Growing up in a series of small towns in Kansas, all I can really remember is wanting to get away. After seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, I knew that was what I wanted to do. I was only five, but my course had been set. My older brothers taught themselves how to play guitar so I followed suit. We played music together virtually every day from the time I was 10 or 11 until well after I graduated high school.
In the late '70's I was starting to write my own music and formed the only punk rock band in Hays, Kansas. The response was underwhelming.
By the early '80's, on the advice of a musician friend who'd been to the big city, I decided to take the plunge. My wife, son and I left everything behind and moved to Kansas City to get in on the burgeoning music scene. Local bands were getting record contracts and being played on MTV! Anything seemed possible. We had no jobs, no place to live; just a dream. It seems kind of reckless now, but it made perfect sense at the time. I formed a band called The Now. We had some great times. We opened for bands like Kansas, Foghat and Badfinger. We even put out a couple of CDs. The public did not cry out for more.
By the early '90's I faced reality and got a real job and settled down to raise a family. I have never had one minute of regret for that decision. My family is the most important thing in the world to me and I wouldn't change a single thing that has gotten me to this place in my life.
Although I didn't play music in front of people for 14 years, I always considered myself a musician. I still listened to and played music for my own enjoyment. A couple of years ago, after my kids had grown up and I had more free time on my hands, I decided to get back into the local music scene.
I now play guitar in a band called Supercell. We play a mix of classic and modern rock from AC/DC, Alice In Chains, Black Crowes, Ozzy and Metallica to Buckcherry, Rev Theory, Seether, Shinedown, Sixx: A.M. and Theory of a Deadman. I play guitar and sing, Ben plays bass and sings and Matt plays drums and sings. Together we make a lot of noise and have a lot of fun. Come check out Supercell sometime. You'll find us listed on my Friend Space below and our set list in my blog above.
I also recently began writing and recording again. You can check out my original music by clicking on "Bart Ward" below.
I always knew I'd play music and that someday I'd be famous. Turns out I was half right. But hey, that ain't half bad!
