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Ryan RnB Barber is one of the busiest musicians in Western North Carolina. He does it all: singing, rapping, songwriting, producing and arranging. And he stays busy with several bands (including BoogiTherapi and Orange Krush), participation in open mic\/jam nights, and as a member of Grammy award winning kid-hop artist Secret Agent 23 Skidoo\u2019s band.<\/p>\n
But even with all of that activity, Barber has managed to put together and release a solo album, Rejuvenation<\/i>. All nine cuts on the new album are Barber originals, and other than guitar on two tracks and some tasty horn work by the AVL Funk Horns, Rejuvenation<\/i> is a one-man show.<\/p>\n
Barber grew up in the tiny North Carolina town of Wilkesboro, best known as the home of the annual Merlefest music festival. But his own music bears the influences of soul, funk, gospel, hip-hop and rap. He comes from a long line of musically inclined folks. \u201cEveryone in my immediate family can sing,\u201d he says. \u201cWe all grew up singing in church and in choirs. I would sing national anthems at football and basketball games.\u201d Some extended family members had a funk group that was invited to appear on Soul Train<\/i>. \u201cI definitely come from a musical family,\u201d Barber says. <\/p>\n
And that musical talent comes naturally; other than taking a few piano lessons when he was young, Barber is completely self-taught. Even the harmonies on Rejuvenation<\/i> \u2013 sometimes stacked three and four voices high \u2013 are the product of Barber honing his skills on his own. <\/p>\n
In the best possible way, Rejuvenation<\/i> is all over the musical map. From the sweet soul of \u201cFun Tonight\u201d to the funky \u201cParkway Drive,\u201d the album is a showcase of styles. Barber emphasizes that the record\u2019s variety is intentional. \u201cI wanted to show people that I\u2019m not a one-dimensional artist,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n
Providing contrast to Rejuvenation\u2019<\/i>s musical variety, there\u2019s a unity of purpose within the album\u2019s lyrics. \u201cA lot of music these days \u2013 especially urban music \u2013 has anger and negativity,\u201d Barber says. His new album is designed as an antidote for that. \u201cI wanted to go the opposite route, making music that makes people feel good, get up out of their chair and dance, smile, laugh and have a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n
It may come as a surprise to learn that Barber \u2013 a personality well known regionally for his uptempo stage presence \u2013 used to suffer from performance anxiety. While he had been recording at home for a number of years, Barber only started playing live in 2007. \u201cI was a very shy person with severe stage fright,\u201d he admits. \u201cBut once I got used to it, and the more I saw that people were digging what I was doing, it became addictive.\u201d Today he\u2019s an engaging and seemingly effortless performer, comfortable fronting his various bands. <\/p>\n
Along the way, Barber has received plenty of advice from friends and fellow musicians. Some of the best advice he ever got was from the now-departed local music figure Jeff Knorr. \u201cHe taught me a lot about making sure other people in the band band have a focus, and making sure the crowd sees that,\u201d Barber says. <\/p>\n
Over the last decade-plus, Ryan RnB Barber has accumulated his own wisdom, too. He offers some advice for aspiring musicians looking to make it on today\u2019s ever-changing music landscape. \u201cA lot of people think that a solid work ethic just means creating your music at home and putting it out on social media,\u201d he says. \u201cBut it\u2019s so much more. You have to hustle gigs, and step out of your comfort zone.\u201d <\/p>\n
And despite Asheville and Western North Carolina\u2019s reputation as a challenging market for musicians, Barber is \u2013 true to form \u2013 optimistic. He believes that if you\u2019re a musician who \u201cshows up on time and has integrity and talent, it\u2019s going to be super easy for you to maintain work here.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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