The Grand Marais Summer Concert Series will be hosting Andy Perrin and The ShowBuds on Aug. 1 at the Woodland Park pavilion.

What can you expect from them? “They’re going to get that classic country sound,” Perrin said.

Perrin grew up in Grayling and recently retired from the Air Force after 25 years.

“I decided to start my music career,” Perrin said. “But I’ve been singing my whole life.”

Perrin grew up in an artistic household.

“My mother played the piano and had a scholarship to Interlochen for vocals,” Perrin said, “and my dad was a painter.”

Singing has always been a part of Perrin’s life. When he was young, he would put on cassette tapes before bed and try to memorize music, singing parts and rewinding the tape to sing them again until he learned them.

“Honestly, I probably never went a week in my life without singing,” Perrin said. “It’s always been a passion for me.”

Perrin’s music is a blend of his mother’s voice and the music his dad listened to all the time.

“I love George Jones, and I listen to him a lot. He was my dad’s favorite as well,” Perrin said. “I also love Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty, Charlie Pride — all of those traditional country music singers.”

But Perrin doesn’t shy away from more recent country music, and he said the band will play almost anything up to the 1990s.

“I just love to sing,” Perrin said. Andy Perrin and The Show-Buds will play on Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. For that show, you can expect to hear traditional country songs as well as Perrin’s own music, which has that same feel to it.

This will be Perrin’s first time playing the Upper Peninsula.

“I’m excited to come up and play,” Perrin said. “I’m very fortunate to be retired and to be able to do something I love. It’s a dream for me.”

For more information, visit andyperrinmusic.com.