Barry Kay
Athens, Alabama, United States
Music
Press
"There's something about musician Barry Kay's easy manner and way of engaging his audience that attracts loyal fans and causes them to follow him from gig to gig.
Gerry and Marilyn Ford, two of those fans, first heard Kay at Green Door Books in Athens. The Fords along with other local fans who missed him when the Green Door closed were delighted when he started playing occasionally on Saturday nights at Sassy's, a local restaurant/art gallery.
One recent night, he played there to a packed house of friends and regulars who gathered to usher in the New Year. Barry happily took requests from the audience, encouraging them to join him and teasing them with trivia questions about the particular artist they'd requested.
'I like the way he picks guitar,' said Ford. 'He doesn't just strum like so many singer/songwriters. And I relate to his songs. I would call them life songs ... '
Barry Kay is clearly comfortable in his own skin. Whether he is crooning James Taylor songs or directing his praise band at church, he creates an intimacy with his audience that brings them into the performance."
-from an article by Carol Malone - Athens News-Courier
"Barry Kay of Athens, an extremely talented vocalist and guitarist, specializes in popular tunes of the 1970's - plus country and gospel music with a pop flavor." - East Lauderdale News
"After attending Barry's song-writing class, I went home and began working on a song - I'm almost finished. Barry, you're the most inspiring song guy I know! Thanks for the class!"
Daniel, 5th grader from Nature's Classroom song-writing class - Nature's Classroom promotional brochure
"In my thirty-five years of directing plays," adds Dr. Al Elmore of the Athens State University drama department, "Barry Kay is the best male lead in a musical I have ever had the pleasure of directing. It's extremely rare to find an actor who can either act or sing as well as Barry, much less do both. I have never seen so mesmerizing a performance, not even on Broadway." - Decatur Daily
Over 400 of the South's best bluegrass and country instrumental performers competed at Athens State University this weekend as part of the annual Old Time Fiddlers' Convention. ... the winners of the guitar finger-picking division:
... 2nd place, Barry Kay - Athens-Limestone Courier
Discography
Christmas Songs - 1989
The Barry K Collection - 1990
Eternity Beyond the Song - 1995
Invitations [solo acoustic guitar pieces] - 2000
Photos
Bio
Barry grew up learning the music of singer-songwriters like James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, Paul Simon, etc. By the 8th grade he was writing and singing love songs for girls, impressing a few of them with his creative melodies and lyrics. After high school, Barry earned a Bachelors degree in Classical Guitar from Birmingham-Southern College. He joined a Christian gospel/rock band called "WindBorne" that toured the north Alabama area through the 1980's; and once at a college concert, he backed up the legendary sax master Boots Randolph.
In the '90s, Barry met and married Sharon, a nurse from Oklahoma. They now have an 11-year-old son named Tully Isaac (which means "peaceful laughter" ... in Irish and Hebrew respectively). The 3 now live in Athens, Alabama. But about thrice a year, Barry visits the New York City area, where he has a decent following (a few dozen fans) who come to hear from Queens Village, Staten Island, and the Lower East Side.
In addition to playing for private parties, weddings, churches, coffee houses, clubs, etc., Barry teaches private guitar and piano lessons and arranges music for 2 praise bands. In May 2009 he played the lead in "Fiddler on the Roof" at Athens State University. He has released 4 independent original CDs, and his site is barrykaymusic.com.
Band Members
Links
