Beginnings are always where you will find Barry Greenfield.
 
Barry Greenfield is seventy-three. He began performing and recording at age 15. Barry is still living a rich, rewarding life, as he experiences the tapestry that is life’s
musical road. An old-school singer songwriter, with three number one records; twenty-five plus covers; always the storyteller, in hundreds of ‘you-could-hear-a-penny-drop’ concerts; a fine narrator, and respected by his sisters and brothers in music, for being a prolific artist of quality and unique style, for five decades. Barry loves talking, walking, and breathing music.
An audience member wrote …………what a performance last night! I've seen you play with passion and feeling before, but the burbling emotion underlying certain songs was never as visible as it was last night.  “This Blue” reached out and brought us all into your vehicle with you as you drove through the boroughs of disintegrated love and despair. You reached depths, but you also shared the heights that accompany family and friendship, and this touched us all. You tapped into the fertile place from which the words sprang and permitted you to re-express it for us.... Live. The entire show contained everything I enjoy about the live music experience. It was performed by a talented musician; it told a story (or stories),
and it was intimate. Thanks so much

A song   SHE LOVES YOU Greenfield Video link  https://youtu.be/NzSaSOJ1XQ4h
 
                                                        















                                Barry’s Gurion Brazilian Rosewood bought 1968 



                                                     www.barrygreenfieldmusic.com
           

                                   
                           
                            Barry Greenfield
                                           












                             1974                                                                            2018

It was May 14th 1968 when John Lennon and Paul McCartney visited the NBC Tonight Show. They had a reason: tonight, they would announce the arrival of the Beatles’ record label to North America. Barry flew to London. With luck in his favour, Barry had the privilege of meeting John Lennon himself. He was told that his songs were special. Barry called his mom that night from a London payphone to share his joy at the reaction from Apple.
 
Back in Manchester in early 1970, 19-year-old, Barry, met the Manager of 10cc, Herman’s Hermits, and Andrew Lloyd Weber, among others. Barry's first single was produced by Graham Gouldman and recorded with 10cc. ‘Sweet America’ became Tony Blackburn's BBC Record of the Week. Each morning at 8am, that week in October, the BBC trumpets would play to introduce Barry to the British audience. Quite an honour for the young Canadian songwriter.
 
In 1972 Barry wrote and recorded 'New York is Closed Tonight'. This recording proved to be the first of three # 1 singles for Barry in a brief 18-month period. 'New York is Closed Tonight' won 1972 Certificate of Honour for Canadian Music and was the most played song on Canadian radio in 1972.
 
In 1973, the US Music Machine called, and Barry flew to Hollywood to record his first LP, 'Blue Sky'. Produced by David M. Kershenbaum and arranged and conducted by Jimmie Haskell. 'Blue Sky' was a masterpiece of mood and stories from Barry’s heart and soul.
From here, Barry toured for 2 years. His road mates included Supertramp, Maria Muldaur, Frank Zappa, John Lee Hooker, Steve Martin, Cheech and Chong, Mose Allison, John Hartford, the Pointer Sisters, Chilliwack, Susan Jacks, and many others who became friends and comrades. Barry's second album came about in 1974. Entitled 'Sanctuary', and it provided Barry two # 1 songs. Then he quit the music business feeling that the mire of fame was not for him, normal suited him best.
 
The last 40 years have seen Barry build a successful financial planning business and raise a family. During this period, the song writing never slowed. Barry wrote more than a dozen cover songs, including two songs by Juno Hall of Fame artist, Buffy St. Marie. Buffy called her 1988 ABC/Dunhill Album after a Greenfield track, "Sweet America".
 
Barry has released eleven critically approved CDs of his compositions since 1999. 2021 saw his favourite work as a Rocker, ‘THE WIZARD BROTHERS’ Lp. 2023 was celebrated with ‘graceful’, home demos and acoustic songs. Scores of self produced YouTube video’s that are a pleasure to create.
 
