’80s Rock Star Named One of the Best Singers of All Time, Went Radio Silent for Almost 20 Years After Leaving Journey
When he left music at the height of his popularity, the “Don’t Stop Believin” singer and former golden-voiced leader of Journey shocked both fans and critics.
Rolling Stone rated Steve Perry one of the best singers of all time decades later. His arduous journey through grief, sorrow, and recovery has now at last become clear.
From Vanishing Act to Arena Icon
His influence never diminished, despite the years he spent out of the public eye. Born on January 22, 1949, and peaked at No. 70, Perry rose to fame in the rock industry with his soaring vocals on classic hits like “Oh Sherrie,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and “Open Arms.”
Generations of rock performers, such as Rob Thomas, Chad Kroeger, and Chris Daughtry, were affected by his deep voice.
Former bandmate and “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson hailed Perry as one of rock’s most unique voices.
“There’s no rock singer that even came close to Steve Perry, aside from Robert Plant,” Jackson remarked. He developed his unique style in terms of tone, force, and range. He combined elements of Zeppelin, Everly Brothers, and Motown.
The Voice That Made All the Difference
When Perry heard Sam Cooke’s “Cupid” on his mother’s car radio when he was ten years old, he became passionate about singing. He joined Journey at the age of 28 after graduating from college, and his operatic voice and emotionally driven delivery soon contributed to changing the sound of the band.
Journey, a jazz-rock group that was then only moderately successful, hired Perry in 1977. Perry and guitarist Neal Schon worked together to turn Journey’s sound into rock fit for a stadium.
Eight multiplatinum albums and countless tours were the result of their collaboration before Perry left in 1987, exhausted by the rigours of the business.
A Ghost in the Music Industry
Following a brief solo career in 1994 and a reunion album, “Trial by Fire,” in 1996, Perry once more disappeared from the public eye, going on a two-decade hiatus. Thinking back on that time, he told the BBC:
“I felt like a sponge being wrung out. I simply didn’t have the same passion for music, and I was terrified. However, I had a gut feeling that if I continued in my current direction, a hole would become larger and larger in my spirit.
He withdrew to his hometown in the San Joaquin Valley of California, where he found comfort in solitary visits to his grandparents’ graves and motorbike rides.
“We’d worked so hard and we were fortunate to have such great success,” Perry added in a 2018 radio interview. However, that achievement came with a strict schedule […]. After I struck the wall, I began to lose interest in singing.
A Promise That Revolutionised Everything, Love, and Loss
He also stated in a 2025 AXS TV interview that he used harmful diversion to try to deal, which made matters worse. His general health deteriorated, and his voice started to worsen.
He eventually came to the conclusion that he had to distance himself entirely in order to rescue himself. Not only did he withdraw from the spotlight, but he also spent a considerable amount of time introspecting, which ultimately led to his surprising second act and the lady who transformed his life.
While away from music, Perry fell in love with Kellie Nash, a breast cancer sufferer and PhD candidate in psychology, whom he met while working as a shadow for director Patty Jenkins on a movie set.
Perry remembered being instantly moved when she saw Nash on film, saying, “Her smile killed me.” Despite the fact that I had never met her before, I felt as though I knew her somehow.
Despite her grave sickness, the two became close. “She made me the luckiest man in the world,” Perry remarked.
She had Nash swear not to run away from life before she passed away on December 14, 2012. “I made a commitment to Kellie and then a commitment to myself to complete it,” he said.
A Comeback Driven by Grace and Grief
Because of their relationship, Perry decided to make a comeback to music after a 20-year break with his 2018 album “Traces.”
“It was a dream come true to be in Journey and to be in front of all these fans that loved our music […] so to walk away, I had to turn my heart down,” he said on “Good Morning America” in 2018, adding that meeting Nash made him rediscover his purpose after experiencing love and grief.
The ensuing years were not without their difficulties. Perry also experienced a health scare in 2013 after it was claimed that he had battled melanoma.
“I’ve had two surgeries in two weeks to remove all the cancer cells and I’ve been told they think they got it all and no other treatments are required [sic],” he wrote in a post that has since been removed.
He continues to pay tribute to the woman who rekindled his soul and the song that made him immortal through “Traces” and every note that has followed.
Perry’s voice is still a monument to tenacity and the therapeutic value of love, even as his songs continue to reverberate throughout generations.
