Sidney Barnes has been a part of the music business since the early 60's. In England, and other parts of Europe, his 60's Soul recordings are collectors items, and they consider him an icon and an American Soul Music legend.
After singing in several doo wop groups in Washington DC Junior high schools, including a group called The Embracers that included a young Marvin Gaye, Van McCoy (The Hustle) and Herb Feemster (of Peaches & Herb fame), Sidney and his family moved to New Jersey where he began to mingle in the New York music scene. Soon Sidney and his New Jersey group The Serenaders signed with Berry Gordy's Motown Records and their newly opened New York office. While with Motown, Sidney and his group recorded one single which Berry Gordy himself produced. Sidney, and his partner George Kerr, began working for the Motown label as song writers, recording artists and talent scouts. One of the first people that Sidney and George Kerr brought to Motown was a Young George Clinton and his group Parliament. Soon, Sidney and George Clinton teamed up with Motown sax player Mike Terry to form Geo-Si-Mike Productions in Detroit, and began cutting some pure classics for The Detroit based Golden World record label. These include early Parliament/Funkadelic records.
Sidney went on to work in the recording studio, and live in concert, with some of the greatest acts in the music business, including Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Stevie Wonder, Led Zepplin, and more. In the late 60's Sidney helped to form a Soul/Rock band called Rotary Connection. Signed to Chicago's Legendary Chess Records the band which also featured the late great Minnie Riperton recorded 5 classic albums created a cult following world wide and disbanded in 1971. Sidney continued to work with Minnie Riperton until her untimely death in 1979.
Sidney's songs have been recorded and sampled by many artists including, The Jackson 5, Mary J. Blyth featuring 50 cent, The Beasty Boys, EPMD, The Supremes, Minnie Riperton, Parliament/Funkadelic and many others.
Sidney now lives with his wife Clella-Ann in Las Vegas. He continues to write, perform, record, produce and help develop and encourage new acts, and is releasing several new projects on his new BarVada Entertainment International record label. Sidney currently appears either as a singer, song writer, producer or musician on over 100 CD Compilations now on the world market. Sidney is currently involved with his old buddy Funk Over Lord George Clinton on two new studio projects,one called "The Big Ole Nasty Get Down" which also involves other great musicians & singers from several other great bands. The other is a Clinton produced project called "Radio Friendly" with a host of great artist involved like Sly Stone, Santana, various members of P Funk & other Soul, Funk, Rock & Hip Hop legends. Sidney has also just released a new Jazz CD called Sidney Barnes presents Nate "King" Cool..Setting The Mood and is preparing to bring his new Jazz act to Las Vegas.. Sidney has also released a new R & B CD filled with some good old
school classic grooves...
