From Nightclubs to St. Odilia, it's all music

SHOREVIEW — Dan Perry’s ability to balance his secular and spiritual musical careers goes back a long way.

The Lino Lakes resident is still balancing his many musical interest as musical director of St. Odilia Parish in Shoreview, where he oversees the adult choir, handbell choir and various small ensembles — three of which he plays in himself.

“I’m essentially self-taught in music,” he noted. “I’ve worked with and learned from many fine musicians along the way.”

Growing up in St. Paul’s Como area, he learned the piano, trombone and guitar (now his primary instrument), and throughout the 1960s and ‘70s he performed as a member of different secular bands. “Here’s the thing: I found an excuse to create (the) band so that, principally, I could play with (Perry) and a few other musicians I really admire,” Sokolowski said.

Perry called his leadership style “laid-back” but said he puts a lot of time and effort into his music, especially when it comes to rehearsing for church events.

“The biggest challenge at St. Odilia is keeping things fresh and inspiring for the musicians and congregation,” he said. “I'm always searching for new music and new ways to bring life to the community. To me, if you have really good music, you’re going to have happy musicians and a good music program.”

He said the rigors of creating uplifting music generally cause him to put his secular musical career on hold, though the Ice Cream Band and the Backyard Band have just started performing outside of church functions and plan to pursue additional community concerts and special-occasion gigs.

The two bands offer different music. While the larger group, The Ice Cream Band (sometimes billed as Dan Perry and Friends) plays a wide assortment of songs ranging from pop and jazz to country, the Backyard Band focuses more on rock tunes. Perry also occasionally performs with White Bear resident John Evans.

Perry’s bandmates say he has a firm understanding of both written and improvised music, enough to get things right the first time.

“He’s just got the ability to adapt style and transcend different musical styles based on who he’s playing with,” said bassist Jim Allen.

Perry says he just surrounds himself with the right people. And he has no regrets about not pursuing more fame in the secular music world.

“I've learned people are the same in church or in a bar or wherever you go,” he said. “Music is a great way to connect with people and share who you are. The fame and fortune aspect? Highly overrated.”

In his spare time, he said, he enjoys family activities, dinner and parties. He’s also working on self-publishing some songs he’s written for the church over the years.

“I don't fish or golf as much as I used to, but that's OK,” he said.

For more information about Slice of Shoreview events, visit www.sliceofshoreview.com and presspubs.com. For more information about booking one of Perry’s bands, e-mail him at dan.perry@stodilia.org.Midway through high school, in 1967, he began to play at St. Odilia.

Nightclub and bar gigs were his main source of revenue going into the 1980s, but he continued to perform on Sunday mornings.

“I’d play in the bar Saturday night and I’d be singing in church Sunday morning,” laughed Perry, 58. “To me, I was all music … It wasn’t what you might think is stereotypically the bar scene. It was just normal, average people out having fun, and we’d play music.”

In 1982, he took over a vacant position as the church’s musical director. About 150 people participate in St. Odilia’s musical groups; two of them, the Ice Cream Band and the Backyard Band, will perform at Slice of Shoreview on Sunday.

He said the reasons for his longevity at St. Odilia are simple: people and music.

“It’s lots of music, which is kind of the way I like it,” said Perry, a Lino Lakes resident who has a wife, Pam, and adult children Danielle and Aaron. “We have lots of really talented people who have come here over the years and have stayed.”

An example is Colin Sokolowski, a public relations director for Mounds View Schools who plays drums in the Backyard Band, a rock and roll group formed by St. Odilia members 12 years ago.

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