Exclusive pic: Jay Perez sings for the President

An in-depth interview with Jay Perez is on the way, but I wanted to post this exclusive photo of Jay as he sang the national anthem on September 16, 2009, in front of President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Nancy Pelosi, actor John Leguizamo and hundreds of political leaders in Washington, D.C. during the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s 32nd Annual Awards Gala.

The photo is not the best quality and I’m on the hunt for more but you can clearly see Jay representing on stage alongside the color guard.

I interviewed Jay yesterday and he said he hasn’t even been able to get photos of himself from that once-in-a-lifetime event. He was nervous, of course, but recalls many photographers flashing away as he sang.

When Jay recalled the moment immediately before he sang the national anthem in his signature, soulful style, he said the silence was intimidating.

“I could hear my heartbeat and I could hear myself breathing,” Jay said. “That’s how quiet it was.”

The President and First Lady were indeed present during Jay’s performance, which began with his cumbia con salsa, “Que Metida de Pata,” followed by the national anthem.

Jay said he saw the President and First Lady standing and smiling during his cumbia performance. While he didn’t meet the two, he met several celebrities and political heavyweights and said the night was unforgettable.

“This isn’t one of the highlights of my career; it’s the highlight of my career,” Jay said.

More is coming from my in-depth and personal interview with Jay, who talks about his excitement about getting married this Saturday to his fiance, Monica Hernandez, and about his upcoming trip to Las Vegas on Nov. 5 for the 10th Annual Latin Grammys, where he’s up for Best Tejano Album. This award is “the big one,” Jay said, and he talks about what a Grammy win would mean to him.

Stay tuned for more exclusive news and interviews right here on Tejano Beat!

PHOTO IS COURTESY OF THE CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS INSTITUTE