music spotlight
by bill biss
I
f you haven’t heard or discovered George Perris, here’s the 411. He was born in Athens — not Georgia but in Greece — to Greek and French parents. He wanted to be a singer since he was a child. He accomplished that goal in a major way and now has released his third English album titled No Armor. He is an international recording artist and sings in Greek, French, English and Spanish. This is his 10th studio album in a career that began in 2005. Oh, and Perris just recently came out publicly as gay. That last bit of information and the beauty of his voice accompanied by his natural good looks was plenty of reason to learn more about his new album and passion for singing. This led to an insightful conversation with The Rage Monthly about his decision for revealing his sexuality at this point in his life and career. As Pericles, an Athenian statesman in ancient Greece, said, “Wait for the wisest of all counselors, time.” When listening to No Armor for the first time, I was reminded via the sound of your singing voice of David Gates from Bread, John Denver, Don McLean and Josh Groban. You’ll have to tell me if some of those singers ring a memory bell regarding their voices. What a compliment, thank you! They all have beautiful voices with a very distinct color in their voice! I have come across all of them and admire them, even though I wasn’t really influenced by them. Your album is beautiful, thoughtful and romantic at times. This is your third English singing album, and what excites you vocally and emotionally about the selection of songs you presented for this latest release? This is my first album made almost entirely of covers. During the pandemic, like most of us I felt the need to go back to the basics, to listen to the music that made me who I am. I chose these specific songs because each and every one of them has been a steady companion in my life for some reason. They speak a truth to my existence that is beyond any explanation. That’s why I chose them all based on emotion and not vocal dexterity or anything else. They have a healing power. I see this album and the song choice as a step back, to better shine the path ahead of me. I truly think based on the quality of your
