Michael Perry brings his blend of humor and music to Tack Center on March 19
Michael Perry, humorist, bestselling author, and the man responsible for the phrase, “Never Stand Behind A Sneezing Cow,” will be performing with his band, The Long Beds, at Spencer’s LuCille Tack Center for the Arts on March 19 at 7 p.m. Known most widely as the author of “Population 485,” the story of a volunteer firefighter and EMT in a small Wisconsin town, Perry’s heartfelt brand of humorous storytelling has made him a popular speaker and performer for audiences of all backgrounds.
Perry’s evening show will be prefaced by a 60-minute session at 1 p.m that day, when he’ll discuss his “accidental” writing career, how to survive the freelance life and how “the middle of nowhere” can be the most powerful writing element of all. Book clubs, writers and readers will enjoy this author chat that includes humor, photos and stories to make his point.
Perry began writing songs in the early 1990s during long nights when he was struggling to survive on prose (he is the author of numerous books including: Population 485, Truck, The Scavengers,and the New York Times bestseller Visiting Tom). With no arts background (he has a nursing degree) he found himself drawn especially to the work of poets and singer/songwriters. In interviews, Perry tends to list his greatest literary influences as Dylan Thomas and Steve Earle – and not necessarily in that order.
“I remember writing late one night and hearing a Kevin Welch song with the line, ‘I whiskey’d up my coffee cup … sittin’ here tryin’ not to call you up,’” says Perry, “and I was floored by the rhythm and the story in that single line …” He began writing songs as a way to break up all-night typing sessions, and eventually he had enough of them that a musician friend invited him to play a coffee shop.
“I’m not saying I was nervous, but I ripped out a sixtyminute set list in thirty-two minutes flat,” says Perry.
Today his band tours regularly and he has been involved in numerous musical collaborations: composing and performing “Winter Sleeper” with S. Carey and Ben Lester, co-writing “Red Leaf” with Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Geoffrey Keezer, co-writing “Deeper Kind” with Phil Cook, composing liner notes and performing live with Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon for the John Prine tribute album “Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows,” and writing liner notes for the Vernon/Cook-produced Blind Boys of Alabama album “I’ll Find A Way.”
Michael Perry’s performance is sponsored in part by the generosity of Patti Hahn, Duane and Anne Teska, Wiskerchen Cheese, Wisconsin Arts Board and media sponsor Wisconsin Public Radio.
Visit lucilletackcenter.com for tickets and more information or call 715.659.4499.
Michael Perry