Barry has recently completed ‘THE GATE-My Day in AUSCHWITZ.’ A film documentary that shares the emotions, the knowledge gained, and the story, of Barry’s visit to Konzentrationslager Auschwitz, 70 years after the Camps liberation. The opus contains 5 original songs, and is beautifully narrated by Barry. He spent the last 18 months reading about Auschwitz, reseaching its history, and talking to survivors, and the children, known now as the second generation of Auschwitz. 
                   
Taken that Day after meeting Apple 1969













                                                                                             2024


                                  
                   BLUE SKY DELUXE EDITION 2024










                                              
 


In 2024 the past became today. The 50th anniversary of BLUE SKY opened doors Globally.
 
An excerpt from RECORD COLLECTOR the largest monthly music magazine in the UK wrote:
 
                    Barry Greenfield might just be the best songwriter you’ve probably never heard of. The English-born Canadian had a BBC Record of the Week back in 1970 with the Vietnam War protest song “Sweet America”, which also went to number one in England, followed by another number one in 1972 with “New York is Closed Tonight”. This productive run of form culminated in 1973 with Greenfield’s first studio album, Blue Sky, a little-known piece of 1970s folk–pop-rock that has stood the test of time lyrically and musically, a record which captures an artist on the precipice of major commercial and critical success. Except that success never came. The album was never released. A true maverick, Greenfield recorded a seminal album of the singer-songwriter genre and vanished into the ether, with all 20 copies of Blue Sky that were ever printed and left the business. 50 years later, Blue Sky is being re-released by Greenfield in light of the steadily growing attention it has received in the ensuing decades. When I sat down to talk with the songwriter from his home in Vancouver, there was a sense that this was a man who still couldn’t quite believe his own journey, a musician at once confident in the merits of his work, yet humble enough to recognise that sometimes the music industry is not always the best place for musicians. Despite its exceptional quality, "Blue Sky" never officially hit the shelves due to a dispute between Barry's manager, Fred Ahlert Jr. (Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s publisher) and the president of RCA over financial matters. Although copies of the album exist, it remains an unreleased masterpiece, forever etched in Barry Greenfield's musical history as perhaps the pinnacle of his creative expression.
 
                  Record Collector is an important magazine because it provides a sense of history to the scene. It assesses the importance of artists' contribution to music, regardless of whether they are flavour of the month. As a result, Record Collector has both rescued various artists' careers and instilled a sense in the reader that the quality of the music and the integrity of the artist is what really counts... a human voice in a corporate environment. --Arthur Brown


                 The Museum of Canadian Music added BLUE SKY, the first BARRY GREENFIELD LP, (RCA Hollywood, 1973, age 22), to the collection of Canadian Recordings. THE MUSEUM, the largest Music internet presence in Canada (opened in 1988) wrote, ‘Barry Greenfield’s 1973 'Blue Sky', is one of the best Canadian albums ever recorded.  Barry Greenfield made an important contribution to Canadian music.


Information/Write-up

Barry Greenfield and Robert Williston commemorate the 50th anniversary of Barry's overlooked debut album, a hidden gem in his musical journey. Barry, uninterested in fame or personal recognition, deliberately named his band 'Greenfield' rather than using his own name.

According to Barry, the album, titled "Blue Sky," holds a magical quality with contributions from world-class musicians such as Larry Carlton (lead guitar), Jim Gordon (drums), and Joe Osborn (bass). The stellar lineup also includes the acclaimed arranger Jimmie Haskell, known for his work with multiple Oscars and Grammys, and Rick Ruggieri, Elvis Presley's sound engineer, handled the engineering. The production was overseen by David Kershenbaum, who later became an executive at A&M Records, Elektra Records, and at Capitol Records. Remarkably, producing Barry's record altered the course of David's career, leading him to work with renowned artists like Duran Duran, Tracy Chapman, Joe Jackson, Laura Branigan, Cat Stevens, Bryan Adams, Supertramp, Elkie Brooks, Tori Amos, and more. David's achievements include 75 international gold and platinum albums, numerous Grammy awards, Golden Globes, and an Oscar nomination for Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do I Do It For You."

