Member Since: 1/3/2007
Band Members:
A selection of photographs that were taken down that road, on the road and in the studios. Also some of the results of laboring in those studios.
Meanwhile, just the fruits of that labour!
Photos coming soon!
Watch this space!
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Not to be reproduced without express permission in writing from this site.
©Wayne Perkins Private Collection & Archives
Wayne Perkins
The man himself.
Guitarist, singer and song-writer Wayne Perkins was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1951. He grew up on the outskirts in Center Point as the oldest of six, one brother and four sisters. His parents both sang country and church music and played guitar. It was only natural for Perkins to pick up a guitar when he was about six years old and teach himself to play.
When he was only 14, Perkins got his first gig as a session musician, in Bob Grove's Prestige Recording Studio in Birmingham.
At 16 he left school and was performing in some local bands and released some singles with a band called The Vikings with Charles Nettles.
In 1968, drummer Jasper Guarino helped Perkins land a steady job as a session guitarist in a studio owned by Quin Ivy called "Quinvy's" in Muscle Shoals where Perkins started at $100 a week. During these early years, he played for Quinvy's and for Muscle Shoals Sound with such names as Dave Porter and the Soul Children, Dave Crawford and Brad Shapiro, Dee Dee Warwick, Ronnie Milsap, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Jimmy Cliff, Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, P.F. Sloan, Don Nix, John David Souther, Marlin Greene, Kate Taylor and Alex Taylor.
Wayne left session work for the band Smith, Perkins & Smith who recorded a couple of albums and toured in England with Free, Fairport Convention, Argent, Uriah Heep, Family and Vinegar Joe with Robert Palmer. While in England, he played on Bob Marley and the Wailers' first International album that eventually went platinum.
When Perkins came back home, he played for a couple of years with Leon Russell in the Shelter People Band and the Gap Band as well as with Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Clapton got him connected with the Rolling Stones and he played lead guitar on the album 'Black & Blue'.
Next he joined the Alabama Power Band (formed by his brother Dale) which morphed into Crimson Tide and recorded two albums. He wrote for Catdaddy Music in Nashville, with Tina Clarke and later formed the band Fever with Mike Gardner. They toured the South and did soundtracks for films including 'The Karate Kid-Part II' and 'Back to School'.
Meanwhile Perkins kept right on writing whilst also forming the band Problem Child with Robert Nix and Rick Christian. He also put together a blues band Take No Prisoners with Miranda Louise and played bass with Lonnie Mack .
Over the years, Perkins played session guitar with artists including Albert King, The Alabama State Troupers, Ben Atkins, Michael Bolton, Angela Bofill, The Everly Brothers, The Oak Ridge Boys, Billy Ray Cyrus and many others.
Of late he has tended to maintain a low profile whilst focusing his energies on song writing. However, plans are afoot to get him back out there playing again, to both the cognoscenti who love his work, and to new audiences to turn them on to his amazing musical prowess.
Meanwhile
his album Ramblin' Heart Can be downloaded at:-
www.wayneperkins.com
Check it out and enjoy!
As an added bonus there will be even more tracks you can sample.
and download too if you wish to.
Alabama Cherokee Tribal Seal
© Protected. Please Do Not Reproduce.
His influences?
The influences on his musical development have been way too varied and many over the course of his long career from listening and learning to play as a child, to even begin to list here.
It is hoped to bring you links to a selection of articles that have referenced the man over the years. If you know of any please do let us have them.
Sounds Like?
Whilst Wayne Perkins is primarily renowned for his guitar playing, in many varied styles, he is also a very accomplished singer as well as being able to turn his hand to the keyboards ~ but his main love is the guitar, whether pickin' or playing slide or,indeed, even playing the bass.
It is possible, sometimes, to think one has grasped who has influenced what down the years. However, most who admire his work, have to agree that he sounds, uniquely, like himself!
Whether he is singing a gentle love song or getting 'deep, down and dirty' and rocking! Or, indeed, reducing one to near tears with a blues number ~ both his guitar and vocals can gently weep.
His official web site can be found at:-
www.wayneperkins.com
He is proud to be an Independent Artist in this new era.
He can be contacted through this
MySpace site.
Do write and introduce yourself ~ or say 'Hi' again if your paths have crossed before.
With proofing gratitude to Sonny Edwards of the Induct Campaign!
Thanks Sonny ~ well caught!
Type of Label: Indie