Dave Barnes | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | David Mckee Barnes |
Born |
South Carolina, United States |
June 20, 1978
Origin | Knoxville, Tennessee |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
Instruments | Guitar, vocals, drums |
Years active | 2001–present |
Labels | Razor & Tie |
Associated acts | Matt Wertz, Marc Broussard |
Website | davebarnes |
Dave Barnes (born David Mckee Barnes, June 20, 1978), is an American musician and singer and Grammy Award nominated songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released nine albums including two Christmas albums. His most recent full-length album, Carry On, San Vicente, was released March 18, 2016.
The oldest of three children, Barnes was born in South Carolina in 1978. He is the son of a pastor who relocated his family to Kosciusko, Mississippi, just as Barnes was turning six years old. The Barnes family then moved to Knoxville, Tennessee the summer before his junior year in high school. Barnes went to college to further his studies playing the drums, and once at college, began playing guitar and writing songs for fun. He was initially only interested in writing material for other performers but was later encouraged by his peers to perform his works himself. Barnes took their advice and began performing within the campus at Middle Tennessee State University, and then performed at various nearby universities in regional centres as well as his own.
After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University, Barnes began touring and in 2002 released his five-song EP Three, Then Four, as purely a guitar-and-vocals release. With this release and the touring performed around it, Barnes' fan following expanded, with the assistance of internet promotion. Barnes toured heavily for over a year after that. During this period, Barnes met Ed Cash, a record producer who had worked with Bebo Norman.
At the suggestion of Cash, Barnes recorded a full-band studio LP. Barnes released Brother, Bring The Sun in September 2004. This album was critically acclaimed for Barnes' songwriting and overall high-quality presentation for an independent release. Also through its release, Barnes gained notability among singers Amy Grant (who later performed on Barnes' wedding song "I Have and I Always Will"),Vince Gill and John Mayer. In 2005, Barnes co-produced the five-song EP Today & Tomorrow for his friend Matt Wertz. Barnes also contributed his songwriting to one of its songs.