Despite its exceptional quality, "Blue Sky" never officially hit the shelves due to a dispute between Barry's manager, Fred Ahlert Jr. (Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s publisher) and the president of RCA over financial matters. Although copies of the album exist, it remains an unreleased masterpiece, forever etched in Barry Greenfield's musical history as perhaps the pinnacle of his creative expression.

Buffy Sainte-Marie recorded both "Free The Lady" and "Sweet America" and in 1976 named her 12th album after the song "Sweet America". Penned in 1970, "Sweet America" stands out as his most successful composition, having been covered by eight different artists. Originally addressing the Vietnam War, its lyrics, including the line "fall down on your knees and cry," could now be interpreted in the context of Donald Trump. The song's powerful songwriting was evident from the start; initially recorded with 10CC in England in 1969, it earned the distinction of being the BBC Record Of The Week in that same year. Notably, it claimed the #1 spot in England, played daily at quarter to eight on the BBC. The song shared this honor with Paul McCartney's "Another Day" preceding it as the pick of the week and the Carpenters' "Ticket to Ride" following it.

In 1973, a superior version of the song was re-recorded with Kerschenbaum. Upon its release, the single quickly entered the Billboard Charts, debuting at #54 in its first week in North America. However, the song faced an unexpected setback in its second week when it was banned by every radio station in America. This prohibition coincided with the return of John McCain and other American POWs from Hoa Lò (The Hanoi Hilton). RCA, in a state of panic, urgently flew Barry down to Los Angeles. Over two days, he engaged in extensive dialogue with program directors across the country, making 60 phone calls to clarify that the song was not intended to convey negativity; rather, it aimed to exude a sense of positivity and pride.

Similar to America's "A Horse With No Name" and Edward Bear's "Last Song," Barry Greenfield's "New York is Closed Tonight" stands as his signature piece, serving as the concluding number in every one of his performances. Originally composed with 13 verses, Barry carefully retained the most impactful three. Despite being written in 1969, the song remains timeless to Barry, much like Lightfoot's "Black Day in July." Although penned well before the events of 9/11, the song holds a poignant connection to that tragic day. Following the September 11 attacks on New York, media outlets such as CNN and Calgary TV played the song accompanied by visuals of the buildings collapsing into dust and ashes. Listening to the lyrics against this backdrop, the song eerily reflects the events of that fateful day. In 2003, Barry re-recorded it on a tour with Joey "Shithead" Keithley, appearing on his fourth album 'King of the Wolves' and in 2019 on his 12th album 'The Essentials' , Barry remixed the song, incorporating a 9/11 news broadcast, further enhancing its resonance and capturing the enduring impact of the tragic event.

Concluding the story, 'How Long Can You Give Love' and 'Honey, Honey, Honey Treat Me Nice' found placements in Australian films and television series for HBO and BBC. Even 50 years on, the future holds boundless possibilities for this extraordinary achievement.
-Robert Williston

Barry Greenfield: vocals, acoustic guitar
Larry Carlton: lead guitar
Dean Parks: guitar (tracks B1, B2, B3, B4)
Joe Osborn: bass
Larry Knechtel: keyboards (tracks A5, B5, B6)
Larry Muhoberac: keyboards (tracks A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, B3, B4)
Jim Gordon: drums (tracks B1, B2, B3, B4)
Russ Kunkel: drums (tracks A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B5, B6)
Gene Estes: percussion (tracks B1, B2, B3, B4)
Milt Holland: percussion (tracks A2, A5, B4, B5, B6)
Brooks Hunnicutt: backing vocals (track A4)
Daniel J. Moore: backing vocals (track A1)
Written by Barry Greenfield
Arranged by Jimmie Haskell
Produced by David M Kershenbaum
Engineered by Peter Abbott and Rick Ruggieri
 
Concerts in places as diverse as Paris, LA, Vancouver, Halifax, Toronto, and London. The story continues.
 
Social Media Links:
WEBSITE:      www.barrygreenfieldmusic.com
FACEBOOK:  www.facebook.com/barrygreenfieldmusic
YOUTUBE:    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9mISB3LkJ73kRICgy1qhLw/videos
On iTunes  best sound quality      Blue Sky (Deluxe Edition) [Remastered 2024] (2024)