Neil Perry Claims Sister Kimberly Pushed Him Out of The Band Perry

Country music artist Neil Perry publicly claimed that his sister Kimberly Perry fired him from The Band Perry in June 2024, contradicting previous media accounts given by the band’s frontwoman. According to reporting from Whiskey Riff and Stereogum, Neil shared his account on social media, stating that Kimberly pushed him out of the group to make room for her husband, Johnny Castello.

The Band Perry’s Rise and Career Timeline

Formed as a sibling trio featuring Kimberly, Reid, and Neil Perry, the group achieved mainstream success in the early 2010s. According to Whiskey Riff, their self-titled 2010 debut album generated five Top 20 singles, including the number-one hits “You Lie” and the RIAA-certified Diamond single “If I Die Young.” They followed that success with their 2012 sophomore album, Pioneer, which featured the chart-topping tracks “Better Dig Two” and “DONE,” alongside Top 10 hits “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely” and “Chainsaw.”

Following their initial chart run, the group shifted toward pop and electronic dance music before entering a hiatus. During that break, Kimberly launched a solo career in 2023, releasing a solo album that featured a reimagining of their signature song titled “If I Die Young, Pt. 2,” as reported by Whiskey Riff.

Contrasting Accounts of the 2024 Lineup Change

The Band Perry returned under the Big Machine Label Group banner with a revised lineup consisting of Kimberly and her husband, Johnny Castello, who replaced Neil as a backing vocalist. Meanwhile, Reid Perry departed to pursue artist management, according to Whiskey Riff.

During promotional interviews with outlets like Rolling Stone and Bobby Bones over the past year, Kimberly maintained that both of her brothers supported the new iteration of the band. Kimberly told Rolling Stone, as cited by Whiskey Riff: Yeah, absolutely. I think they are very interested in The Band Perry getting landed as well. We are so proud of the past that we shared, and I think it’s just been about where does it go in the future. She added that there was always an open seat for a brother if they ever want to tour.

Neil’s social media post sharply contested that narrative. According to Whiskey Riff, Neil stated that Kimberly initiated Castello replacing Reid in June 2024, and that he made his opposition clear. Because of that pushback, Neil alleged that his sister fired him from the group just a day after his birthday.

Current Projects and Future Activities

Since signing with Big Machine Label Group, the newly configured duo has released several tracks, including “PSYCHOLOGICAL,” “Buzzards,” “Kill It,” and a duet of “You Lie” featuring Kaitlin Butts, as noted by Whiskey Riff. The pair also performed on the secondary stage at Nissan Stadium during the 2026 CMA Fest. Meanwhile, Neil has launched a new project titled WOLVESofJUNE, according to Stereogum.