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<\/p>\nAs recently as 2015, Ryan Barber was homeless. But through a combination of determination and talent, today the Asheville musician is realizing his life and music goals. The newest release from Ryan RnB Barber \u2013 today a ubiquitous presence in the Asheville music scene \u2013 is a solo album pointedly titled Rejuvenation<\/i>. Backed by his band BoogiTherapi, Barber celebrates the album release with an April 19 show at Ben\u2019s Tune Up.<\/p>\n
Raised in the tiny mountain town of Wilkesboro, N.C., Barber grew up surrounded by the sounds of Appalachian music. \u201cMy grandmother loved bluegrass,\u201d he says. But in the region that would host Merlefest beginning in the late \u201880s, his growing interest in soul, rhythm and blues and funk had to find fulfillment at home. \u201cAs long as I can remember, my father and uncle had all these albums of \u201870s and \u201880s funk, disco and R&B,\u201d Barber recalls. \u201cI\u2019m sure that when I was in the womb, that was all they played.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The victim of a hate crime when he was 18, Barber knew he would eventually have to venture beyond the town of less than 3,000 people. \u201cI will never regret my childhood and growing up there, but Wilkesboro is not the place for a young, black individual to move forward in life,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
While still in Wilkes County, he was part of a group, Turbo Pro Project; he describes that outfit as \u201cbanjo hip-hop fusion.\u201d The band traveled south to play well-received sets at StellaBlue and the French Broad River Festival; eventually, Barber encouraged his band mates to relocate to Asheville.<\/p>\n
But in the end, only he made the move in March 2009. \u201cEverybody else got cold feet,\u201d Barber says with a laugh. \u201cBut I\u2019m grateful. Because that was the thing that I needed to warm up my<\/i> cold feet. I had always wondered, \u2018How am I gonna do that? I don\u2019t have any money. I don\u2019t know anybody down there.\u2019 So music was the reason that brought me to Asheville.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once settled, Barber took part in some open mic events. But gaining traction in the music scene was a long, slow haul. By 2015, he found himself homeless. \u201cNothing was working,\u201d he says. \u201cI was doing music, waiting tables and working as a bouncer at a bar.\u201d He felt he had reached a crossroads. \u201cI told myself, \u2018I\u2019m gonna give this one more year of doing music, and if it doesn\u2019t happen, then I\u2019m just gonna stop and work a regular job.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
A friend pushed Barber to attend Asheville Music Hall\u2019s Tuesday Night Funk Jam. He reluctantly agreed. \u201cI can\u2019t remember what song it was, but the crowd just erupted,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd the band was just like, \u2018Yeah, you were awesome! You should come back and do this again.\u2019 It seemed like everything just took off from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Local musicians became aware of Barber, and he started getting calls for gigs. \u201cThe rest is history,\u201d he says with a smile. \u201cI\u2019ve been blessed to be able to play with so many different people and meet so many awesome musicians who have welcomed me into their community. They really looked out for me. So yeah, music basically saved my life two years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Today Barber is fully consumed with music. He\u2019s a vocal coach, and works as a music instructor at French Broad River Academy. He sings and plays with several bands including Rubberband and Orange Krush. He\u2019s regularly found at the Funk Jam, the AMC Jazz Jam and Salvage Station\u2019s weekly RnB Jam Night. And as part of kid-hop sensation Secret Agent 23 Skidoo\u2019s band, Barber earned his first Grammy award (Best Children\u2019s Album) in 2017 for Infinity Plus One<\/i>.<\/p>\n
But for a time, Barber\u2019s original music took a back seat to his other musical pursuits. \u201cI was focused on trying to keep the bills paid, trying to take care of my family, and all that good stuff,\u201d he says. \u201cI was basically going around doing shows and singing covers just to get by.\u201d But friends and band mates Debrissa McKinney and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo (Barber calls the latter \u201cCactus\u201d) encouraged him. \u201cThey told me, \u2018People really need to hear your type of r&b and hip-hop funk right now,\u2019\u201d he says. So Barber redoubled his efforts toward his own music.<\/p>\n
Predominantly a one-man record, Rejuvenation<\/i> is a party disc, with tunes like \u201cFun Tonight\u201d and \u201cLay Yo Body Down.\u201d But the disc\u2019s mix of r&b, funk, soul and hip-hop supports a positive, upbeat lyrical perspective that\u2019s often autobiographical in nature. The nine-track set wraps up with its most pointed track, \u201cPerseverance.\u201d Against a forceful funk background, Barber spins the tale of his journey from a Wilkes County kid to a Grammy winning recording artist: \u201cAll the doubtin’ and hatin’ motivates me to work harder,\u201d he raps. \u201cYou can try but you’ll never be Ryan RnB Barber.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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