Mr. Jimmie Earl Perry, born in Gordon, Alabama and spent his early childhood and all of his formal education years in New Jersey. While growing up in Trenton, he lived with his parents, Estelle and Eglon and his two younger brothers. From here, he has made for himself a remarkable journey into the world of music and show business.
Having major influences initially from his parents who were both singers, and thru them received the spiritual involvement in religion and attending St. Paul AME Zion Church, where gospel music, classic religious anthems and spirituals were played and sung by phenomenal musicians and singers. This abundant wealth of music was enough to motivate Jimmie to pursue his passion in music. With a strong and powerful church and gospel influence, the constant joy of music played at home from blues, jazz, classical idioms, from Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, B.B. King, Mighty Clouds of Joy, James Cleveland, Billie Holliday, Mahalia Jackson, Johnny Mathis, to Leontyne Price, James Robeson, Marion Anderson and the Tuskegee Institute choirs, Motown and many other great artists, his musical journey was set before him.
He has studied at the famed Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and received his teaching credentials, which he put into practice in the New Jersey Educational system in Trenton and Princeton New Jersey. While at Westminster, Mr. Perry had the opportunity to sing with the colleges’ famed Westminster Choir which made its' debut of Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, who also conducted, at Lincoln Center. He sung also under the baton of Leopold Stokowski in Verdi’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall.
Mr. Perry decided after 2 years of teaching to further develop his singing and acting skills at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan. While working as a temporary employee in some of the top Fortune 500 companies in New York, he also was accepted as a member of the AMAS Repertory Company directed by TV series “Family Matters” mother, Rozetta Lenoire and also joined the Urban Arts Corp directed by Vinette Carroll, creator of such Broadway hit shows as Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Step Lively Boys.
Later, Mr. Perry was selected by audition in New York City to join the original Australian company of Let My People Come in Melbourne and Sydney for two years. There he recorded his first hit single and video for Warner Bros. Intl., performed on varied TV and radio shows. His first commercial for Toyota Hi Ace trucks and the principal lead in the musical “Orpheus”, musically written specifically for his talents. Mr. Perry completed a season, 1999, Off-Broadway in New York City as Madison in the controversial musical ""SALLY AND TOM"" at the Castillo Theatre. A dramatic telling of the love story between American President Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemming.
Four years in the role of Old Deuteronomy in the Canadian Production of CATS in Toronto, directed by Trevor Nunn, also performing as an American Marine in the Canadian premier of Miss Saigon by Cameron Macintosh also in Toronto with direction by Nicholas Hytner and Bob Avian (choreographer) in the Princess of Wales Theatre. During his time in Canada, Mr. Perry appeared in episodes of the hit TV comedy series Kids In The Hall, The Judge and other television series. Performed in Madame Gertrude with Salome Bey. He recorded with the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir of Montreal, Canada as the guest soloist on the award winning Glory Train CD which performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Also with the Jubilation Choir he was requested to sing one of his songs from this CD personally for Nelson and Winnie Mandela at a reception for him at Place d’Armes after Mandela’s initial release from a South African Prison. This event, in Montreal, was televised world wide on Canadian television (CBC). He can also be heard on several CD's of other major artists and musicals as the lead and background vocalist in Canada, United States, Australia and Germany. While in Australia in the lead role of “Let My People Come”, Mr. Perry released his first major recording on Warner Bros. Records.
Mr. Perry recently concluded his third stellar performance year as Pontius Pilate in the musical opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber ""Jesus Christ Superstar"" at the Bad Hersfelder Festspiele in Germany and a 6 month tour of Europe including the Czech Republic in “Superstar”, directed by Baayork Lee. He arrived in Bochum, Germany in March 1999 to perform the role of Papa in Webber’s ""Starlight Express"" for two years.
Mr. Perry has also performed the role of Judas in Superstar in Remscheid, Germany in April 2000. Mr. Perry was cast in a 3 month tour of Mexico in 2004 as one of the famous Platters. One of Mr. Perry’s most recent accomplishments occurred in the winter season of 2001 during a European tour of the USA Gospel Singers. He was proud to have the opportunity to sing the opening and closing songs at La Scala, Milano for the New Years Eve Gala Performance in December, 2001 as well as other major opera houses and theatres in the Netherlands, Italy, Austria and Germany. He has performed on several major cruise lines, as a featured vocalist in such shows as the Tony Award winning Broadway musical ""Dreamgirls"" as Curtis and Jimmie Early and Gilbert and Sullivan’s` Hot ""Mikado"". In Vegas style revues and his own solo cabarets aboard Cunards` QE2 and Vistafjord.
Now living in Stellenbosch, South Africa, near Cape Town, he has gained the distinction of Professor and Director of the Educational Theatre and Creative Arts at the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management at Stellenbosch University.
Here he looks forward to his work; creating productions to educate the world community in the prevention of HIV/AIDS. As producer, Prof. Perry produced and performed at the gala launch for the Centre in February, 2005 at the HB Thom Theatre which included South African artists, DNA Strings, Lize Beekman, Carina Bruwer, Abaqondisi Brothers, JL Zwane Siyaya, Carte Blanche presenter Ruda Landman, the Deputy President and many more.
The new and exciting mini musical on HIV/AIDS, “LUCKY, THE HERO”, that he has produced and directed has begun a remarkable journey to educate many and prevent the spread of this disease throughout South Africa and abroad.
A soon to be released CD by Gallo Records in South Africa will certainly elevate the message of HIV/AIDS and the artist, Jimmie Earl Perry to international acclaim and recognition.

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