artist info

In the past few years Cherry Poppin' Daddies have become the kind of band that you would want to book if you were throwing a soiree at the Gatsby mansion. Penning elegant, lush, pitch perfect arrangements of much of the great American songbook, from Cole Porter to Frank Sinatra, the Daddies have surprised many - likely familiar with them from the early 90's- whose limited exposure to the band undoubtedly consists of an image of spray painted vans careening across the US as an iconoclastic, misfit part of an already marginalized punk/ska scene.

In fact the Daddies have of late put together a number of excellent swing/ jazz sit down theatre type shows, each tailored to a different era of swing music: a “Jazz Age Lawn Party” consisting of roaring 20's and Cotton Club Era material, a swanky “Live at the Sands” type tribute to the Rat Pack, and a World War 2 “Christmas Canteen” show that is part Tiki, part Benny Goodman and comes across like a radio broadcast from Guadalcanal circa 1942. The sheer craftsmanship and professional attention to detail of these performances have shed new light on this criminally underestimated band.

On top of being a show band nonpareil, the Daddies have an “oh by the way” double platinum ability to pen original material that, while influenced by a history of American popular music, is wholly modern lyrically, and itself stands up as classic. The 1997 release of Zoot Suit Riot set the bar for the neo-swing movement of the era in terms of originality, lyrical depth, and flat out musical sales.

“Lately, by laying our hands on the great American songbook, we have been trying to fill in for audiences the historical back story of what inspires our original brand of Americana, because in essence that is what I consider us to be, an Americana band. But instead of taking mostly from a delta blues tradition- like many of the bands labeled “Americana”- we adhere mostly to a pre rock, pre mid 50's, hot jazz and essentially Tin Pan Alley tradition. Then we attempt to deconstruct and détourne those set of tropes to fit modern themes, be that something like child abuse or say the opioid crisis. It's unfortunate, but I believe it comforts modern audiences to see that we are able to play, in an orthodox fashion, material that is in the tradition, before they allow us to reach out for something unfamiliar, multifaceted, or god forbid anti-bourgeois in point of view like many of our originals are.” - Singer songwriter/ bandleader Steve Perry

Sadly, over the past year the band has been laying low and playing a bit closer to home in order that Perry can be a caregiver to his wife, business partner, and video muse, Yvette “Cherry” Perry who was recently diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. “This setback for our family has brought us closer to our fans, who have been so giving of their best wishes and helping with small donations to Yvette's cancer care. We pledge to continue our advocacy work nationally toward earlier colorectal screening protocols and baseline cancer research so that this scourge that has been loosed on so many families like ours can be wiped out sooner rather than later.”