On 23rd December 2001, Ryan Baker-Barnes packed his life into a suitcase and with guitar in hand, left sunny Africa behind him and caught a plane bound for the Big Smoke. With ambitions of hitting the heights of musical achievement, he found himself in great demand to bring all he had to offer to the streets of London. But with a broom in his hand.
Twenty-four hours before he was due to start work as a street sweeper, Ryan was offered an Internship with the Saltmine Trust, a Christian creative arts charity. Ryan toured the UK with their Theatre Company as a Sound and Light Engineer and started writing music to fill the long hours spent on the tour bus away from home. These songs found their way into the worship at Revival Fires, the church he still calls home, where he also met and married the love of his life, Anna.
Ryan now serves as the Worship Pastor at Revival Fires, where he has led worship alongside Brian Johnson, Kevin Prosch, Michael Larson, Chris Quilala and Anthony Skinner among others. He has spent most of 2008 leading worship in a move of God known as the ‘Dudley Outpouring’, which drew people night after night, from around the world, hungry to see God’s power. In the midst of this he wrote, recorded and produced the ‘Holy Generation EP', a collection of songs that captures Ryan’s characteristic sound and passion, fusing together driving acoustic melodies and rich, expressive vocals.
Ryan’s lyrics deliver messages of truth and freedom, drawing on his experience of liberation through Christ, the injustice he witnessed growing up in Zimbabwe’s turbulent Sunshine City and his hope for his generation to be set apart for holiness and serving the purposes of God. He has been influenced by artists ranging from The Killers and The Goo Goo Dolls, to Brian & Jenn Johnson and Delirious, which is reflected in his scope, from intimate love songs to lively pop to passionate, rousing anthems.
Ryan is also an inspiring speaker, and the driving force behind ‘Joel’s Army’, the Revival Fires youth movement.
Ryan resides in the Heart of England with his wife Anna and their baby daughter Bethany.
The ‘Holy Generation EP’ can be bought online at www.revivalfires.org.uk
Ryan’s next project, ‘Live Worship from the Dudley Outpouring’, a collaboration borne out of 2008’s powerful move of God, will be released on 5 November 2008. Recorded and produced by Paul Burton (Delirious?, Soul Survivor, Athlete, Snow Patrol) live at the recent FireStorm Gathering at Revival Fires which was also aired live by GOD TV. Available to order from www.revivalfires.org.uk
Ryan Baker-Barnes is endorsed by Avalon Guitars.
