William Barnes profile picture

William Barnes

CompositionProduction GuitarsPedalSteelDobro4Highr

About Me

ALBUM FINALLY IN PRODUCTION, MORE DETAILS SOON TBA!! ---- William Barnes is a composer, producer, and performer who combines deep American roots sensibilities with 21st century influences into his own unique blend of modern, soulful pop-art music. Barnes has been working in the extremely fertile and funky Southeastern music scene (specializing in guitar) since the age of 13. Balancing school with a music career was nearly impossible for the young musician, and both endeavors suffered as a result. But despite this fact, William established himself as a powerful soloist, an in-demand working musician, and an aficionado of Southern "jukes", smoky pool halls, and shady characters by the time he reached high school. While performing as a sideman for many artists, he also gained popularity with his own group, Far South Movement in the early 1990's; (a project that he is currently reforming). A seasoned veteran of the Southern touring circuit by the age of 20, he had become disillusioned with performing and entertaining and withdrew from public performance to focus on musical study, practice, and composition. No longer constantly traveling, William spent the next several years building a recording studio, trying to get the great sounds in his head down on tape, and in general getting back to the long disciplined road of becoming an artist. In an effort to broaden his musical vocabulary and abilities, he went on to study music technology, composition, and jazz guitar/theory at several music schools including Boston's Berklee College of Music. After spending time on the east coast and absorbing the sounds of some of the region's most innovative artists, Barnes soon returned home with a fresh ear to help spread word of the vibrant music scene in Alabama, and to this end he formed the production and development company SouthWord Entertainment in 2003. The past few years have found William reemerging with a slew of new projects and a reawakened sense of artistic confidence and musical urgency, and he remains an in-demand fixture in regional bands, studios, and on the musical theater circuit. Barnes is currently freelancing full time, teaching, hanging out with his wife Alison, their cats Aretha & Gladys and dogs Blue & Clyde-Dog, and he is desperately trying to divert scarce creative energy, time, and funds to half a dozen or more ongoing musical projects.He is available for bookings as a teacher, producer, band-leader, or live and studio session artist (electric & acoustic guitars, dobro, pedal steel, mandolin, bass guitar, vocals, computer driven beats, samples, & effects). Look out for performances by the William Barnes Trio, Far South Movement, O.K., Strung In, DJ Speak, and appearances with John Mark Turner and the UAB Gospel Choir.------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------photos by Alison Barnes


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Which guitar are you?(pics)

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/7/2005
Band Website: wbarnesmusic.com currently offline
Band Members: Rotating members of the Alabama post-ghetto-swamp-jazz-hop-rock consortium, most of whom can be found at www.southword.net
Influences: light, motion, faith, sound, rythem, hope, vibrations, harmony, melody, bootsy, grace, space, silence, guitars, keyboards, drums, guitars, horns, singing(good)..more guitars, eric cartman, the force, creativity, innovation, inspiration, Jeffrey Lebowski, art, commerce, cullture, history, time, words(some), ideas(some), friends, family, people(some), The Blues, jazz, nature, nurture, guitars, funk, beats, poockets(musical), grooves, etc., in reference to, but not limited to, "hip-hop," "rock-n-roll," "be-bop," "r-n-b," "bluegrass," "folk," "roots," "dance," "soul," etc. Ocassionally excess. Passion in general. Probably, mainly music mostly, yeah, music. experience. absentmindedness. A.D.D. procrastination. prayer. luck. life. love. belief. confusion. The Soup. Seinfeld. MAD TV/magazine. Ogden Nash. Earl Nightengale, Ludwig von Mises. C.S. Lewis. Kenny Werner, Adam Sandler. Bill Murray. Paris Hilton. you know, the great thinkers. ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------- check this guy out: ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------- for parts 2&3 of the documentary, search for wayne krantz at youtube.com ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------
Sounds Like: At any time I may sound like, or at least hope and wish to sound like any combination of the following: Clapton, Steely Dan, Pavement, Grateful Dead, Stevie Wonder, Beck, Hendrix, Stereolab, Jimmy Smith, Tony Rice, Outkast, Amahd Jamal, Bob Dylan, Prince, Duane Allman, Miles Davis, The Band, Bill Laswell, Traffic, George Clinton, J.J. Cale, Willie Dixon, Skunk Baxter, Bob Marley, Bela Fleck, Gil Evans, Carlos Santana, Radiohead, Blues Old Stand, Meshell Ndegeocello, Wayne Krantz, Clifford Gilberto, Gram Parsons, Tom Dowd, Buddy Emmons, Neptunes, ARU, B.B. King, Albert Collins, Albert King, Gatemouth Brown, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Mark O'Connor, Denny Dias, Daniel Lanois, John Scofield, Meters/Wailers/MGs/JBs/Funk Brothers/MFSB/Swampers, P-Funk/Peacemakers/Flecktones/Weather Report, Wu-Tang Clan, Beatles/Stones, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Jobim, Larry Carlton, Motown, Jeff Buckley, Barry White, Kirk Franklin, McCoy Tyner, Ron Block, Sonic Youth, Derek & Dominoes, James Brown, Elliott Randall, Busta Rhymes, Jerry Douglas, Rakhim, Darol Anger, Electric Scratch Pickles, Pink Floyd, Johnny Sandlin, Bambatta, CSNY, Logic, Zeppelin, Shadow, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Buffett, George Benson, Chuck Leavell, Beasties, Alison Krauss, Mike Ladd, MMW, Lloyd Green, Sea Level, Soft Machine, James Taylor, Dr. DRE, Dr. Dre Berry, Elmore James, Mos Def, Johnny Shines, The Roots, The Doors, QuestLuv, Tribe Called Quest, Mark Kimbrell, Jabba the Hut's band? sometimes a frog. but definitely not like ashley simpson or nickelback. progressive snapping meets regressive kazoo. ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------William Barnes - Satisfaction 2-24-07

