Neil Perry Accuses Sister Kimberly of Kicking Him Out of The Band Perry for Husband Johnny Costello

In an explosive statement on Instagram, former The Band Perry member Neil Perry has accused his sister and bandmate Kimberly of ousting him from the group in favor of her husband, Johnny Costello. The Grammy-winning country trio, which includes Neil on mandolin, Reid on bass, and Kimberly on vocals, had announced a hiatus in 2023 to focus on individual projects.

However, tensions erupted when Kimberly floated the idea of a reunion, leading to a bitter fallout within the family band. Neil claimed that he was not on speaking terms with his siblings for an entire year following the hiatus. In a lengthy post, he detailed how Kimberly presented him with three options to move forward as a group when Reid "confirmed he was not interested" in joining the band.

The options included continuing as a duo, holding auditions, or having Johnny step in as a new member. Neil stated that he was fine with the first two options but soon understood that Kimberly wanted to move forward with the third. When negotiations stalled, Reid reportedly rejoined the band through conversations Neil was not privy to. Neil was then given three days to decide whether he would continue, and when he asked for a conversation the following week, he was told he was out of time.

Feeling forced out, Neil said he was approached again a month later but still could not move forward. "At that point, I understood that continuing to tour was no longer realistically an option for me and I would soon be forced out by the 2/3 partnership agreement," he wrote. Neil went on to state that he never expected refusing to participate under those circumstances would mean losing his financial interest and access to the band's platforms, resources, and audience.

The Band Perry formed in Greeneville, Tenn., in 2005 and broke out with their 2010 self-titled debut album, which featured their biggest hit, "If I Die Young," which won the 2011 Grammy for best country duo/group performance. Reid announced his departure from the group in October 2025, citing a desire to become a talent manager and expressing support for Kimberly and the remaining band members.

Kimberly and Costello have since returned to music under The Band Perry name, releasing songs such as "Psychological" and "Kill It." In an interview with Rolling Stone, Kimberly claimed that her brothers supported her continuing the band without them. However, Neil pushed back on this version of events, stating that he made it clear that he was not okay with having Johnny become a member of the band at his expense.

The situation has left fans divided, with some expressing support for Neil and others siding with Kimberly and Costello. Only time will tell how this family drama unfolds and whether The Band Perry can recover from this latest setback.