Janice Kapp Perry, born in 1938 in Ogden, Utah, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a notable Latter-day Saint songwriter whose contributions have resulted in approximately 50 albums, as well as, several songs in the LDS Church Hymnal and Children’s Songbook, and 70 Favorite Children’s Songs.
She currently lives in Provo, Utah with her husband Doug, and is the mother of five children and over a dozen grandchildren. While raising her children, she also found the time to receive a degree from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1960.
In the late 1970s while recuperating from a broken ankle which she got from playing basketball, her Bishop asked her to write original music for the ward roadshow. Little did she realize, but that assignment helped launch what would become a highly successful music career.
Perry and her husband served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile from 2002 to 2004. They later served as missionaries in Provo, Utah being assigned to a Spanish-speaking ward.
In 2007, she wrote children’s songs about each of the 15 presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ. In early 2008, following the passing of one of her nieces, she set President Gordon B. Hinckley’s poem titled “What Is This Thing Man Calls Death” to music. The song was sung by the world-renown Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the funeral services of President Hinckley.
Perry is the composer of the hymn “As Sisters in Zion” found in the LDS Church Hymnbook, and she also has ten songs published in the Primary songbook. She has produced more than 50 albums of original music, numerous sacred cantatas, several full-length musicals, and her music is known world-wide throughout the Church. Her inspiring music has been performed by artists such as Gladys Knight, Brooks & Dunn, and the Osmonds Second Generation who recorded the song “Heal Our Land” 14 years ago in response to the terror attacks against the United States on 11 September 2001. The song “Heal Our Land” is one of the many songs that Perry collaborated with Senator Orin Hatch in writing. Together they have co-written 6 albums of songs.
After singing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 51/2 years, Perry retired. In 1994, she received the Ricks College Exemplary Woman Award, and in 1997 she received the BYU Alumni Distinguished Service Award. She is the older sister of well-known painter Gary Kapp. She and her husband Douglas enjoy traveling around the nation presenting Firesides.
At the beginning of October 2015, Perry will release 28 new songs. The lyrics for the new songs, written by Bonnie Hart Murray, with a focus on the Book of Mormon, will be included in Perry’s new hymnbook titled “A Songbook for LDS Families.” In addition to the 28 new songs, her new hymnbook will include 15 of her most popular songs. Among those songs is the timeless favorite “A Child’s Prayer.” With the help of the One Voice Children’s Choir in Utah, Perry created a music video of the classic song. The video features clips from the recently released movie “The Cokeville Miracle.”
