No Lie

Texas loves The Band Perry & blonde bombshell Kimberly like no other — a recordRodeo crowd proves it

Kimberly Perry got more alive with each strum of her guitar.

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
The Band Perry played to the second largest Rodeo crowd ever.

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
And Kimberly Perry seemed to be having just as much fun as those 74,241 fans.

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
Neil Perry

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
Reid Perry

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com

Coming straight off the energy from the introductory fireworks at Reliant Stadium Wednesday night were Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry, not skipping a single beat and keeping the electricity rocking throughout the crowd of 74,241 — the largest crowd the sibling trio The Band Perry has ever performed in front of and the second largest crowd in RodeoHouston history.

That rookie enthusiasm, mostly from the blonde bombshell Kimberly, was surely appreciated by every attendee. Kimberly Perry got more alive with each and every strum of her guitar as the band offered the fans some midweek "song therapy." Coming out in a black off-the-shoulder dress, all-black jewelry and knee-high black boots, Kimberly dazzled.

The boys stood on either side of her with Neil rocking a pearl snap and custom Reliant belt buckle (as pictured on Perry's Twitter timeline) while Reid opted for a more basic black tee and black pants. Though their outfits may not have screamed "I'm with the band," their vocals surely matched up for their 15-song set list. The Band Perry played in unison and performed their little hearts out.

You could tell how immensely excited the group was to play in front of the large audience in a state which was instrumental in kicking off their twangy career.

Lacking a big of a vault of No. 1 hits, like say a Blake Shelton, Perry threw in a number of classic rock 'n' roll songs to keep the crowd moving. Kimberly and the boys busted out an American Sing Along Medley which included samplings of Tom Petty's "Free Falling," John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane," "Me and Bobby McGhee', "American Pie" and even a hymnal version of "Amazing Grace."

Whether it was a well-timed five-hour energy drink or The Band Perry was just that happy to be in Houston, the band had much reason to celebrate and put on one hell of a show as Texas was the first place to play them on the radio. You could tell how immensely excited the group was to play in front of the large audience in a state which was instrumental in kicking off their twangy career.

After two-plus weeks of Rodeo concerts, it was refreshing to see a group of talented artists having as much fun on stage as the crowd was in their seats (or in the aisles dancing). Throughout the show, Kimberly Perry took a few long pauses to really let it all sink in.

I'm sure the "we finally made it" feeling has set in with the group long before now, but playing in front of this large crowd, in front of the state that heard their music first, you could tell this was one of those ah-ha moments for music enthusiasts.

"Daddy rocked us to sleep with the Rolling Stones; Mama woke us up with Loretta Lynn. So we get it honest," is how Kimberly Perry puts it on the band's website. That gives you a little feel for how the band got its unique voice and vibe of one part honky-tonk, one part rock 'n' roll and one part punk — all of which Perry brought into Reliant.

As the F-150 started out onto the dirt field signaling the end of the concert, I made a friendly wager that Kimberly was still so amped she'd forego the pickup and run past the end zone and into the tunnels.

In true Texas country female form, The Band Perry ended with its most famous song to date, "You Lie." Only, they started with a little rendition of Rihanna's "I Hate The Way You Lie" — dedicating the song to "all the cheaters out there."

I think they got the message. Well if my ex checked his voicemail, then they got the message.

As Kimberly Perry screamed out to the massive crowd, "It is bigger and better here in Texas, y'all!"

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Music feature

Texas country star Cody Johnson's new album goes to 'Banks of Trinity'

Photo by Cameron Powell

Cody Johnson.

There's a moment at every Cody Johnson show where the Texas-born-and-bred country star asks the crowd, “How many of you tonight are watching me and this band live for the very first time?” he told The Associated Press. “And every night, I would say at least 80% of the crowd raises their hands.”

It's not the kind of reaction most veteran artists receive. “And I’m thinking, you know, 20 years is a long time to work for something. But when you see that … What’s the next 20 years look like?” he asks.

The rancher, rodeo competitor, and onetime prison guard started his two-decade career playing honky tonks and dive bars. That led to slow and steady growth for the country traditionalist, but in the last few years, something has shifted. He landed his fifth career No. 1 song with “The Fall.” He was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards, the show's highest honor. That was a month after he headlined Stagecoach Music Festival. For an artist with legions of fans, it looked like he was accessing new heights.

“I feel like I’m closing a book and I’m opening another one and it’s all blank pages,” he says of this period. “Let's get to the next chapter." On June 26, that new era began with the release of his latest album, Banks of the Trinity.

Traveling to the Banks of the Trinity
It hasn't been an easy road. Last fall, Johnson had to cancel a bunch of tour dates after upper respiratory and sinus infections caused a burst eardrum that required surgery — an intimidating medical procedure for anyone, but especially nerve-wracking for a musician. “I was scared,” he said simply. But “in a roundabout way, it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

It forced him to take three months off, which allowed him to be home during the birth of his son. It also rejuvenated his approach in the studio. Before the incident, he thought the album was complete. It was not. The additional time resulted in the inclusion of a few songs that now feel inextricable from the record: “Thank Somebody Country,” “Take Me Back (Leave Me There),” “Cricket on a Hook,” and the resilient “I Have” among them.

“What a blessing to have that kind of song fall in your lap when you’re kind of up against the ropes,” he says of the latter. “I mean, we thought we had the record done. It wasn’t done.”

A title track with real resonance
At the heart of Banks of the Trinity is its title track, which recalls Eagles' cover of “Seven Bridges Road” meets bluegrass and Southern gospel.

Lyrically, it's an ode to Johnson's childhood. “I grew up on the banks of the Trinity [River.] Fishing for catfish, not so much out of pleasure or sport but for necessity to put food in the freezer. Deer season for me was not a trophy thing,” he said.

And while that track inspires a feeling of nostalgia within the listener, he doesn't consider this album a throwback collection. He says it's about showcasing his evolving sonic diversity.

"The rest of the album for me is a musical journey from track one to track 16,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a flavor for everybody. It does kind of hit Motown. It does kind of hit bluegrass. It does hit progressive country. It does it old country. It does a little rock here and there.”

It's the result of a new kind of freedom, one that is at least partially due to his recent accomplishments, including taking home the top prize at the ACM Awards.

“I just did the thing that I’ve aspired to do in my career my entire life,” he says. “A really good place is a really good way to describe where I am.”

And now that the album is out, he's ready to take a breather.

“I will be shirtless with no shoes on a beach at an undisclosed location,” he jokes about the days after record release. “'Cause I have already done all the prep work. I've been working on this album for two years. I’ve done all of the interviews. I’ve shook all the hands. Me and my wife and kids are gonna disappear for 10 days and I’m gonna become, I guess, every Kenny Chesney song ever.”

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