Neil Perry Claims He Was ‘Terminated’ From The Band Perry, Opens Up About Family Fallout
“June 2024 took something from me. Something I had spent my entire life building,” he claims.
The Band Perry; Photo Provided
Neil Perry, a former and founding member of The Band Perry, is speaking out about his departure from the group and his account of what led to the band’s latest chapter.
In a new series of Instagram posts, Neil held nothing back, claiming that he was “terminated” from The Band Perry after his sister, Kimberly Perry, wanted her husband, Johnny Costello, to join the group, which originally featured Neil, Kimberly and their brother, Reid.
In his post, Neil took fans back to 2024, when he says tensions within the family and band had reached a breaking point. According to Neil, in May 2024, “none of us were consistently on speaking terms” and “Reid had stopped engaging in both personal and business matters.”
Neil recalled, “Kimberly came to me about bringing the band out of hiatus, and we initially agreed that moving forward with Reid was not something we were prepared to do. Kimberly reached out to him, and he confirmed he was not interested.”
At that point, Neil says he was “presented with three options: move forward as a duo, hold auditions or have her husband step in. I was fine with the first two, but soon understood Kimberly wanted to move forward with the third. We ultimately decided not to proceed.”
Neil said several weeks passed before he was approached again, this time with Reid having reportedly agreed to rejoin the band during conversations in which Neil says he was not involved.
“I was given three days to decide whether I would continue under those circumstances. At the end of that three-day window, I asked for a conversation the following week and was told I was out of time,” he explained. “I was approached again a month later, but I could not move forward under those circumstances. At that point, I understood that continuing to tour was no longer realistically an option for me and I would soon be forced out by the 2/3 partnership agreement. What I did not agree to was losing my financial interest and access to the resources and business I had spent my life helping build. Shortly after the band signed a label deal, my brother left the band. What remained is my sister and her husband.”
Reflecting on that period of his life, Neil, who now performs as a solo artist under the name WOLVESofJUNE, wrote, “June 2024 took something from me. Something I had spent my entire life building. A band. A business. A family. A name.”
He claims that his decision not to participate in the band under those circumstances ultimately resulted in him “losing my financial interest and access to the band’s platforms, resources, and audience I had spent my life helping build.”
As he watched The Band Perry continue with Kimberly and Johnny, Neil said, “Then I watched a story emerge that didn’t resemble the one I lived.”
Following the experience, Neil said he channeled his anger into music and his grief into the songs he plans to release through WOLVESofJUNE, turning a difficult chapter into the foundation for his next musical endeavor.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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