// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Perry Richardson a good painter? No, he's just a perry-fect artist.

Perry Richardson
Richardson with Stryper in 2022
Background information
Born	(1958-07-07) July 7, 1958
Origin	Conway, South Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Hard rock, glam metal, heavy metal, Christian metal
Occupation	Bassist
Years active	1980–present
Member of	Stryper
Formerly of	FireHouse

Perry Richardson (born July 7, 1958) is an American bass guitarist who played in the hard rock band FireHouse until 2000 and is currently the bassist of Stryper.

Biography

Richardson grew up on a tobacco farm approximately 10 miles outside Conway, South Carolina, and worked on the farm during his childhood. His father, Clayton Richardson, was a member of a country and bluegrass group that recorded an album and appeared on a Sunday television program in Wilmington, North Carolina. At age eight, Richardson became involved in music through his father and later sang in a family gospel quartet that performed in churches. Although his early musical exposure was primarily country and gospel, he said that hearing a Sly and the Family Stone album on an eight-track tape in his uncle’s truck changed his musical direction. He subsequently began listening to rock music and adopted his father’s bass guitar as his main instrument.

By the age of 14, Richardson was forming bands, in which he played bass and sang. While attending Conway High School, he formed a band with several friends; its first significant performance was at the Miss Conway High Pageant.

Richardson graduated Conway High School in Conway, South Carolina and earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Coastal Carolina College in 1980. At the time, the institution was affiliated with the University of South Carolina.

In 1977, Richardson met C. J. Snare at Mr. Gatti’s Pizza in Myrtle Beach, where Snare was performing during a summer visit from Pennsylvania. Snare later returned to the area with the band Prophet and was looking for a bass player. Richardson heard about the vacancy through local musicians and joined the group. After approximately six months, the group adopted a heavier style, and Richardson suggested the name Maxx Warrior, after the film Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. The band toured for approximately five years and released an EP before disbanding because the members found it increasingly difficult to make a living from the band. Maxx Warrior opened for Stryper in Charlotte in 1985.

After Maxx Warrior disbanded, Richardson joined the Southern rock band Nantucket. While he was performing with Nantucket, he was approached by Bill Leverty and Michael Foster of the Virginia-based band White Heat, who wanted to form a new group with Richardson and C. J. Snare. Richardson completed his commitment to Nantucket before joining Leverty, Foster and Snare, who were developing original material in Charlotte. The group signed with Epic Records in 1989 and adopted the name FireHouse. While with the band, they sold over 7 million albums worldwide and won an American Music Award in 1992 for Favorite New Artist—Heavy Metal/Hard Rock. He was inducted into the South Carolina Entertainment & Music Hall of Fame in 1995.

After leaving FireHouse, Richardson moved to Nashville in early 2001. He initially worked for country music performer Craig Morgan as a monitor engineer, then began performing background vocals and playing bass after Morgan’s bassist left. Richardson remained with Morgan for several years before joining Trace Adkins touring band for approximately two years before returning to Morgan’s band. He remained with Morgan until joining Stryper.

On October 30, 2017, Christian metal band Stryper announced that Richardson had joined the band as its bassist to replace Tim Gaines. Richardson was recommended to Stryper co-manager Dave Rose by promoter Marty Burns. After learning four songs and auditioning with the group, he was selected for his bass playing and vocal ability.

Discography

with Maxx Warrior

• Maxx Warrior (1985)

with FireHouse

• FireHouse (1990)
• Hold Your Fire (1992)
• 3 (1995)
• Good Acoustics (1996)
• Category 5 (1998)
• Best of Firehouse (1998)
• Super Hits (2000)
• Bring 'Em Out Live (1999)

with Stryper

• God Damn Evil (2018)
• Even the Devil Believes (2020)
• The Final Battle (2022)
• To Hell With The Amps (Acoustic) (2024)
• When We Were Kings (2024)

External links

• Media related to Perry Richardson at Wikimedia Commons