Album Notes

The Early Years

Born the middle son of Southern Baptist Minister, the music of Barrett Baber began almost immediately. As a young child his mother often found him sitting alone listening to records on his parent’s old record player. Barrett spent the formative years of his life in a small college town in South Arkansas where his father ministered at a small church while teaching New Testament at the local Baptist college. As with many artists in the South a “never miss” approach to church attendance created an environment in which music was ever present. “Both my parents were musically inclined and being the preacher’s kid I was involved in everything…and that included church music.” While performance was something Barrett practiced in church on a tri-weekly basis, it wasn’t until his teenage years that he progressed from performance to composition or original material.

The Writing Begins

One afternoon while hanging out in his older brother’s dorm room at Ouachita Baptist University, Barrett picked up his brother's guitar. After a quick tutorial Baber took to the instrument naturally and almost immediately began writing. “I always felt like I had the ability to write songs, but it wasn’t until after I learned how to play the guitar that I was really able to get down to writing my own material both musically and lyrically. After I taught myself to play the guitar I was totally self reliant. I could sit in my dorm room and write without really needing someone there to bang out a chord progression on the guitar or piano,” he adds. Only one year after learning how to play the guitar, Baber released his first project “Songs of the Broken Hearted”. “It was a fun little project…I still get the occasional SOTBH request but I feel like for my first effort, its not to shabby. It's by no means my best work, but it was fun to do.”

Off to Nash Vegas

Not long after the release of Songs of the Broken Hearted Barrett packed his car and moved East to the country music capital of the world, Nashville, Tennessee. “I got hooked up with an Arkansas-born and really talented writer Danny Tate.” Baber remembers. “I pretty much spent the next eight months figuring out that I was a minnow in an ocean full of sharks. It was both humbling and incredibly valuable; I learned so much from that experience…I wouldn’t trade that year in Nashville for anything.” After several months in Nashville Baber auditioned for season two of the hit TV show American Idol, making further than any other Arkansan ever had. “American Idol was also a good experience for me…it allowed me to see where I stacked up against some of the most talented people in the nation,” says Baber.


Back to a Natural State of Mind

Shortly after his American Idol bid Barrett left Nashville and headed back to the Natural State. “It was during this time that I really started writing hard and heavy,” says Baber. Living with a friend in his home town of Marion, Arkansas, Barrett spent his days working various day jobs and his nights performing in nearby Memphis, Tennessee. In early 2003 he finished writing material for his next project and recording began on his sophomore release. "Fratbar Superstar" was released in May of 2004 and was an instant underground hit amongst the college crowd in Arkansas. Barrett spent the next two years playing endless shows in college towns across the mid-south.

To infinity and beyond

For the past few years Barrett could be heard playing covers and originals in hazy bar rooms and fraternity houses across Arkansas. “Honestly, there were times over the past couple of years that gigin felt like a job,” says Baber. “I realized that it’s only when I’m actively writing new songs that I feel relevant…even if I’m not…at least when I’m writing I feel like I’m moving in some direction.” With a catalog of new songs, Barrett started recording his latest project “Guys Like Me” in the fall of 2008. Harping back to the early days, the record is completely acoustic and focuses on the powerful vocals that have come to define the “sound” of Barrett Baber. “I really am proud of ‘Guys Like Me’. Instead of forcing out radio friendly songs, I just let myself write what felt good…it was refreshing and my hope is that my fans will be able to feel that when they listen to it,” says Baber. In support of his new record Barrett plans on doing what he does best…performing live. “I understand that for a guy like me, just getting out there and playing for the people is what will get the new record in their hands. I feel like once that happens, the project will speak for itself as just good art.”
Good art is something fans of Barrett Baber have grown to expect and that he is set on continuing to deliver. “I’m gonna keep on rocking…keep on writing…and see what happens…be it fortune or famine…producing art in the form of song is something I plan on doing for a long time.”