The most dynamic urban contemporary band of gospel singers and musicians to come along since Tye Tribbett & G.A. hit the scene a decade ago, Boston-based Bobby Perry & Rain (Royal Agents Influencing Nations) are invading the Hampton Roads area this Friday, May 13, 2011 @ 8:00 p.m. EST for the third annual Virginia Beach Gospel Fest. The concert takes place at 24th Street Park on the Virginia Beach, VA oceanfront with a line-up that includes James Fortune & FIYA, Jessica Reedy and various local acts.
The group’s first radio single “Say Yeah” is currently making its way up the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart. A Boston native, Perry is a pastor’s kid. Both of his parents were active church ministers and he began preaching himself in 1992 when he was 17 years old. Eventually, Perry formed a vocal group, Here II Praise. Gospel legend, Daryl Coley, spotted the group at a concert and enjoyed what he heard. He took the group under his wing and released their debut CD “Here II Praise” through his Verity Records production deal. The CD, “Giving You Nothing But Praise,” peaked at #20 and spent two months on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart. After a taste of the spotlight, Perry took a hiatus from the music industry and founded and became pastor of Kingdom Builders’ Worship Center in 2000.
Since then, Perry took members from his booming church and founded the group, Rain. Their debut CD “All About You” was released in spring 2006 and established their unique blend of urban rhythms with passionate praise and worship tunes. Their new CD “Conquerors” (Solaria Records/Comin Atcha Distribution) continues in the vibe they started in 2006 and promises to set the trend for urban-flavored gospel groups in the future. “It is my desire that those who are not saved would be inspired to start a new life with Christ after hearing our music,” Perry says. “I also want those who are saved to feel the testimony and understand that although life is sometimes hard, we still can make it because our life is all about Him.”
