Local Piano Aficionado Recalls Opening for Snoop Dogg

By Allie Willis
Hottytoddy.com intern

Within the past few decades, the city of Oxford has acquired a reputation for supporting liberal arts and the music scene. The city gained this reputation by hosting established bands during Double Decker weekend and attracting popular musicians at venues such as Proud Larry’s or The Lyric. This culture is one of the many things that Oxford resident and piano expert Bill Perry loves about Oxford.

Billy Perry Jr. was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Before moving to Oxford, he spent time living in Los Angeles teaching himself how to play piano and the drums. He eventually ended up attending the University of Mississippi and graduated with a major in music theory and a minor in piano in 1995.

Bill Perry playing at Ajax on the Square. Photo by Rebecca Long.

“I’ve been pursuing a career in music for as long as I can remember,” Perry said. “When I lived in Los Angeles in my younger years, I originally wanted to be a rapper. After attending and graduating from Ole Miss, I decided that I was more suited for the jazz and blues scene.”

A few years after graduation, Perry spent some time traveling the world to cities such as New York, Chicago, and New Orleans performing for crowds. He even spent five months in Hong Kong performing for audiences and giving private piano lessons. He eventually moved back to Oxford and began giving private piano lessons to a few students before becoming an official piano teacher at Roxford University.

“I’ve been very happy since I decided to settle in Oxford and continue my lessons,” Perry said. “One of my first students in Oxford was actually a professor at this school. As time went on, my client base grew and giving lessons become more than just a hobby to me.”

Perry performing at the Mississippi Delta Blues & Heritage Festival in Greenville. Photo courtesy of Bill Perry.

Perry’s students range from the ages of 10 to 50 years old. While he does teach beginners, most of his students prove to be on the intermediate/advanced level of playing piano.

“Most of my students that come to me have already had a few lessons prior or just have a pretty good sense of how to play a few notes,” Perry said. “I have had a few students come to me that are fresh beginners. Overall, my students are very diligent with practicing in their spare time and it makes my job as a teacher a lot easier.”

Perry has made quite a name for himself not only in the city of Oxford, but the state of Mississippi as well. He has played in each venue on the Square, like Proud Larry’s and The Lyric.

“I opened up for Snoop Dogg once at the Lyric, which is one of my favorite memories,” Perry said. “I have played in a lot of festivals, examples being the Greenville Blues Festival and the Sunflower Blues Festival. I also performed during Double Decker multiple times.”

He currently regularly plays in the downstairs bar of Moe’s Barbeque on the Square. Kyle Kelly, the manager of the bar, has nothing short of admiration for Perry.

“We love having Bill play for us,” Kelly said. “He is one of the best musicians that we regularly book to perform. His style is unique and he is very entertaining to listen to.”

When he isn’t giving piano lessons and playing piano in Oxford, Perry spends a lot of time traveling and performing around the state of Mississippi.

“I have played in a lot of festivals, examples being the Greenville Blues Festival and the Sunflower Blues Festival. I also performed during Double Decker multiple times. I even opened up for Snoop Dogg at the Lyric, which is one of my favorite memories.”

Though Perry spends a lot of time performing blues and jazz music for the public, he also enjoys playing multiple genres. Somedays he enjoys playing hip hop music, while other days he enjoys playing classical pieces.

“I’ve discovered that it really depends on my mood that day,” Perry said. “When it comes to my creative process, I tend to just leave everything open to chance. A lot of my inspirations come from classical, hip hop, or jazz beats. I highly enjoy producing my own music. As a musician, I truly believe that getting experimental is one of the best ways to really learn who oneself is as an artist of music.”