Deb ‘Spoons’ Perry

WA farmer and legend Deb “Spoons” Perry has gained a legion of fans in Australia and around the world since appearing on hit TV series Australia’s Got Talent in 2008.

While her first public performance was as a soloist spoon player in 1990 with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, Deb shared her passion for playing cutlery with the rest of Australia when her novelty act made the final twelve in the show. She received worldwide exposure when she was asked to lend her thigh-tapping skills to a song by US super group The Black Keys and the resulting YouTube video won her almost a million fans.

Since then, Deb has produced a DVD, appeared at the Tamworth Country Music Festival where she was voted in the Top 10 from 600 buskers in The Australian Country Music Busking Championships, had her video clip appear on Ellen, been invited to the US by Jay Leno and appeared on Sunrise and The Circle. But these achievements were just the beginning.

In 2011 she helped launch Australia Day by performing at WA’s Government House and in 2012, she had a contract from Warner Music. She also began receiving many invitations to perform her unique act at corporate events around Australia. One of these was from the Oz Harvest/Qantas-sponsored CEO Cook Off in Sydney where Deb performed and taught 1000 people to play spoons and was the support act for the band Icehouse. She’s also entertained for the City of Sydney and Melbourne Fashion Week, to name just a couple.

In early 2014 Deb had her own show at the Fringe World Perth Festival with near capacity audiences at each show. The show was nominated for the Fringe Music Award and received excellent reviews.

Deb was first taught to play the spoons in 1972 by an elderly man in The Stone Crow Wine Bar in North Freemantle and over the next few decades entertained friends and family as well as wider audiences in festivals, concerts, telethons and jamming with bands. In 2002 Deb, who has cracked, flattened and broken more than two-dozen dessertspoons, was judged Champion Spoon Player at the Spoon and Harmonica World Titles.

Using her body as the drum kit, Deb “Spoons” Perry plays upbeat music of all genres with her stainless steel dessertspoons and silver spoons (as well as plastic spoons, wooden spoons and various spoons from around the world), entertaining audiences of all ages. This gyrating granny is truly one of a kind and a hugely popular draw card for any event.