad man. He building cars too? Ford is in trouble. Anyway, I'm sorry. So you and your dad were working on a car, and go ahead.
Ryan Perry: And we ordered some mufflers and when they came in, my dad took a good look at them and he asked me, "Hey, maybe I should take this muffler and try to build a guitar out of it, just for fun." And I didn't want him to take the muffler because it was supposed to go into my first car. (Laughter.) And so he just took it anyway; he said, "Well, I'm just going to take it and then we'll get to your car later."
And I told him, "Okay, we'll try this on the condition that you buy me another muffler. (Laughter.) And so about a week later we come out of the garage with the muffler guitar, and it looks and sounds great. And it's just a very basic form of what you see now, and by the way, the first guitar is in the B.B. King museum in Indianola, Mississippi.
Tavis: The first one your dad name?
Ryan Perry: Yeah, the very first one.
Tavis: So it's actually in the B.B. King museum now.
Ryan Perry: Yes, sir.
Tavis: Wow. So you couldn't do this today, but turn it back on again. So it lights up.
Ryan Perry: Yeah, it lights up.
Tavis: Lights up when you play, that's cool. But what they can't see today, because you don't have the stuff with you, but hold that thing up -- when you're on stage in a real concert that thing actually blows smoke out of those mufflers.
Ryan Perry: Yup, it really does. It really does.
Tavis: Wow. (Laughter.)
Ryan Perry: It's a sight to see.
Tavis: Pardon the pun -- that's hot. (Laughter.) So you have a double-neck here, and this is a lead guitar.
Ryan Perry: Yes, sir.
Tavis: All right. And this is Kyle here in the middle, so Kyle, hold yours up. Your dad made this too?
Kyle Perry: Yes, sir.
Tavis: This is a bass guitar.
Kyle Perry: Yes, sir, a six-string bass.
Tavis: Tell me about your instrument.
Kyle Perry: My bass right here was made a little bit after Ryan's. He made Ryan's first. But I wanted it black, as you see; he let it get black. It lights up as well.
Tavis: Is that your favorite color?
Kyle Perry: Yes, sir, I have to say. Black and blue.
Tavis: Black and blue.
Kyle Perry: I got the Ford emblem here, six-string. I think we took -- what bass was it we took apart?
Ryan Perry: I'm not sure.
Kyle Perry: A Rogue, maybe?
Tavis: Yeah -- and put that together with it?
Kyle Perry: Oh, yeah.
Tavis: So you've got the Ford emblem there, but also -- can you hold up the strap on it? Do you see the strap, Jonathan? I want you to see -- that's a regular seatbelt. (Laughter.) He has a seatbelt strap on his homemade guitar, and it works.
All right, and this is Taya, with her gorgeous little self, and Taya is 10 and plays the drums, as you just saw a moment ago. So how did you get in the group?
Taya Perry: Well, it all started with my two brothers. They were already playing their instruments and they were in need of a drummer. And they were practicing in the living room and I asked them if I could play and they were like, "Sure." So we had had a little green drumset back then and I hopped behind the drums and I just started from there.
Tavis: And how long did it take her, Ryan, before she could carry the beat?
Ryan Perry: About three hours.
Tavis: That quick, that quick?
Ryan Perry: (Laughs.) Yeah, it was that quick.
Tavis: And she worked it out.
Ryan Perry: And she worked everything out. By the end of that three hours and by the end of the day she knew -- she could keep a steady beat to all the songs that we knew back then.
Tavis: That's amazing, because I know a whole lot of guys right now, a lot of young boys watching right now, it's like, "No, you can't play with us." Your little sister, you cannot get in this group.
Ryan Perry: Well, that's what we said at first. (Laughter.)
Tavis: Ah, now the truth comes out. So at first y'all told her no.
Ryan Perry: Yeah, we told her no, but our mom was in the next room and she was like, "Ryan and Kyle, let her play." So we were like, "Okay, hope behind there and just move your sticks like this," and by the end of the day we were like, "Maybe we should have Taya on our side." (Laughter.)
Tavis: So now she's a part of the group, and y'all glad to have her.
Ryan Perry: Oh, yeah.
Kyle Perry: Yes, sir.
Tavis: All right, so you got two CDs out now; tell me about your music. Who writes the music, how does it come together? Tell me about the music.
Kyle Perry: Usually the music comes to be when I'm just waiting for practice and I'm just fumbling around my bass, and I'll come up with a nice little groove. And then by the time Ryan get all his pedals and stuff hooked up, he'll come in with his guitar and then Taya eventually come in with a drum beat and we'll just start jamming after a little bit.
Dad will come on with the harp and then we'll just jam that for a long while to make sure it's stuck in our head. Then afterwards, Dad'll sit down and start writing lyrics for it.
Tavis: So your dad does the lyrical content.
Kyle Perry: Yes, sir.
Tavis: How do you guys go to school, Taya, when you are now about to become internationally recognized?
Taya Perry: Recently we were pulled out of public school and we are now home schooled.
Tavis: You like that better?
Taya Perry: Yes, sir.
Tavis: So I assume that gives you -- now you can travel all around the world and still learn as you travel.
Taya Perry: Yes, sir.
Tavis: Give me some idea, Ryan, of some of the places you guys have played already.
Ryan Perry: Well, last year we were in Holland and Switzerland, as well as Canada. The year before that we were in Mexico and did another trip to Canada, and later on this year we'll be going to Norway.
Tavis: That's a long way from Tupelo.
Ryan Perry: Yeah. (Laughter.)
Tavis: Home of Elvis, by the way.
Ryan Perry: Yeah.
Tavis: Yeah, that's a long way from Tupelo. Kyle, tell me quickly about your parents. It takes obviously a lot of love on the part of both of your parents to let y'all do this and get behind you and make your instruments for you. Tell me about your parents.
Kyle Perry: Our parents are very, very supportive of us.
Tavis: Their names are?
Kyle Perry: Their names are Tricia Perry and Renaud Perry.
Tavis: All right, Tricia and Renaud.
Kyle Perry: They're very supportive, ready for us to go anywhere. They drive us around everywhere, no matter how long the drive. So they're great parents.
Ryan Perry: And they recently let go of their jobs so we can pursue our dream of becoming blues musicians.
Tavis: So they quit their jobs to get behind y'all.
Ryan Perry: Yes, sir.
Tavis: Y'all better play, then. (Laughter.) Let me shut up, then, because if y'all don't work, Mama and Daddy don't eat.
Kyle Perry: Oh, yeah.
Tavis: And I know Trisha and Renaud want something to eat. So let me thank, before I get out of the way and let them play another jam for you, let me thank Ryan and Kyle and Taya for coming on the program. Up next, we will close out the show with some more music from them. You don't want to miss it -- the Homemade Jamz Blues Band. Stay with us.
From their new CD "I've Got Blues for You," here is the Homemade Jamz Blues Band, accompanied by their father, Renaud Perry on harmonica, with the song, "Hobo Man." Enjoy. Good night from L.A. and keep the faith.
[Performance]
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