put them to music. “This city has had such a major impact on my life,” she added. Her journey to the Crescent City was guided by some kind friends who offered her a place to stay upon making the decision to pursue her passion and her dreams of being a singer in New Orleans. She took a leap of faith and packed her bags, saying goodbye to D.C. Then after Katrina back when the New Orleans Musicians’ Village was just getting started, Perez was fortunate enough to be accepted for housing and the process of helping build her own home really rooted her to the city, she explained. “I felt so grateful for that opportunity,” Perez said. Being a member of the close community of musicians is a large motivator to work harder as a musical artist, according to Perez, who does all of her own promotions and public relations. Over the years she has been here, Perez has created deep roots in New Orleans and formed strong relationships with several other musicians and creative types. Collaborating with others has given Perez the freedom to pursue multiple musical genres. Sitting in with many bands playing different styles of music has led to steady work on Frenchmen Street and in clubs all over the city, as well as abroad to places as far away as India. She has performed at JazzFest, French Quarter Festival, Bayou Boogaloo, Freret Fest and numerous other special events and concerts. CDs recorded by Perez have received glowing reviews in the local media. She has sung onstage and in the studio with such luminaries as Allen Toussaint, Marva Wright, James Andrews, Charmaine Neville, and others. Her signature song, “Ooh Baby La La,” winner of a first place award in the Pop category of the Songwriter’s Association of Washington’s 14th Annual Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, never fails to bring audiences to their feet. Adding to her impressive list of accomplishments, she has been featured in a number of local commercials and starred in the television pilot for “Dixie Melodie.” One of her crowning achievements came in August 2008 when she represented New Orleans in a prime time speech on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver; the same convention that nominated Barack Obama. Currently, the talented chanteuse with the broad smile and a stage presence described as “sultry and exciting” performs in a Latin band called Muevelo, a straight-up jazz band, a funk collective and an all-female ensemble (The Honeypots). She also has created a series of tribute shows, most recently honoring the women vocalists of Motown with her “Margie Does Motown” production at Chickie Wah Wah. The tribute show was a huge success, with a packed dance floor and an appreciative audience singing along with Perez and her band. Backing her up were some of the top players in town and two of the city’s finest singers. Starting out singing backup with several bands in her hometown gave Perez the experience of learning from other musicians and writing her own parts. With many hours logged on the microphone, Perez had the confidence to join a second band and her repertoire expanded, as did her style and taste for music. “I grew up in the 1970s listening to just about everything,” Perez recounted. From Motown hits to classic rock, from ‘80s pop songs to swinging jazz and from hard-rocking blues to hip-shaking funk, the versatile music lover has an appreciation for all good music, regardless of the genre. Recently, Perez traveled to a nearby casino to hear one of her favorite pop bands from her youth and was thrilled to see how joyful the lead singer still was and how enthusiastically the audience responded. “It was so good to see the love and appreciation still out there,” Perez said, citing the experience as an example of how she wants to live her life as a musician. “I want to do nothing but play music for the rest of my life and to continue to have that kind of joy. Well, I hope it happens for me,” she added. T h e r e ’ s another source of joy for Perez, who spends her days working as the Recycling Coordinator with Arc of Greater New Orleans in its Mardi Gras Recycling Center. By keeping tons of Carnival beads out of landfills and by employing people who might not otherwise find employment, Perez is able to do something environmentally beneficial for the planet and the community. The repackaged beads and other trinkets are sold to parading Carnival krewe members, thus raising money for the organization. “I absolutely love the work we do,” said the self-styled “Bead Queen of New Orleans.” Perez added that the work she coordinates at Arc is “absolutely necessary” and she hopes to see the program expand so they may hire more workers and keep more non-biodegradable plastic from going into landfills. Balancing a fulltime job and a full schedule as a musician doesn’t leave a lot of time for a social life. Perez laughed about her dating challenges and said, “It has made for some excellent writing material.” The single lady has taken many of her tales and turned them into music, several of which will be included on an upcoming new release to be titled, “Love is All.” With the help of many collaborators, including renowned singer/songwriter Paul Sanchez, Perez has created a collection of funny, funky original tunes that she hopes will make people smile and want to sing along. In the meantime, she continues to lead a full, joyous life of music and meaningful work, playing gigs around the city with her own bands and with other talented performers. Perez keeps her social media pages up to date with information on her upcoming performances, collaborations and other gigs. She is also available for hire and for information on how to donate beads to Arc. You can find her online at https://www. facebook.com/margieperezsings �� PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KATJA LIEBING/BLUE MOON S E P T E M B E R / O C TOB E R 2 0 1 6 breakthrumediamagazine.com | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | 7
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