Kevin Perry — Houston’s ultimate gear guru — has been keeping musicians dialed in since ’75.

It all started back in ’73, when Kevin kicked off his journey with a killer apprenticeship under Chip Todd at a gritty Chimney Rock guitar shop. There, he perfected axes for Brook Mays and linked up with ZZ Top’s legendary Billy Gibbons, becoming his go-to tech. When Todd’s shop leveled up to Parker Music downtown, Kevin stayed in the mix, working with icons like Jimmy Page, Glen Campbell, and Johnny Lee. Perfect setups for global legends and local players alike — Kevin made every string sing.

In ’75, it was time to go big. Kevin launched Kevin Perry’s Guitar Repair Shop from a humble Bellaire rental house. Demand exploded, so he upgraded to a legit shop on Mapleridge Dr., quickly earning his rep as Houston’s "Guitar Doctor." Stores like The Musicians Shop and shredders from across the city couldn’t get enough.

By ’78, Kevin — now married to Cecelia and dad to son Justin — took things up a notch, moving to Westbury Square. Touring bands and local players relied on him to keep their gear stage-ready, including ZZ Top’s Gibbons and Dusty Hill.
That same year, Great Southern Music was born on Westheimer and Dairy Ashford — offering guitars, amps, and everything in between. Kevin even crafted a custom Telecaster for rising country star Clint Black, known as the iconic Great Southern Guitar.

The legacy kept growing — from FM 529 to Highway 6, then 290 and Barker Cypress — always evolving, always serving the players who keep Houston’s scene alive.

Now in its sleek new space, Great Southern Music continues to do what it’s done best for 50 years: deliver expert guitar care with swagger, soul, and Houston grit. Kevin’s still at the helm, and every player who walks through the door knows — this is the place.