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What Musical Instrument Are You?


Saxophone
You're very suave and savvy. The guitar is "cool", but you're just plain cool, man. You can evoke some of the deepest emotions in people. You're also more versatile in that you come in several varieties to get a good range of sound. Your laid back attitude is very appealing to some, but appalling to others.
Take The Quiz Now! Quizzes by myYearbook.comCheck out this video: "Hold Out" UAB Fall ’04

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My Blog

My James Brown Memory

I had the honor of seeing the Godfather twice in the summer of 2003(? i think). The first show was in May and the MC announced that it was the Godfather's birhtday that night. Everybody was really sto...
Posted by William Barnes on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 09:42:00 PST

Live DVD Coming Soon

Live DVD being edited, look for release soon. Trying to finish DVD documentary by christmas.  The film will largley center around the january 19th 2006 performance at Bailey's Pub in Birmingham...
Posted by William Barnes on Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:01:00 PST

These tracks are old sketch demos/bootlegs-download & enjoy! Album Soon---Download Shows Here;

Download Live Shows Here:  http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=creator:%22William%2 0Barnes%20[bands]%22Nothings Changed:  this track was written back in 2001. it will be on the record I ...
Posted by William Barnes on Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:32:00 PST

Preach! inspirational quotes:

No one's striving to be Miles Davis.      Everybody's striving to get paid.         & nbsp;  And, you know, I want to be like ...
Posted by William Barnes on Mon, 09 Oct 2006 12:34:00 PST

William Barnes interview tonight on 90.3 WBHM 6

  William Barnes interview tonight on 90.3 WBHM 6:30 Local public radio show Tapestry is doing a a sho...
Posted by William Barnes on Thu, 19 Jan 2006 08:52:00 PST

LETTER FROM GEORGE W.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bishop Kevin P. Turner recieved awards from the city council, mayor, and govenor at the show last week, and then this letter came in the mail today....THE WHITE HOUSEWashingtonNovember 17, 2005"I send...
Posted by William Barnes on Mon, 28 Nov 2005 02:12:00 PST

Get my music free from southword.org

If any body wants my music, until the albums come out, I've got several, several songs on the past 2 year's samplers from www.southword.net, you can download them for free at the site. enjoy.
Posted by William Barnes on Thu, 17 Nov 2005 09:57:00 PST

I got engaged last tuesday

5-16-06in seaside florida, it was incredible.
Posted by William Barnes on Tue, 23 May 2006 10:41:00 PST

"O.K." Christmas Shows in Montgomery and Birmingham Soon to be Announced....

Our annual christmas shows at 1048 in Montgomery our about to be confirmed, and we're trying to add a couple of Birmingham dates over the holidays as well.  Should know something this week.
Posted by William Barnes on Sun, 27 Nov 2005 02:23:00 PST

Week of "O.K." gigs w/guest soloist Sean Nowell Jan. 2006 in AL & GA.

Week of "O.K." gigs w/guest soloist Sean Nowell Jan. 2006 in AL & GA.  Posting dates soon, but around the 21st.  Sean's great skill, taste, artistic vision, and large bag of fx peda...
Posted by William Barnes on Sat, 05 Nov 2005 09:02:00 PST