Batavia native Joey Pero has teamed up with a finalist from âAmerican Idolâ on a holiday song dedicated to a friend from his drum corps days who recently died from brain cancer.
Pero, a Broadway actor and trumpet player, arranged a version of âO Holy Nightâ that features Lou Gazzara on vocals. The song is dedicated to Troy Schmidt of Erie, Pa., who Pero first met while performing in drum and bugle corps programs 20 years ago.
Schmidt, a software engineer by day, had a passion for playing baritone horn and performing with various drum and bugle corps.
Pero met Schmidt while performing with the Empire Statesmen Drum & Bugle Corps from Rochester.