Stephen Ray Perry was born in Hanford, California, to Azores-born Portuguese parents. He is the only child in the family. Perry was raised with a love of music because his father, Raymond Perry (Pereira), was a vocalist and co-owner of the radio station KNGS. Perry’s parents divorced when he was eight years old. His mother and he then moved to his grandparent’s dairy farm.
Perry’s mother, Mary Quaresma, gave him a gold eighth note pendant for his 12th birthday; Perry wears the pendant for good luck. Perry was 12 years old when he heard Sam Cooke’s song “Cupid” on his mother’s car radio, which inspired him to become a singer.
Herbert, the original Journey organizer/manager, had heard a demo of an Alien Project song, “If You Need Me, Call Me,” and was told by producer Scott Mathews that the young singer would be an excellent replacement for then-current frontman Robert Fleischman.
Fleischman had never signed with Herbert’s company, preferring his previous manager, and had not fully embraced the band’s then-progressive rock sound. To avoid alarming Fleischman, Perry was brought on tour as a roadie’s Portuguese cousin. Perry secretly performed a song with Journey while Fleischman was away from the stage during a sound check in Long Beach; shortly after, Herbert informed the band members that Perry was the new lead singer.
Is Steve Perry no longer with Journey?
The group ( Jurney) reached an “amicable settlement” a year later in 2021, though the terms were not disclosed. Perry released his most recent album, the Christmas-themed The Season, last year, while the band released Freedom, their fifteenth album, in July.
