Steve determinedly proved the critics wrong and won over new audiences on his first album with the group, Infinity, which included a song that he had written called "Lights". He made his public debut on Octoin San Francisco, and was met with mixed emotions. 1981Perry replaced then-frontman Robert Fleischman in Journey, and brought a completely new pop sound to its music, despite protests from his new bandmates and fans of Journey's former progressive rock sound. Herbert informed the band of the lineup change that night. Steve was brought on tour and performed a song with Journey during a sound check in Long Beach. Herbert had heard a demo of an Alien Project song, "If You Need Me, Call Me", and knew Journey had to have the young singer. But at the urging of his mother, Steve answered a call from Walter "Herbie" Herbert, manager of the struggling San Francisco band Journey. Filled with grief, Steve returned to Lemoore and decided not to continue his singing career, instead following in his stepfather's trade of construction, once working on a turkey farm. He nearly gave up music when the bassist of that band, Richard Michaels, was killed in a tragic car accident. Steve Perry moved to Los Angeles and fronted the band Alien Project in his mid twenties. Steve's mother encouraged his musical growth during this time. He attended Visalia, California's College of the Sequoias for a short time after graduation, where he took first tenor in the choir there. He attended high school there, drumming in the marching band as well as in extracurricular bands. While in Lemoore, the young long-haired singer continued to pursue his interest in music. The family moved to Lemoore, California during Steve's teen years. On his twelfth birthday, Mary presented Steve with a gold eighth note necklace, which he still wears for good luck. His mother later remarried, and Steve remained extremely close to her. The Perry family was close-knit until Ray left when Steve was 7. He also counts Sam Cooke and Al Jolson among his early inspirations. Steve grew up interested in music, as his father was a vocalist. Quaresma and is of Portuguese heritage (Pico island, Azores). Steve Perry is the only child of Raymond F. Stephen Ray Perry (born January 22, 1949, in Hanford, California) is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey.